This volume investigates how Marcus Tullius Cicero strategically adapted Greek intellectual traditions to establish a distinct Roman literary canon that possessed its own classical authority. Caroline Bishop, a scholar of classical literature, utilizes a rigorous analysis of Cicero's translations and philosophical dialogues to argue that his engagement with Greek texts was a deliberate political and intellectual act. By examining the reception of authors like Plato, Aristotle, and Demosthenes, the book demonstrates how Cicero navigated Roman ambivalence toward Greek culture to position himself as the architect of a new, authoritative Roman intellectual identity.

Scholars in the field of classical studies recognize this work as a nuanced contribution to the understanding of Roman intellectual history and the mechanics of literary reception. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored for researchers and students of Latin literature and ancient philosophy.