It would be well if we could realize the idea of liberty which Cicero entertained.

Liberty was very dear to him--dear to him not only as enjoying it himself, but as a privilege for the enjoyment of others.

But it was only the liberty of a few.

Half the population of the Roman cities were slaves, and in Cicero's time the freedom of the city, which he regarded as necessary to liberty, belonged only to a small proportion of the population of Italy.

It was the liberty of a small privileged class for which he was anxious.