EARLY GREEK PHILOSOPHY II
κτῶ, οὓς δ’ ἂν κτήσῃ, μὴ ταχὺ ἀποδοκίμαζε. 10. ἄρχεσθαι μαθών, ἄρχειν ἐπιστήσῃ. 11. εὐθύνας ἑτέρους ἀξιῶν διδόναι, καὶ αὐτὸς ὕπεχε. 12. συμβούλευε μὴ τὰ ἥδιστα, ἀλλὰ τὰ βέλτιστα. 13. τοῖς πολίταις μὴ θρασύνου. 14. μὴ κακοῖς ὁμίλει. 15. χρῶ τοῖς θεοῖς. 16. φίλους εὐσέβει. 17. ὃ ἂν1 ἴδῃς μὴ λέγε. 18. εἰδὼς σίγα. 19. τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ πρᾷος ἴσθι. 20. τὰ ἀφανῆ τοῖς φανεροῖς τεκμαίρου.
[3] Χείλων Δαμαγήτου Λακεδαιμόνιος ἔφη·
1. γνῶθι σαυτόν. 2. πίνων, μὴ πολλὰ λάλει· ἁμαρτήσῃ γάρ. 3. μὴ ἀπείλει τοῖς ἐλευθέροις· οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον. 4. μὴ κακολόγει τοὺς πλησίον· εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἀκούσῃ ἐφ’ οἷς λυπηθήσῃ. 5. ἐπὶ τὰ δεῖπνα τῶν φίλων βραδέως πορεύου, ἐπὶ δὲ τὰς ἀτυχίας ταχέως. 6. γάμους εὐτελεῖς ποιοῦ. 7. τὸν τετελευτηκότα μακάριζε. 8. πρεσβύτερον σέβου. 9. τὸν τὰ ἀλλότρια περιεργαζόμενον μίσει. 10. ζημίαν αἱροῦ μᾶλλον ἢ κέρδος αἰσχρόν· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἅπαξ λυπήσει, τὸ δὲ ἀεί. 11. τῷ δυστυχοῦντι μὴ ἐπιγέλα. 12. τραχὺς ὤν, ἥσυχον σεαυτόν πάρεχε, ὅπως σε αἰσχύνωνται μᾶλλον, ἢ φοβῶνται. 13. τῆς ἰδίας οἰκίας προστάτει. 14. ἡ γλῶσσά σου μὴ προτρεχέτω τοῦ νοῦ. 15. θυμοῦ
REFLECTIONS ON GODS AND MEN
quickly, but those that you do acquire do not reject quickly. 10. If you have learned how to be ruled you will know how to rule. 11. If you demand that others be examined, then submit to examination yourself too. 12. Do not counsel what is most pleasant, but what is best. 13. Do not be arrogant with regard to your fellow-citizens. 14. Do not associate with wicked people. 15. Consult the oracles of the gods. 16. Respect your friends. 17. Do not say what you see. 18. If you know, remain silent. 19. Be gentle to your own people. 20. Estimate what is invisible by what is visible.
[3] Chilon of Lacedaemon, son of Damagetus, said:
1. Know yourself. 2. When you drink do not speak too much: for you will commit a wrong. 3. Do not threaten free men; for that is not just. 4. Do not speak ill of those nearby; otherwise you will hear things that will cause you pain. 5. Go slowly to your friends’ dinners, but quickly to their misfortunes. 6. Arrange inexpensive weddings. 7. Bless the deceased. 8. Respect an older man. 9. Hate the man who meddles in other people’s affairs. 10. Prefer loss rather than shameful gain: for the one will cause you pain one time, the other forever. 11. Do not laugh at the unfortunate. 12. If you are harsh, show yourself to be gentle, so that people will feel respect for you rather than fear. 13. Lord it over your own household. 14. Your tongue should not run faster than your mind. 15. Dominate over anger.