Delphic maxims

The Delphic maxims are a set of 147 maxims inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Originally, they were said to have been given by the Greek god Apollo's Oracle at Delphi, Pythia, and therefore were attributed to Apollo.[1] The 3rd century doxographer Diogenes Laertius attributed them to the Seven Sages of Greece[2] as did the 5th century scholar Stobaeus.[3] Contemporary scholars, however, hold that their original authorship is uncertain and that 'most likely they were popular proverbs, which tended later to be attributed to particular sages.'[4] Roman educator Quintilian argued that students should copy those aphorisms often to improve their moral core.[5] Perhaps the most famous of these maxims is 'know thyself,' which was the first of three maxims carved above the entrance to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.

The specific order and wording of each maxim varies among different versions (and translations) of the text. Not all maxims appear in all versions.

Entrance Maxims

Three maxims were inscribed on a column in the pronaos (forecourt) of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi:[6][7]

  1. Know thyself
  2. Nothing in excess
  3. Surety brings ruin[8]

147 Delphic maxims as cited by Stobaeus

Temple of Apollo at Delphi, by Albert Tournaire
147 Delphic maxims[9]
No.GreekEnglish
001.Ἕπου θεῷFollow God
002.Νόμῳ πείθουObey the law
003.Θεοὺς σέβουRespect the Gods
004.Γονεῖς αἰδοῦRespect your parents
005.Ἡττῶ ὑπὸ δικαίουBe ruled by justice
006.Γνῶθι μαθώνKnow by learning
007.Ἀκούσας νόειListen and understand
008.Σαυτὸν ἴσθιKnow yourself, also, γνῶθι σεαυτόν
009.Γαμεῖν μέλλεSet out to be married
010.Καιρὸν γνῶθιKnow your opportunity
011.Φρόνει θνητάThink mortal thoughts
012.Ξένος ὢν ἴσθιKnow when you are an outsider
013.Ἑστίαν τίμαHonour the hearth
014.Ἄρχε σεαυτοῦBe in control of yourself
015.Φίλοις βοήθειHelp your friends
016.Θυμοῦ κράτειControl your temper
017.Φρόνησιν ἄσκειExercise prudence
018.Πρόνοιαν τίμαHonour forethought
019.Ὅρκῳ μὴ χρῶDo not use an oath
020.Φιλίαν ἀγάπαEmbrace friendship
021.Παιδείας ἀντέχουCling to education
022.Δόξαν δίωκεPursue honour
023.Σοφίαν ζήλουBe eager for wisdom
024.Καλὸν εὖ λέγεPraise the good
025.Ψέγε μηδέναFind fault with no one
026.Ἐπαίνει ἀρετήνPraise virtue
027.Πρᾶττε δίκαιαPractice what is just
028.Φίλοις εὐνόειShow favour to your friends
029.Ἐχθροὺς ἀμύνουWard off your enemies
030.Εὐγένειαν ἄσκειExercise nobility of character
031.Κακίας ἀπέχουShun evil
032.Κοινὸς γίνουBe impartial
033.Ἴδια φύλαττεGuard what is yours
034.Ἀλλοτρίων ἀπέχουShun what belongs to others
035.Ἄκουε πάνταListen to all
036.Εὔφημος ἴσθιBe fair of speech
037.Φίλῳ χαρίζουLook after your own
038.Μηδὲν ἄγανNothing in excess
039.Χρόνου φείδουSave time
040.Ὅρα τὸ μέλλονLook to the future
041.Ὕβριν μίσειDespise insolence
042.Ἱκέτας αἰδοῦHave respect for suppliants
043.Πᾶσιν ἁρμόζουBe accommodating to all
044.Υἱοὺς παίδευεEducate your sons
045.Ἔχων χαρίζουIf you have, give
046.Δόλον φοβοῦFear deceit
047.Εὐλόγει πάνταςSpeak well of everyone
048.Φιλόσοφος γίνουBe a seeker of wisdom
049.Ὅσια κρῖνεChoose what is holy
050.Γνοὺς πρᾶττεAct from knowledge
051.Φόνου ἀπέχουShun murder
052.Εὔχου δυνατάPray for what is possible
053.Σοφοῖς χρῶConsult the wise
054.Ἦθος δοκίμαζεTest your character
055.Λαβὼν ἀπόδοςIf you have received, give back
056.Ὑφορῶ μηδέναLook down on none
057.Τέχνῃ χρῶMake use of expertise
058.Ὃ μέλλεις, δόςGive what you aim to give
059.Εὐεργεσίας τίμαHonour generosity
060.Φθόνει μηδενίEnvy no one
061.Φυλακῇ πρόσεχεBe on your guard
062.Ἐλπίδα αἴνειPraise hope
063.Διαβολὴν μίσειDespise slander
064.Δικαίως κτῶGain possessions justly
065.Ἀγαθοὺς τίμαHonour good people
066.Κριτὴν γνῶθιKnow who is the judge
067.Γάμους κράτειControl your marriages
068.Τύχην νόμιζεRecognize fortune
069.Ἐγγύην φεῦγεDon't make risky promises
070.Ἁπλῶς διαλέγουSpeak plainly
071.Ὁμοίοις χρῶAssociate with likeminded people
072.Δαπανῶν ἄρχουControl your expenditure
073.Κτώμενος ἥδουBe happy with what you have
074.Αἰσχύνην σέβουRevere a sense of shame
075.Χάριν ἐκτέλειRepay favours
076.Εὐτυχίαν εὔχουPray for success
077.Τύχην στέργεEmbrace your fate
078.Ἀκούων ὅραListen and observe
079.Ἐργάζου κτητάWork for what you can own
080.Ἔριν μίσειDespise strife
081.Ὄνειδος ἔχθαιρεDetest disgrace
082.Γλῶτταν ἴσχεRestrain your tongue
083.Ὕβριν ἀμύνουShun violence
084.Κρῖνε δίκαιαMake just judgements
085.Χρῶ χρήμασινUse what you have
086.Ἀδωροδόκητος δίκαζεJudge incorruptibly
087.Αἰτιῶ παρόνταMake accusations face to face
088.Λέγε εἰδώςSpeak from knowledge
089.Βίας μὴ ἔχουHave no truck with violence
090.Ἀλύπως βίουLive free of sorrow
091.Ὁμίλει πρᾴωςHave kindly interactions
092.Πέρας ἐπιτέλει μὴ ἀποδειλιῶνComplete the race and don't chicken out
093.Φιλοφρόνει πᾶσινDeal kindly with everyone
094.Υἱοῖς μὴ καταρῶDo not curse your sons
095.Γυναικὸς ἄρχεControl your wife
096.Σεαυτὸν εὖ ποίειBenefit yourself
097.Εὐπροσήγορος γίνουBe courteous
098.Ἀποκρίνου ἐν καιρῷRespond in a timely manner
099.Πόνει μετ’ εὐκλείαςStruggle for glory
100.Πρᾶττε ἀμετανοήτωςAct decisively
101.Ἁμαρτάνων μετανόειRepent of your errors
102.Ὀφθαλμοῦ κράτειControl your eye
103.Βουλεύου χρόνῳGive timely counsel
104.Πρᾶττε συντόμωςAct without hesitation
105.Φιλίαν φύλαττεGuard friendship
106.Εὐγνώμων γίνουBe grateful
107.Ὁμόνοιαν δίωκεPursue harmony
108.Ἄρρητον κρύπτεKeep secret what should be secret
109.Τὸ κρατοῦν φοβοῦFear what rules
110.Τὸ συμφέρον θηρῶPursue what is profitable
111.Καιρὸν προσδέχουAccept due measure
112.Ἔχθρας διάλυεDissolve enmities
113.Γῆρας προσδέχουAccept old age
114.Ἐπὶ ῥώμῃ μὴ καυχῶDo not boast about power
115.Εὐφημίαν ἄσκειExercise (religious) silence
116.Ἀπέχθειαν φεῦγεShun hatred
117.Πλούτει δικαίωςAcquire wealth justly
118.Δόξαν μὴ λεῖπεDo not abandon honour
119.Κακίαν μίσειDespise evil
120.Κινδύνευε φρονίμωςTake sensible risks
121.Μανθάνων μὴ κάμνεNever tire of learning
122.Φειδόμενος μὴ λεῖπεNever cease being thrifty
123.Χρησμοὺς θαύμαζεAdmire oracles
124.Οὓς τρέφεις, ἀγάπαLove those whom you rear
125.Ἀπόντι μὴ μάχουDo not fight an absent foe
126.Πρεσβύτερον αἰδοῦRespect the old
127.Νεώτερον δίδασκεInstruct the young
128.Πλούτῳ ἀπίστειDo not put your trust in wealth
129.Σεαυτὸν αἰδοῦRespect yourself
130.Μὴ ἄρχε ὑβρίζεινDo not initiate violence
131.Προγόνους στεφάνουCrown your ancestors
132.Θνῆσκε ὑπὲρ πατρίδοςDie for your country
133.Τῷ βίῳ μὴ ἄχθουDo not live your life in discontent
134.Ἐπὶ νεκρῷ μὴ γέλαDo not make fun of the dead
135.Ἀτυχοῦντι συνάχθουShare the load of the unfortunate
136.Χαρίζου ἀβλαβῶςGratify without harming
137.Μὴ ἐπὶ παντὶ λυποῦHave no grief
138.Ἐξ εὐγενῶν γένναBeget good from good
139.Ἐπαγγέλλου μηδενίMake promises to none
140.Φθιμένους μὴ ἀδίκειDo not wrong the dead
141.Εὖ πάσχε ὡς θνητόςDo as well as your mortal status permits
142.Τύχῃ μὴ πίστευεDo not put your trust in chance
143.Παῖς ὢν κόσμιος ἴσθιAs a child be well-behaved
144.Ἡβῶν ἐγκρατήςAs a youth be self-disciplined
145.Μέσος δίκαιοςAs a middle-aged person be honest
146.Πρεσβύτης εὔλογοςAs an old man be sensible
147.Τελευτῶν ἄλυποςAt your end be without sorrow

Ai-Khanoum inscription

Stone block with a portion of the Delphic Maxims. Ai-Khanoum, Afghanistan, 2nd century BCE

In the ruins of the Hellenistic city of Ai-Khanoum (former Greco-Bactrian kingdom, and modern Afghanistan), on a Herõon (funerary monument) identified in Greek as the tomb of Kineas (also described as the oikistes (founder) of the Greek settlement) and dated to 300-250 BCE, an inscription has been found describing part of the Delphic maxims (maxims 143 to 147):

παῖς ὢν κόσμιος γίνου,
ἡβῶν ἐγκρατής,
μέσος δίκαιος,
πρεσβύτης εὔβουλος,
τελευτῶν ἄλυπος.[10]
"Païs ôn kosmios ginou (As children, learn good manners)
hèbôn enkratès, (as young men, learn to control the passions)
mesos dikaios (in middle age, be just)
presbutès euboulos (in old age, give good advice)
teleutôn alupos. (then die, without regret.)"

The precepts were placed by a Greek named Clearchos, who may or may not have been Clearchus of Soli the disciple of Aristotle,[11] who, according to the same inscription, had copied them from Delphi:

ἀνδρῶν τοι σοφὰ ταῦτα παλαιοτέρων ἀνάκει[τα]ι
ῥήματα ἀριγνώτων Πυθοὶ ἐν ἠγαθέαι·
ἔνθεν ταῦτ[α] Κλέαρχος ἐπιφραδέως ἀναγράψας
εἵσατο τηλαυγῆ Κινέου ἐν τεμένει.[10]
"These wise commandments of men of old
- Words of well-known thinkers - stand dedicated
In the most holy Pythian shrine
From there Klearchos, having copied them carefully, set them up, shining from afar, in the sanctuary of Kineas"

Philosophical interpretations

By Socrates

Socrates' student, Xenophon, in his Memorabilia described Socrates' use of the maxim know thyself as an organizing theme for his dialogue with Euthydemus. In this dialogue Socrates points out that knowing thyself is the starting point for all good things, and failure to know thyself is the starting point of delusion, yet, even from this starting point one cannot be sure one knows what is good and what is bad.[12]

Socrates' student, Plato, employs the maxim 'know thyself' extensively by having the character of Socrates use it to motivate his dialogues. Benjamin Jowett's index to his translation of the Dialogues of Plato lists six dialogues which discuss or explore the Delphic maxim: 'know thyself.' These dialogues (and the Stephanus numbers indexing the pages where these discussions begin) are Charmides (164D), Protagoras (343B), Phaedrus (229E), Philebus (48C), Laws (II.923A), Alcibiades I (124A, 129A, 132C).[13]

In Plato's Charmides, Critias argues that "succeeding sages who added 'never too much,' or, 'give a pledge, and evil is nigh at hand,' would appear to have so misunderstood them; for they imagined that 'know thyself!' was a piece of advice which the god gave, and not his salutation of the worshippers at their first coming in; and they dedicated their own inscription under the idea that they too would give equally useful pieces of advice."[14] In Critias' opinion 'know thyself!' was an admonition to those entering the sacred temple to remember or know their place and that 'know thyself!' and 'be temperate!' are the same.[15] In the balance of the Charmides, Plato has Socrates lead a longer inquiry as to how we may gain knowledge of ourselves.

In Plato's Phaedrus, Socrates uses the maxim 'know thyself' as his explanation to Phaedrus to explain why he has no time for the attempts to rationally explain mythology or other far flung topics. Socrates says, "But I have no leisure for them at all; and the reason, my friend, is this: I am not yet able, as the Delphic inscription has it, to know myself; so it seems to me ridiculous, when I do not yet know that, to investigate irrelevant things."[16]

In Plato's Protagoras, Socrates lauds the authors of pithy and concise sayings delivered precisely at the right moment and says that Lacedaemon, or Sparta, educates its people to that end. Socrates lists the Seven Sages as Thales, Pittacus, Bias, Solon, Cleobulus, Myson, and Chilon, who he says are gifted in that Lacedaemonian art of concise words "twisted together, like a bowstring, where a slight effort gives great force."[17] Socrates says examples of them are, "the far-famed inscriptions, which are in all men's mouths,--'know thyself,' and 'nothing too much'.".[18] Having lauded the maxims, Socrates then explains what one of them means, the saying of Pittacus, 'Hard is it to be good.' The irony here is that although the sayings of Delphi bear 'great force,' it is not clear how to live life in accordance with their meanings. Although, the concise and broad nature of the sayings suggests the active partaking in the usage and personal discovery of each maxim; as if the intended nature of the saying lay not in the words but the self-reflection and self-referencing of the person thereof.

In Plato's Philebus dialogue, Socrates refers back to the same usage of 'know thyself' from Phaedrus to build an example of the ridiculous for Protarchus. Socrates says, as he did in Phaedrus, that people make themselves appear ridiculous when they are trying to know obscure things before they know themselves.[19] Plato also alluded to the fact that understanding 'thyself,' would have a greater yielded factor of understanding the nature of a human being.

Pyrrhonism

Diogenes Laërtius in his account of the life of Pyrrho, the founder of Pyrrhonism that the Seven Sages of Greece were considered to be precursors of Pyrrho's philosophical skepticism because the Delphic Maxims were skeptical. "The maxims of the Seven Wise Men, too, they call skeptical; for instance, "Observe the Golden Mean," and "A pledge is a curse at one's elbow," meaning that whoever plights his troth steadfastly and trustfully brings a curse on his own head."[20]

See also

References

Citations

  1. Temenos Theon – The Delphic Maxims
  2. Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers Book IX Chapter 11 section 71 http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0258%3Abook%3D9%3Achapter%3D11
  3. Leslie Kurke, Aesopic Conversations: Popular Tradition, Cultural Dialogue, and the Invention of Greek Prose, Princeton University Press, 2010, p. 109.
  4. H. Parke and D. Wormell, The Delphic Oracle, (Basil Blackwell, 1956), vol. 1, p. 389.
  5. Teacher of the Nations: Ancient Educational Traditions and Paul’s Argument in 1 Corinthians 1-4, Devin L. White, (Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG), ISBN 978-3-11-053955-4, page 83
  6. Plato Charmides 165
  7. Allyson Szabo Longing For Wisdom: The Message Of The Maxims 2008 ISBN 1438239769 p8
  8. Eliza G. Wilkins ΕΓΓΥΑ, ΠΑΡΑ ΔΑΤΗ in Literature Classical Philology Volume 22, Number 2 Apr., 1927 p121 https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/360881
  9. https://archive.org/details/joannisstobaeian03stovuoft/page/125
  10. Greek Culture in Afghanistan and India: Old Evidence and New Discoveries, Shane Wallace, 2016, p.215
  11. Greek Culture in Afghanistan and India: Old Evidence and New Discoveries, Shane Wallace, 2016, p.217
  12. Xenophon describes Socrates use of 'Know Thyself' in Memorabilia 4.2.24 <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0208:book%3D4:chapter%3D2:section%3D24>
  13. Plato, The Dialogues of Plato translated into English with Analyses and Introductions by Benjamin Jowett, M.A. in Five Volumes. 3rd edition revised and corrected (Oxford University Press, 1892), (See Index: Knowledge; 'know thyself' at Delphi).
  14. Critias states the meaning of 'know thyself' in Plato's Charmides (165a),<http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0176:text%3DCharm.:section%3D165a>
  15. Critias says 'know thyself!' and 'be temperate!' are the same in Plato's Charmides (164e), <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0176:text%3DCharm.:section%3D164e>
  16. Socrates uses the saying 'know thyself' to explain what is important for him to know. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0174:text%3DPhaedrus:section%3D229e
  17. Socrates lists the authors of Delphi's sayings. <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Plat.+Prot.+343a&fromdoc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0178>
  18. Socrates seeks to understand 'Know thyself' as pithy, concise wisdom. <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0178:text%3DProt.:section%3D343b>
  19. Socrates use of 'know thyself' in Philebus (48c) http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Plat.+Phileb.+48c&fromdoc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0174
  20. Diogenes Laërtius Lives of the Eminent Philosophers Book IX, Chapter 11, Section 71 https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Lives_of_the_Eminent_Philosophers/Book_IX#Pyrrho

Sources

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