Greek Texts & Translations

Croesus, ^note the king of the Lydians, who was possessed of great military forces and had purposely amassed a large amount of silver and gold, used to call to his court the wisest men from among the Greeks, spend some time in their company, and then send them away with many presents, he himself having been greatly aided thereby toward a life of virtue. And on one occasion he summoned Solon, and showing him his military forces and his wealth he asked him whether he thought there was any other man more blest than he. 9.2.2And Solon replied, with the freedom of speech customary among lovers of wisdom, that no man while yet living was blest; for the man who waxes haughty over his prosperity and thinks that he has Fortune as his helpmeet does not know whether she will remain with him to the last. Consequently, he continued, we must look to the end of life, and only of the man who has continued until then to be fortunate may we properly say that he is blest. 9.2.3And at a later time, when Croesus had been taken prisoner by Cyrus and was about to be burned upon a great pyre, ^note he recalled the answer Solon had given him. And so, while the fire was already blazing about him, he kept continually calling the name of Solon. 9.2.4And Cyrus sent men to find out the reason for his continual calling of the name of Solon; and on learning the cause Cyrus changed his purpose, and since he believed that Solon's reply was the truth, he ceased regarding Croesus with contempt, put out the burning pyre, saved the life of Croesus, and counted him henceforth as one of his friends.

9.2.5Solon believed that the boxers and short-distance runners and all other athletes contributed nothing worth mentioning to the safety of states, but that only men who excel in prudence and virtue are able to protect their native lands in times of danger.

ch. 3 9.3.1When there was a dispute about the golden tripod, ^note the Pythian priestess delivered the following oracle: 9.3.2 Miletus' son, dost ask Apollo's will
About the tripod? Who is first of all
In wisdom, his the tripod is, I say.
But some writers have a different account, as follows: War had broken out among the Ionians, and when the tripod was brought up in their seine by some fishermen, they inquired of the god how they might end the war. And the priestess replied Never shall cease the war twixt Meropes
And Iones, until that golden stand
Hephaestus worked with skill ye send away;
And it shall come to that man's dwelling-place
Who in his wisdom hath foreseen the things
That are and likewise things that are to be.

9.3.3The Milesians, wishing to follow the injunction of the oracle, desired to award the prize to Thales of Miletus. But Thales said that he was not the wisest of all and advised them to send it to another and wiser man. And in this manner the other six of the Seven Wise Men likewise rejected the tripod, and it was given to Solon, who was thought to have surpassed all men in both wisdom and understanding. And Solon advised that it be dedicated to Apollo, since he was wiser than all of them.

ch. 4 9.4.1Solon, seeing toward the end of his life how Peisistratus, to please the masses, was playing the demagogue and was on the road to tyranny, ^note tried at first by arguments to turn him from his intention; and when Peisistratus paid no attention to him, he once appeared in the market-place arrayed in full armour, although he was already a very old man. 9.4.2And when the people, the sight being so incongruous, flocked to him, he called upon the citizens to seize their arms and at once make an end of the tyrant. But no man paid any attention to him, all of them concluding that he was mad and some declaring that he was in his dotage. Peisistratus, who had already gathered a guard of a few spearmen, came up to Solon and asked him, "Upon what resources do you rely that you wish to destroy my tyranny?" And when Solon replied, "Upon my old age," Peisistratus, in admiration of his common sense, did him no harm.

ch. 5 9.5.1The man who puts his hands to lawless and unjust deeds may never properly be considered wise.

ch. 6 9.6.1We are told that the Scythian Anacharsis, who took great pride in his wisdom, once came to Pytho and inquired of the oracle who of the Greeks was wiser than he. And the oracle replied: A man of Oeta, Myson, they report,
Is more endowed than thou with prudent brains.
Myson was a Malian and had his home on Mt. Oeta in a village called Chenae.Const. Exc. 4, pp. 281-283.

ch. 7 9.7.1

Myson was a man of Malis who dwelt in a village called Chenae, and he spent his entire time in the country and was unknown to most men. He was included among the Seven Wise Men in the place of Periander of Corinth, who was rejected because he had turned into a harsh tyrant.Const. Exc. 2 (1), p. 217.