Overlooking the Pleistos Valley on Mount Parnassus in Greece lie the ruins of Delphi, the most famous oracle of the Ancient World, dedicated to the god of sun and prophecy, Apollo.
At the temple of Apollo there were carved into the stone the 147 Delphic Maxims.
Rules for a Happy Life among which the most famous of these is the simple yet profound saying “Know thyself.”
Delphi Apollo Temple
Originally, they were said to have been given by the Greek god Apollo’s Oracle at Delphi, Pythia, and therefore were attributed to Apollo.
The 3rd century doxographer Diogenes Laertius attributed them to the Seven Sages of Ancient Greece as did the 5th century scholar Stobaeus.
The admiration of the ancient Greeks for these hanging quotes in the Oracle of Delphi was so great, that the lyric poet Pindar (522 BC) considered the seven wise men, sons of the Sun, who with their radiance illuminated and guided men to the path of virtue.
The moral education and guidance of the citizens began with their teachers at a young age, but continued later in the oracles, which, in addition to their predicting the future and the will of the gods, they also gave a number of moral orders and exhortations of an advisory nature for the problems of everyday life.
| 001. | Ἕπου θεῷ | Follow God |
| 002. | Νόμῳ πείθου | Obey the law |
| 003. | Θεοὺς σέβου | Worship the Gods |
| 004. | Γονεῖς αἰδοῦ | Respect your parents |
| 005. | Ἡττῶ ὑπὸ δικαίου | Be overcome by justice |
| 006. | Γνῶθι μαθών | Know what you have learned |
| 007. | Ἀκούσας νόει | Perceive what you have heard |
| 008. | Σαυτὸν ἴσθι | Be/Know yourself |
| 009. | Γαμεῖν μέλλε | Intend to get married |
| 010. | Καιρὸν γνῶθι | Know your opportunity |
| 011. | Φρόνει θνητά | Think as a mortal |
| 012. | Ξένος ὢν ἴσθι | If you are a stranger act like one |
| 013. | Ἑστίαν τίμα | Honor the hearth (or Hestia) |
| 014. | Ἄρχε σεαυτοῦ | Control yourself |
| 015. | Φίλοις βοήθει | Help your friends |
| 016. | Θυμοῦ κράτει | Control anger |
| 017. | Φρόνησιν ἄσκει | Exercise prudence |
| 018. | Πρόνοιαν τίμα | Honor providence |
| 019. | Ὅρκῳ μὴ χρῶ | Do not use an oath |
| 020. | Φιλίαν ἀγάπα | Love friendship |
| 021. | Παιδείας ἀντέχου | Cling to discipline |
| 022. | Δόξαν δίωκε | Pursue honor |
| 023. | Σοφίαν ζήλου | Long 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 | Be kind to friends |
| 029. | Ἐχθροὺς ἀμύνου | Watch out for 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. | Αλλοτρίων ἀπέχου | Shun what belongs to others |
| 035. | Ἄκουε πάντα | Listen to everyone |
| 036. | Εὔφημος ἴσθι | Be (religiously) silent |
| 037. | Φίλῳ χαρίζου | Do a favor for a friend |
| 038. | Μηδὲν ἄγαν | Nothing to excess |
| 039. | Χρόνου φείδου | Use time sparingly |
| 040. | Ὅρα τὸ μέλλον | Foresee the future |
| 041. | Ὕβριν μίσει | Despise insolence |
| 042. | Ἱκέτας αἰδοῦ | Have respect for suppliants |
| 043. | Πᾶσιν ἁρμόζου | Be accommodating in everything |
| 044. | Υἱοὺς παίδευε | Educate your sons |
| 045. | Ἔχων χαρίζου | Give what you have |
| 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 divine |
| 050. | Γνοὺς πρᾶττε | Act when you know |
| 051. | Φόνου ἀπέχου | Shun murder |
| 052. | Εὔχου δυνατά | Pray for things possible |
| 053. | Σοφοῖς χρῶ | Consult the wise |
| 054. | Ἦθος δοκίμαζε | Test the character |
| 055. | Λαβὼν ἀπόδος | Give back what you have received |
| 056. | Ὑφορῶ μηδένα | Down-look no one |
| 057. | Τέχνῃ χρῶ | Use your skill |
| 058. | Ὃ μέλλεις, δός | Do what you mean to do |
| 059. | Εὐεργεσίας τίμα | Honor a benefaction |
| 060. | Φθόνει μηδενί | Be jealous of no one |
| 061. | Φυλακῇ πρόσεχε | Be on your guard |
| 062. | Ἐλπίδα αἴνει | Praise hope |
| 063. | Διαβολὴν μίσει | Despise a slanderer |
| 064. | Δικαίως κτῶ | Gain possessions justly |
| 065. | Ἀγαθοὺς τίμα | Honor good men |
| 066. | Κριτὴν γνῶθι | Know the judge |
| 067. | Γάμους κράτει | Master wedding-feasts |
| 068. | Τύχην νόμιζε | Recognize fortune |
| 069. | Ἐγγύην φεῦγε | Flee a pledge |
| 070. | Ἁπλῶς διαλέγου | Speak plainly |
| 071. | Ὁμοίοις χρῶ | Associate with your peers |
| 072. | Δαπανῶν ἄρχου | Govern your expenses |
| 073. | Κτώμενος ἥδου | Be happy with what you have |
| 074. | Αἰσχύνην σέβου | Revere a sense of shame |
| 075. | Χάριν ἐκτέλει | Fulfill a favor |
| 076. | Εὐτυχίαν εὔχου | Pray for happiness |
| 077. | Τύχην στέργε | Be fond of fortune |
| 078. | Ἀκούων ὅρα | Observe what you have heard |
| 079. | Ἐργάζου κτητά | Work for what you can own |
| 080. | Ἔριν μίσει | Despise strife |
| 081. | Ὄνειδος ἔχθαιρε | Detest disgrace |
| 082. | Γλῶτταν ἴσχε | Restrain the tongue |
| 083. | Ὕβριν ἀμύνου | Keep yourself from insolence |
| 084. | Κρῖνε δίκαια | Make just judgements |
| 085. | Χρῶ χρήμασιν | Use what you have |
| 086. | Ἀδωροδόκητος δίκαζε | Judge incorruptibly |
| 087. | Αἰτιῶ παρόντα | Accuse one who is present |
| 088. | Λέγε εἰδώς | Tell when you know |
| 089. | Βίας μὴ ἔχου | Do not depend on strength |
| 090. | Ἀλύπως βίου | Live without sorrow |
| 091. | Ὁμίλει πρᾴως | Live together meekly |
| 092. | Πέρας ἐπιτέλει μὴ ἀποδειλιῶν | Finish the race without shrinking back |
| 093. | Φιλοφρόνει πᾶσιν | Deal kindly with everyone |
| 094. | Υἱοῖς μὴ καταρῶ | Do not curse your sons |
| 095. | Γυναικὸς ἄρχε | Rule your wife |
| 096. | Σεαυτὸν εὖ ποίει | Benefit yourself |
| 097. | Εὐπροσήγορος γίνου | Be courteous |
| 098. | Ἀποκρίνου ἐν καιρῷ | Give a timely response |
| 099. | Πόνει μετ’ εὐκλείας | Struggle with glory |
| 100. | Πρᾶττε ἀμετανοήτως | Act without repenting |
| 101. | Ἁμαρτάνων μετανόει | Repent of sins |
| 102. | Ὀφθαλμοῦ κράτει | Control the eye |
| 103. | Βουλεύου χρόνῳ | Give a timely counsel |
| 104. | Πρᾶττε συντόμως | Act quickly |
| 105. | Φιλίαν φύλαττε | Guard friendship |
| 106. | Εὐγνώμων γίνου | Be grateful |
| 107. | Ὁμόνοιαν δίωκε | Pursue harmony |
| 108. | Ἄρρητον κρύπτε | Keep deeply the top secret |
| 109. | Τὸ κρατοῦν φοβοῦ | Fear ruling |
| 110. | Τὸ συμφέρον θηρῶ | Pursue what is profitable |
| 111. | Καιρὸν προσδέχου | Accept due measure |
| 112. | Ἔχθρας διάλυε | Do away with enmities |
| 113. | Γῆρας προσδέχου | Accept old age |
| 114. | Ἐπὶ ῥώμῃ μὴ καυχῶ | Do not boast in might |
| 115. | Εὐφημίαν ἄσκει | Exercise (religious) silence |
| 116. | Ἀπέχθειαν φεῦγε | Flee enmity |
| 117. | Πλούτει δικαίως | Acquire wealth justly |
| 118. | Δόξαν μὴ λεῖπε | Do not abandon honor |
| 119. | Κακίαν μίσει | Despise evil |
| 120. | Κινδύνευε φρονίμως | Venture into danger prudently |
| 121. | Μανθάνων μὴ κάμνε | Do not tire of learning |
| 122. | Φειδόμενος μὴ λεῖπε | Do not stop to be thrifty |
| 123. | Χρησμοὺς θαύμαζε | Admire oracles |
| 124. | Οὓς τρέφεις, ἀγάπα | Love whom you rear |
| 125. | Ἀπόντι μὴ μάχου | Do not oppose someone absent |
| 126. | Πρεσβύτερον αἰδοῦ | Respect the elder |
| 127. | Νεώτερον δίδασκε | Teach a youngster |
| 128. | Πλούτῳ ἀπίστει | Do not trust wealth |
| 129. | Σεαυτὸν αἰδοῦ | Respect yourself |
| 130. | Μὴ ἄρχε ὑβρίζειν | Do not begin to be insolent |
| 131. | Προγόνους στεφάνου | Crown your ancestors |
| 132. | Θνῆσκε ὑπὲρ πατρίδος | Die for your country |
| 133 | Τῷ βίῳ μὴ ἄχθου | Do not be discontented by life |
| 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 | Grieve for no one |
| 138. | Ἐξ εὐγενῶν γέννα | Beget from noble routes |
| 139. | Ἐπαγγέλλου μηδενί | Make promises to no one |
| 140. | Φθιμένους μὴ ἀδίκει | Do not wrong the dead |
| 141. | Εὖ πάσχε ὡς θνητός | Be well off 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-disciplined |
| 145. | Μέσος δίκαιος | As of middle-age be just |
| 146. | Πρεσβύτης εὔλογος | As an old man be sensible |
| 147. | Τελευτῶν ἄλυπος | On reaching the end be without sorrow |
