Written by Konstantinos Konstantinidis Amphiktyon
Solon of Exekestidus the Athenian said: No exaggeration “None agan” Do not become a judge, for you will become an enemy with the one who will be condemned. Avoid the pleasure that gives birth to sorrow Guard the habit of kindness more faithfully than an oath. Seal your words with silence, and your silence at the right time. Do not lie but only tell the truth Study all the things that are worth Do not claim to be more just than your parents. Do not rush to make friends, but when you have made them, do not quickly renounce them. When you learn to govern, you will become capable of governing When you demand responsibility from others, demand it from yourself as well. Advise not the pleasant but the most beneficial to citizens. Do not be impudent / Do not associate with evil people Communicate with the gods / Respect your friends Respect your parents / Have your mind as a guide. If you do not see something, do not say it / Learn to be silent Be cool in your affairs Infer from the obvious what is hidden.
Damagetus, Lacedaemon said: Know yourself When you drink, do not talk too much, you will make mistakes. Do not threaten the free, it is not right Do not speak ill of your neighbors, for you will hear things that will make you sad At friends’ dinners, go slowly to misfortunes quickly Make your wedding frugal Bless those who have departed from life Respect your elders Hate the one who looks askance at strangers Prefer harm more than shameful gain, for the former will make you sad once, the latter forever Do not mock those who are unhappy To the brutal, oppose your composure so that they may be ashamed of you rather than afraid of you Protect your home./Do not let your tongue run to your intellect/Control your anger. Do not desire the impossible/Submit to the Laws. To apply punishment / When you are wronged, be conciliatory, when you are insulted, punish
Commentary :
1/ Solon (639-559 BC) was an important Athenian legislator, philosopher, poet and one of the seven sages of ancient Greece. He is considered the reformer of the Athenian system into a democracy, by giving land to farmers, forgiving debts at the expense of the rich.
2/ Chilon (or Cheilon) the Lacedaemonian (600 BC – 520 BC) Spartan politician, legislator, philosopher and elegiac poet. He is mentioned as one of the Seven Sages of Ancient Greece.
3/ If these were taught in schools today, certainly our young people would be better in ethics, we would have better leaders, the system would function better Justice and society
4/ We would not have gang “bullying” conflicts, they would drive calmly on the streets, they would not become dogmatic about parties, groups and religions, they would handle mobile phones sparingly, they would be more reasonable, less frivolous, moderate in material gain, they would not fall into debauchery with drugs, they would be more responsible, courageous, tolerant, law-abiding, less violent, but punishers of insulters and thieves, more worthy leaders, more just citizens, strict punishment, more beneficial politicians, they would respect parents and elders. And most importantly, they would be reasonable and would not allow the media and politicians to lie to them and consider them like a flock. In such a society it would be difficult for you and political leader like a mafia. “You die” would be the mafia’s punishment. But today the whole system stinks and Justice is sick and the citizen, surrendered to chaos, is indifferent and fights in the mud to save himself. This is the reason why the West is also in rot and decline
5/ This is the reason why the rulers are fierce enemies of ancestral education and everything ancient Greek creates an allergy for them. Only to collect money from tourism do they do it with the most shameful exploitative fury, while they are essentially hostile to the Greek Cultural heritage.
*Amphiktyon, Major General, former army chief Konstantinos Konstantinidis Author, Member of the Society of Greeks Literary amphiktyon@gmail.com http://amphiktyon.blogspot.com/ https://amphiktyon.org Anyone who wishes to be deleted should return this with the indication “deletion” “in accordance with article 14 of law 2672/98