Cicero: Cases on Sales Management and Professional Conduct
Cicero, to calibrate understanding of honest/dishonest business behaviour, offered his son
Marcus some examples of dilemmas faced by a basically honest actor who has the chance
to gain advantage in a situation. Does the actor remain silent, hold back from taking action or
even intervene - when perhaps he/she "should not"?
Case 1: Famine at Rhodes
There is a food-shortage and famine at Rhodes. Corn prices are high. An honest and normally open
trader has brought in corn from Alexandria and knows that other traders are only a few days
away. Other grain ships are sailing to Rhodes.
Discuss the following issues:
- Should the trader be open with his Rhodian customers about incoming ships or
remain silent
and sell his stock at prevailing high prices?
- Profiting from customer demand in conditions of market ignorance is unethical.
The merchant should reveal all the facts so that the purchaser is as informed as the seller.
- Being in the role of the trader does not mediate ethical responsibility.
Even traders ought to work for his/her fellow-men (serve the general
good).
Notes on Case 1
Further Notes on Case 1:
"More grain tomorrow as Prices slump."
Case 2: Selling a house, buying a villa
Selling a house
Imagine an honest man selling a house which appears sound but is badly built and insanitary
(poor drains). Nobody knows this except the owner who remains silent. Revealing this would
affect the purchasing price. No actual lie is told and nothing is done or said to mislead.
In everyday life, sellers have the freedom to deal shrewdly and persuade buyers.
Gaius Canius and the villa
Cicero tells of Gaius Canius, a witty and cultured man. On holiday in Syracuse, Gaius spoke to a
banker (Pythius) about buying Pythius' villa as a weekend retreat. Pythius says that the villa is
not for sale but invites Gaius for a meal at the villa the next day.
Pythius then asks fishermen (who owe him favours) to fish by the villa the next day . As Pythius entertains Gaius, the fishing-boats add to the picturesque scene. The boatmen bring up part of their catch to show. Gaius asks about the fishing boats. Pythius replies.
"All the fish and all the water in Syracuse are at this very spot; without this place of mine, the
men could do nothing. "
Gaius presses Pythius to sell the villa and offers a good price. Pythius finally agrees. Next day Gaius and friends arrived but the boats are gone. A neighbour explains that the previous
day was abnormal - nobody ever fished by the villa.
Discuss the following questions:
- Cicero calls both examples - selling the house and the villa - unethical.
Would you agree or disagree? If so why?
- Put forward arguments to support both positions.
Notes on Case 2
Further examination
What limiting conditions would you place on the notion of entirely free,
competitive market exchange?
- Consider both a simple exchange and
- an exchange which involves a "special relationship" e.g. where the seller has
access to expert or technical information that it would be impossible or practically impossible
for the buyer to obtain. This may exist, for example, in a doctor-patient or
client-accountant relationship, where higher responsibilities and standards of
professional fidelity and disclosure are expected. What are these "standards" and what are the
expectations of a "special relationship"?
Notes on free market exchange, limiting conditions and
special relationships
This resource was written by Chris Jarvis for the BOLA project.