04 Sep Delphic maxims
The Delphic maxims are a set of 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. The 3rd century doxographer Diogenes Laertius attributed them to the Seven Sages of Greece as did the 5th century scholar Stobaeus. 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.’ Roman educator Quintilian argued that students should copy those aphorisms often to improve their moral core. 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.
| 147 Delphic maxims | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Greek | English |
| 001 | Ἕπου θεῷ | Follow God |
| 002 | Νόμῳ πείθου | Obey the law |
| 003 | Θεοὺς σέβου | Respect the Gods |
| 004 | Γονεῖς αἰδοῦ | Respect your parents |
| 005 | Ἡττῶ ὑπὸ δικαίου | Be ruled by justice |
| 006 | Γνῶθι μαθών | Know by learning |
| 007 | Ἀκούσας νόει | Listen and understand |
| 008 | Σαυτὸν ἴσθι | Know yourself, also, γνῶθι σεαυτόν |
| 009 | Γαμεῖν μέλλε | Set out to be married |
| 010 | Καιρὸν γνῶθι | Know your opportunity |
| 011 | Φρόνει θνητά | Think mortal thoughts |
| 012 | Ξένος ὢν ἴσθι | Know when you are an outsider |
| 013 | Ἑστίαν τίμα | Honour the hearth |
| 014 | Ἄρχε σεαυτοῦ | Be in control of yourself |
| 015 | Φίλοις βοήθει | Help your friends |
| 016 | Θυμοῦ κράτει | Control your temper |
| 017 | Φρόνησιν ἄσκει | Exercise prudence |
| 018 | Πρόνοιαν τίμα | Honour forethought |
| 019 | Ὅρκῳ μὴ χρῶ | Do not use an oath |
| 020 | Φιλίαν ἀγάπα | Embrace friendship |
| 021 | Παιδείας ἀντέχου | Cling to education |
| 022 | Δόξαν δίωκε | Pursue honour |
| 023 | Σοφίαν ζήλου | Be eager for wisdom |
| 024 | Καλὸν εὖ λέγε | Praise the good |
| 025 | Ψέγε μηδένα | Find fault with no one |
| 026 | Ἐπαίνει ἀρετήν | Praise virtue |
| 027 | Πρᾶττε δίκαια | Practice what is just |
| 028 | Φίλοις εὐνόει | Show favour to your friends |
| 029 | Ἐχθροὺς ἀμύνου | Ward off your enemies |
| 030 | Εὐγένειαν ἄσκει | Exercise nobility of character |
| 031 | Κακίας ἀπέχου | Shun evil |
| 032 | Κοινὸς γίνου | Be impartial |
| 033 | Ἴδια φύλαττε | Guard what is yours |
| 034 | Ἀλλοτρίων ἀπέχου | Shun what belongs to others |
| 035 | Ἄκουε πάντα | Listen to all |
| 036 | Εὔφημος ἴσθι | Be fair of speech |
| 037 | Φίλῳ χαρίζου | Look after your own |
| 038 | Μηδὲν ἄγαν | Nothing in excess |
| 039 | Χρόνου φείδου | Save time |
| 040 | Ὅρα τὸ μέλλον | Look to the future |
| 041 | Ὕβριν μίσει | Despise insolence |
| 042 | Ἱκέτας αἰδοῦ | Have respect for suppliants |
| 043 | Πᾶσιν ἁρμόζου | Be accommodating to all |
| 044 | Υἱοὺς παίδευε | Educate your sons |
| 045 | Ἔχων χαρίζου | If you have, give |
| 046 | Δόλον φοβοῦ | Fear deceit |
| 047 | Εὐλόγει πάντας | Speak well of everyone |
| 048 | Φιλόσοφος γίνου | Be a seeker of wisdom |
| 049 | Ὅσια κρῖνε | Choose what is holy |
| 050 | Γνοὺς πρᾶττε | Act from knowledge |
| 051 | Φόνου ἀπέχου | Shun murder |
| 052 | Εὔχου δυνατά | Pray for what is possible |
| 053 | Σοφοῖς χρῶ | Consult the wise |
| 054 | Ἦθος δοκίμαζε | Test your character |
| 055 | Λαβὼν ἀπόδος | If you have received, give back |
| 056 | Ὑφορῶ μηδένα | Look down on none |
| 057 | Τέχνῃ χρῶ | Make use of expertise |
| 058 | Ὃ μέλλεις, δός | Give what you aim to give |
| 059 | Εὐεργεσίας τίμα | Honour generosity |
| 060 | Φθόνει μηδενί | Envy no one |
| 061 | Φυλακῇ πρόσεχε | Be on your guard |
| 062 | Ἐλπίδα αἴνει | Praise hope |
| 063 | Διαβολὴν μίσει | Despise slander |
| 064 | Δικαίως κτῶ | Gain possessions justly |
| 065 | Ἀγαθοὺς τίμα | Honour good people |
| 066 | Κριτὴν γνῶθι | Know who is the judge |
| 067 | Γάμους κράτει | Control your marriages |
| 068 | Τύχην νόμιζε | Recognize fortune |
| 069 | Ἐγγύην φεῦγε | Don’t make risky promises |
| 070 | Ἁπλῶς διαλέγου | Speak plainly |
| 071 | Ὁμοίοις χρῶ | Associate with likeminded people |
| 072 | Δαπανῶν ἄρχου | Control your expenditure |
| 073 | Κτώμενος ἥδου | Be happy with what you have |
| 074 | Αἰσχύνην σέβου | Revere a sense of shame |
| 075 | Χάριν ἐκτέλει | Repay favours |
| 076 | Εὐτυχίαν εὔχου | Pray for success |
| 077 | Τύχην στέργε | Embrace your fate |
| 078 | Ἀκούων ὅρα | Listen and observe |
| 079 | Ἐργάζου κτητά | Work for what you can own |
| 080 | Ἔριν μίσει | Despise strife |
| 081 | Ὄνειδος ἔχθαιρε | Detest disgrace |
| 082 | Γλῶτταν ἴσχε | Restrain your tongue |
| 083 | Ὕβριν ἀμύνου | Shun violence |
| 084 | Κρῖνε δίκαια | Make just judgements |
| 085 | Χρῶ χρήμασιν | Use what you have |
| 086 | Ἀδωροδόκητος δίκαζε | Judge incorruptibly |
| 087 | Αἰτιῶ παρόντα | Make accusations face to face |
| 088 | Λέγε εἰδώς | Speak from knowledge |
| 089 | Βίας μὴ ἔχου | Have no truck with violence |
| 090 | Ἀλύπως βίου | Live free of sorrow |
| 091 | Ὁμίλει πρᾴως | Have kindly interactions |
| 092 | Πέρας ἐπιτέλει μὴ ἀποδειλιῶν | Complete the race and don’t chicken out |
| 093 | Φιλοφρόνει πᾶσιν | Deal kindly with everyone |
| 094 | Υἱοῖς μὴ καταρῶ | Do not curse your sons |
| 095 | Γυναικὸς ἄρχε | Control your wife |
| 096 | Σεαυτὸν εὖ ποίει | Benefit yourself |
| 097 | Εὐπροσήγορος γίνου | Be courteous |
| 098 | Ἀποκρίνου ἐν καιρῷ | Respond in a timely manner |
| 099 | Πόνει μετ’ εὐκλείας | Struggle for glory |
| 100 | Πρᾶττε ἀμετανοήτως | Act decisively |
| 101 | Ἁμαρτάνων μετανόει | Repent of your errors |
| 102 | Ὀφθαλμοῦ κράτει | Control your eye |
| 103 | Βουλεύου χρόνῳ | Give timely counsel |
| 104 | Πρᾶττε συντόμως | Act without hesitation |
| 105 | Φιλίαν φύλαττε | Guard friendship |
| 106 | Εὐγνώμων γίνου | Be grateful |
| 107 | Ὁμόνοιαν δίωκε | Pursue harmony |
| 108 | Ἄρρητον κρύπτε | Keep secret what should be secret |
| 109 | Τὸ κρατοῦν φοβοῦ | Fear what rules |
| 110 | Τὸ συμφέρον θηρῶ | Pursue what is profitable |
| 111 | Καιρὸν προσδέχου | Accept due measure |
| 112 | Ἔχθρας διάλυε | Dissolve enmities |
| 113 | Γῆρας προσδέχου | Accept old age |
| 114 | Ἐπὶ ῥώμῃ μὴ καυχῶ | Do not boast about power |
| 115 | Εὐφημίαν ἄσκει | Exercise (religious) silence |
| 116 | Ἀπέχθειαν φεῦγε | Shun hatred |
| 117 | Πλούτει δικαίως | Acquire wealth justly |
| 118 | Δόξαν μὴ λεῖπε | Do not abandon honour |
| 119 | Κακίαν μίσει | Despise evil |
| 120 | Κινδύνευε φρονίμως | Take sensible risks |
| 121 | Μανθάνων μὴ κάμνε | Never tire of learning |
| 122 | Φειδόμενος μὴ λεῖπε | Never cease being thrifty |
| 123 | Χρησμοὺς θαύμαζε | Admire oracles |
| 124 | Οὓς τρέφεις, ἀγάπα | Love those whom you rear |
| 125 | Ἀπόντι μὴ μάχου | Do not fight an absent foe |
| 126 | Πρεσβύτερον αἰδοῦ | Respect the old |
| 127 | Νεώτερον δίδασκε | Instruct the young |
| 128 | Πλούτῳ ἀπίστει | Do not put your trust in wealth |
| 129 | Σεαυτὸν αἰδοῦ | Respect yourself |
| 130 | Μὴ ἄρχε ὑβρίζειν | Do not initiate violence |
| 131 | Προγόνους στεφάνου | Crown your ancestors |
| 132 | Θνῆσκε ὑπὲρ πατρίδος | Die for your country |
| 133 | Τῷ βίῳ μὴ ἄχθου | Do not live your life in discontent |
| 134 | Ἐπὶ νεκρῷ μὴ γέλα | Do not make fun of the dead |
| 135 | Ἀτυχοῦντι συνάχθου | Share the load of the unfortunate |
| 136 | Χαρίζου ἀβλαβῶς | Gratify without harming |
| 137 | Μὴ ἐπὶ παντὶ λυποῦ | Have no grief |
| 138 | Ἐξ εὐγενῶν γέννα | Beget good from good |
| 139 | Ἐπαγγέλλου μηδενί | Make promises to none |
| 140 | Φθιμένους μὴ ἀδίκει | Do not wrong the dead |
| 141 | Εὖ πάσχε ὡς θνητός | Do as well as your mortal status permits |
| 142 | Τύχῃ μὴ πίστευε | Do not put your trust in chance |
| 143 | Παῖς ὢν κόσμιος ἴσθι | As a child be well-behaved |
| 144 | Ἡβῶν ἐγκρατής | As a youth be self-disciplined |
| 145 | Μέσος δίκαιος | As a middle-aged person be honest |
| 146 | Πρεσβύτης εὔλογος | As an old man be sensible |
| 147 | Τελευτῶν ἄλυπος | At your end be without sorrow |
Source: WIKIPEDIA
