Solon Quotes on Knowledge
Solon of Athens (c. 630 – c. 560 BC), the Athenian lawgiver and one of the canonical Seven Sages of archaic Greece, is preserved chiefly through fragments of his political poetry and the later doxographic tradition. The famous Herodotean account of his interview with Croesus — "call no man fortunate before he is dead" — articulates the archaic epistemic humility that recognizes the limits of any human judgment about a life still in progress, and the Delphic maxims associated with his name (gnōthi sauton, mēden agan) frame practical wisdom as the recognition of the proper limits of mortal knowledge and action.
Quotes
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Attributed to Solon:
“I grow old learning many things every day.”
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Attributed to Solon:
“Nothing in excess.”
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“εἰ δὲ πεπόνθατε λυγρὰ δι᾿ ὑμετέρην κακότητα, μὴ θεοῖσιν τούτων μοῖραν ἐπαμφέρετε· αὐτοὶ γὰρ τούτους ηὐξήσατε ῥύματα δόντες, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα κακὴν ἔσχετε δουλοσύνην.”
If through your vices you afflicted are, Lay not the blame of your distress on God; You made your rulers mighty, gave them guards, So now you groan 'neath slavery's heavy rod. (tr. C. D. Yonge, 1853 ) | Fragment 11.1–4 -
“χρήματα δ᾿ ἱμείρω μὲν ἔχειν, ἀδίκως δὲ πεπᾶσθαι οὐκ ἐθέλω· πάντως ὕστερον ἦλθε δίκη.”
Wealth I desire to have; but wrongfully to get it, I do not wish. Justice, even if slow, is sure. (tr. B. Perrin, 1914 ) | Fragment 13.7–8 -
“πολλοὶ γὰρ πλουτέουσι κακοί, ἀγαθοὶ δὲ πένονται· ἀλλ᾿ ἡμεῖς τούτοις οὐ διαμειψόμεθα τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν πλοῦτον, ἐπεὶ τὸ μὲν ἔμπεδον αἰεί, χρήματα δ᾿ ἀνθρώπων ἄλλοτε ἄλλος ἔχει.”
For often evil men are rich, and good men poor; But we will not exchange with them Our virtue for their wealth since one abides always, While riches change their owners every day. (tr. B. Perrin, 1914 ) | Fragment 15 -
“γηράσκω δ᾿ αἰεὶ πολλὰ διδασκόμενος.”
But I grow old ever learning many things. (tr. B. Perrin, 1914 ) | Fragment 18 | Alternate translation: As I grow older, I constantly learn more. -
“But I grow old ever learning many things. (tr. B. Perrin, 1914 )”
γηράσκω δ᾿ αἰεὶ πολλὰ διδασκόμενος. -
“Alternate translation: As I grow older, I constantly learn more.”
γηράσκω δ᾿ αἰεὶ πολλὰ διδασκόμενος. -
“πολλὰ ψεύδονται ἀοιδοί.”
Poets tell many lies. | Fragment 29 -
“Poets tell many lies.”
πολλὰ ψεύδονται ἀοιδοί.