The motto is derived from a sentence in Cicero's most influential philosophical work, his treatise On Duties (Latin: De Officiis).
[1] In the context of the passage, the sentence means that "humans have been created for the sake of others of their kind, indeed, to benefit each other as much as possible".
"[3] The motto is used by numerous organizations, including the United States Army 1st Maintenance Company[4] and schools including Massanutten Academy, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Pennthorpe School, Lower Canada College, University College, Durham,[5] University of Victoria's St. Joseph School of Nursing,[6] Washburn University,[7] Willamette University,[8] Swarthmore College (Class of 1918's motto),[9] and Camp Kanawana, a YMCA camp north of Montreal, Quebec.
The motto was also incorporated into the coat of arms for Frank Seiberling and appears over the entrance to Stan Hywet, their Akron, Ohio mansion built in the early 1900s.
[12] This motto was also part of the crest of the family of George Fosberry, soldier and arms designer.