"What nobler employment, or more valuable to the state, than that of the man who instructs the rising generation?"

Cicero’s assertion elevates the role of the educator to one of the highest callings within society. He frames the act of teaching not simply as the transfer of knowledge, but as a service of profound civic importance. The phrase “nobler employment” invokes the pursuit of virtue, suggesting that guiding the young is not merely a respectable job, but one morally superior and inherently dignified. Instruction is depicted as a calling that shapes both individual character and collective destiny, for the youth are the future stewards of the state.

By asking what occupation is “more valuable to the state,” Cicero draws attention to the symbiotic relationship between education and societal wellbeing. The health of any civilization depends upon the wisdom, ethics, and competence of its citizens. Those entrusted with educating the young hold the tools with which to forge these vital qualities. Through teaching, values are transmitted, traditions are preserved, and innovations are fostered. Education becomes the safeguard of a state’s stability, prosperity, and justice.

Cicero’s focus is on the “rising generation,” highlighting a sense of continuity and stewardship. Each generation inherits the achievements and failures of the previous ones, but it is through attentive guidance that the younger members of society learn to improve upon this inheritance. The teacher, therefore, is depicted as an architect of the future, wielding influence not just over individual students, but over the enduring fabric of the state.

His rhetorical questioning further serves to elevate the profession, inviting recognition and respect for those who dedicate their lives to nurturing minds. For Cicero, there is no pursuit of greater consequence than the intellectual and moral cultivation of youth. By equipping the rising generation to think, reason, and act justly, educators provide a service both noble and indispensable, laying the foundation for a society’s flourishing through the ages.