"It was to philosophy's bosom I was driven from my earliest years by my wishes and interests, and in these dire misfortunes, buffered by a great storm, I have sought refuge in the same harbour from which I first hoisted sail. O philosophy, guide to life, you who search out virtue and drive out vice! . . . to you I entrust myself, as once in large measure, so now deeply and entirely. A single day spent well and in accordance with your lessons is to be preferred to an unending life of error."

"And yet, so far from receiving the praise its services to human life have deserved that it is ignored by most men and even traduced by many . . . But, in my opinion, this misconception, this darkness has blinded the minds of the uneducated, because they are incapable of looking back sufficiently far into the past, and do not consider that the men who were the first to furnish the life of man with its needs were philosophers."

". . . the story goes that Pythagoras came to Philus and in the company of Leon, that town's leading citizen, discussed certain topics learnedly and at length. Leon was struck by his intellect and eloquence, and asked him what art he relied on especially. The reply that Pythagoras gave was that he knew no 'art' but was a philosopher. Surprised at the novelty of the term, Leon asked who philosophers were and what was the difference between them and the rest of men." —Tusculan Disputations, Book V
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This book contains three works from Cicero:
• Tusculan Disputations Books I, II, V* (with the prefaces of Books III & IV)
• Cato the Elder; On Old Age
• Laelius; On Friendship

Given the name of the book, On Life and Death, this is an appropriate selection of works, and I would highly recommend it (along with Cicero's Letters) as a starting point for exploring Cicero's moral philosophy; these three dialogues, along with De Oficiis (On Duties/Obligations), being his major ethical works.

The translation is excellent.

By the by, the Tusculan Disputations are the locus classicus of the legend of The Sword of Damocles, which can be found at Book V. 61

* Being the completionist I am, I decided to read books III & IV of the Tusculan Disputations elsewhere. Book III deals entirely with grief, whilst Book IV deals with other perturbations of the mind. I can see why book III is commonly left out of most copies, but book IV does contain some interesting discussion, and I would say the latter is worth reading.
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"I am speaking of a learned and educated man, for whom to live is to think . . . This is the man who has secured the best way of living . . . and can be compared with nothing else except with God himself, if that is not a blasphemous statement." —Tusculan Disputations, Book V ( )