The Delphic Maxims — Apollo
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ΔΕΛΦΙΚΑ ΠΑΡΑΓΓΕΛΜΑΤΑ
Translation/edition: as preserved by Stobaeus
Language: English
Read in Plato Scroll: https://plato-scroll.com/s/delphic-maxims/
This file: https://plato-scroll.com/text/delphic-maxims.txt
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Numbers in [brackets] are the edition's reference loci (Stephanus, Bekker, book.line, page...). Superscript numerals refer to the Notes at the end.


## The Delphic Maxims

The moral precepts inscribed in golden letters at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Three famous sayings stood at the temple’s entrance — know thyself, nothing in excess, and pledge a surety, and ruin is near. A further list of 147 aphorisms, attributed by the ancient world to the Seven Sages of Greece and preserved in the fifth-century anthology of Stobaeus, was inscribed elsewhere in the precinct; a fragment of the same list survives carved in stone at the Hellenistic Greek city of Ai-Khanoum in modern-day Afghanistan.

### The Three Inscribed at the Entrance

I. Γνῶθι σεαυτόν — Know thyself.
II. Μηδὲν ἄγαν — Nothing in excess.
III. Ἐγγύα, πάρα δ' Ἄτα — Pledge a surety, and ruin is near.

### The One Hundred Forty-Seven of the Seven Sages

1. Ἕπου θεῷ — Follow the gods.
2. Νόμῳ πείθου — Obey the law.
3. Θεοὺς σέβου — Revere the gods.
4. Γονεῖς αἰδοῦ — Respect your parents.
5. Ἡττῶ ὑπὸ δικαίου — Be ruled by justice.
6. Γνῶθι μαθών — Know what you have learned.
7. Ἀκούσας νόει — Perceive what you have heard.
8. Σαυτὸν ἴσθι — Be yourself.
9. Γαμεῖν μέλλε — Intend to marry.
10. Καιρὸν γνῶθι — Know the right moment.
11. Φρόνει θνητά — Think mortal thoughts.
12. Ξένος ὢν ἴσθι — When a stranger, behave as one.
13. Ἑστίαν τίμα — Honor the hearth.
14. Ἄρχε σεαυτοῦ — Rule yourself.
15. Φίλοις βοήθει — Help your friends.
16. Θυμοῦ κράτει — Master your temper.
17. Φρόνησιν ἄσκει — Practice prudence.
18. Πρόνοιαν τίμα — Honor foresight.
19. Ὅρκῳ μὴ χρῶ — Do not use an oath.
20. Φιλίαν ἀγάπα — Love friendship.
21. Παιδείας ἀντέχου — Cling to discipline.
22. Δόξαν δίωκε — Pursue honor.
23. Σοφίαν ζήλου — Long for wisdom.
24. Καλὸν εὖ λέγε — Praise the good.
25. Ψέγε μηδένα — Find fault with no one.
26. Ἐπαίνει ἀρετήν — Praise virtue.
27. Πρᾶττε δίκαια — Practice what is just.
28. Φίλοις εὐνόει — Be kind to friends.
29. Ἐχθροὺς ἀμύνου — Ward off enemies.
30. Εὐγένειαν ἄσκει — Cultivate nobility of character.
31. Κακίας ἀπέχου — Shun evil.
32. Κοινὸς γίνου — Be sociable.
33. Ἴδια φύλαττε — Guard what is yours.
34. Ἀλλοτρίων ἀπέχου — Keep off what belongs to others.
35. Ἄκουε πάντα — Listen to everyone.
36. Εὔφημος ἴσθι — Be reverent in speech.
37. Φίλῳ χαρίζου — Do a friend a favor.
38. Μηδὲν ἄγαν — Nothing in excess.
39. Χρόνου φείδου — Spend time wisely.
40. Ὅρα τὸ μέλλον — Look to what is coming.
41. Ὕβριν μίσει — Despise insolence.
42. Ἱκέτας αἰδοῦ — Respect the suppliant.
43. Πᾶσιν ἁρμόζου — Suit yourself to all.
44. Υἱοὺς παίδευε — Educate your sons.
45. Ἔχων χαρίζου — Give of what you have.
46. Δόλον φοβοῦ — Beware of cunning.
47. Εὐλόγει πάντας — Speak well of everyone.
48. Φιλόσοφος γίνου — Become a seeker of wisdom.
49. Ὅσια κρῖνε — Discern what is holy.
50. Γνοὺς πρᾶττε — Act once you know.
51. Φόνου ἀπέχου — Refrain from killing.
52. Εὔχου δυνατά — Pray for what is possible.
53. Σοφοῖς χρῶ — Consult the wise.
54. Ἦθος δοκίμαζε — Test the character.
55. Λαβὼν ἀπόδος — Return what you have received.
56. Ὑφορῶ μηδένα — Look down on no one.
57. Τέχνῃ χρῶ — Use your skill.
58. Ὃ μέλλεις, δός — Do what you mean to do.
59. Εὐεργεσίας τίμα — Honor a kindness.
60. Φθόνει μηδενί — Envy no one.
61. Φυλακῇ πρόσεχε — Stand on your guard.
62. Ἐλπίδα αἴνει — Praise hope.
63. Διαβολὴν μίσει — Despise a slanderer.
64. Δικαίως κτῶ — Acquire justly.
65. Ἀγαθοὺς τίμα — Honor the good.
66. Κριτὴν γνῶθι — Know the judge.
67. Γάμους κράτει — Master your wedding feasts.
68. Τύχην νόμιζε — Recognize fortune.
69. Ἐγγύην φεῦγε — Flee from a pledge.
70. Ἁπλῶς διαλέγου — Speak plainly.
71. Ὁμοίοις χρῶ — Keep company with your peers.
72. Δαπανῶν ἄρχου — Govern your expenses.
73. Κτώμενος ἥδου — Take pleasure in what you have.
74. Αἰσχύνην σέβου — Revere a sense of shame.
75. Χάριν ἐκτέλει — Carry out a favor.
76. Εὐτυχίαν εὔχου — Pray for happiness.
77. Τύχην στέργε — Be content with your lot.
78. Ἀκούων ὅρα — Observe what you have heard.
79. Ἐργάζου κτητά — Work for what is worth keeping.
80. Ἔριν μίσει — Hate strife.
81. Ὄνειδος ἔχθαιρε — Detest disgrace.
82. Γλῶτταν ἴσχε — Hold your tongue.
83. Ὕβριν ἀμύνου — Guard against insolence.
84. Κρῖνε δίκαια — Judge justly.
85. Χρῶ χρήμασιν — Use what you have.
86. Ἀδωροδόκητος δίκαζε — Judge incorruptibly.
87. Αἰτιῶ παρόντα — Accuse the one present.
88. Λέγε εἰδώς — Speak when you know.
89. Βίας μὴ ἔχου — Do not rely on force.
90. Ἀλύπως βίου — Live without grief.
91. Ὁμίλει πρᾴως — Converse gently.
92. Πέρας ἐπιτέλει μὴ ἀποδειλιῶν — Finish the race without flinching.
93. Φιλοφρόνει πᾶσιν — Treat everyone kindly.
94. Υἱοῖς μὴ καταρῶ — Do not curse your sons.
95. Γυναικὸς ἄρχε — Rule your wife.
96. Σεαυτὸν εὖ ποίει — Do good to yourself.
97. Εὐπροσήγορος γίνου — Be approachable.
98. Ἀποκρίνου ἐν καιρῷ — Answer in good time.
99. Πόνει μετ' εὐκλείας — Toil for honor.
100. Πρᾶττε ἀμετανοήτως — Act so as not to regret it.
101. Ἁμαρτάνων μετανόει — When you err, repent.
102. Ὀφθαλμοῦ κράτει — Master the eye.
103. Βουλεύου χρόνῳ — Take counsel in time.
104. Πρᾶττε συντόμως — Act decisively.
105. Φιλίαν φύλαττε — Guard your friendships.
106. Εὐγνώμων γίνου — Be grateful.
107. Ὁμόνοιαν δίωκε — Pursue concord.
108. Ἄρρητον κρύπτε — Keep secret what should be kept.
109. Τὸ κρατοῦν φοβοῦ — Fear the ruling power.
110. Τὸ συμφέρον θηρῶ — Hunt for what is profitable.
111. Καιρὸν προσδέχου — Wait for the right moment.
112. Ἔχθρας διάλυε — Dissolve enmities.
113. Γῆρας προσδέχου — Accept old age.
114. Ἐπὶ ῥώμῃ μὴ καυχῶ — Do not boast of your strength.
115. Εὐφημίαν ἄσκει — Practice reverent speech.
116. Ἀπέχθειαν φεῦγε — Flee from hatred.
117. Πλούτει δικαίως — Grow rich justly.
118. Δόξαν μὴ λεῖπε — Do not abandon honor.
119. Κακίαν μίσει — Hate evil.
120. Κινδύνευε φρονίμως — Take risks prudently.
121. Μανθάνων μὴ κάμνε — Never tire of learning.
122. Φειδόμενος μὴ λεῖπε — Never cease to save.
123. Χρησμοὺς θαύμαζε — Wonder at oracles.
124. Οὓς τρέφεις, ἀγάπα — Love those you rear.
125. Ἀπόντι μὴ μάχου — Do not quarrel with the absent.
126. Πρεσβύτερον αἰδοῦ — Respect the elder.
127. Νεώτερον δίδασκε — Teach the younger.
128. Πλούτῳ ἀπίστει — Mistrust wealth.
129. Σεαυτὸν αἰδοῦ — Have self-respect.
130. Μὴ ἄρχε ὑβρίζειν — Do not be the first to insult.
131. Προγόνους στεφάνου — Crown your ancestors.
132. Θνῇσκε ὑπὲρ πατρίδος — Die for your country.
133. Τῷ βίῳ μὴ ἄχθου — Do not be discontented with life.
134. Ἐπὶ νεκρῷ μὴ γέλα — Do not laugh at the dead.
135. Ἀτυχοῦντι συνάχθου — Share the load of the unfortunate.
136. Χαρίζου ἀβλαβῶς — Give without harming.
137. Μὴ ἐπὶ παντὶ λυποῦ — Do not grieve for everything.
138. Ἐξ εὐγενῶν γέννα — Beget from a noble line.
139. Ἐπαγγέλλου μηδενί — Make promises to no one.
140. Φθιμένους μὴ ἀδίκει — Do not wrong the dead.
141. Εὖ πάσχε ὡς θνητός — Endure well, as a mortal.
142. Τύχῃ μὴ πίστευε — Do not trust fortune.
143. Παῖς ὢν κόσμιος ἴσθι — As a child, be well-behaved.
144. Ἡβῶν ἐγκρατής — As a youth, be self-controlled.
145. Μέσος δίκαιος — In middle age, be just.
146. Πρεσβύτης εὔλογος — In old age, be reasonable.
147. Τελευτῶν ἄλυπος — At the end, be free from sorrow.