Delphic maxims
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The Delphic maxims are a set of 147 aphorisms inscribed 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.
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147 Delphic maxims as cited by Stobaeus
| 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 | Be thyself |
| 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 |
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See also
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