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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.

Solon

True blessedness consisteth in a good life and a happy death.
SOLON

Blessing Death Goodness Life True
Let no man be called happy before his death. Till then, he is not happy, only lucky.
SOLON

Call Death Happiness Himself
Laws are like spiders webs which, if anything small falls into them they ensnare it, but large things break through and escape.
SOLON

Break Escape Law Small Spider
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.
SOLON

exchange Man Ourselves Poor Rich Virtue
Rich people without wisdom and learning are but sheep with golden fleeces.
SOLON

Gold People Rich Sheep Wisdom
The ideal state is that in which an injury done to the least of its citizens is an injury done to all.
SOLON

Citizenship Ideal Injury State
Rule, after you have first learned to submit to rule.
SOLON

Learning Rule Submit
Men keep agreements when it is to the advantage of neither to break them.
SOLON

Advantage Agreement Break
Laws are like spider’s webs: If some poor weak creature comes up against them, it is caught; but a big one can break through and get away.
SOLON

Catch Law Oneself Poor Spider Trap Weakness
Honors achieved far exceed those that are created.
SOLON

Achievement Creation Excess
Men keep their agreements when it is an advantage to both parties not to break them; and I shall so frame my laws that it will be evident to the Athenians that it will be for their interest to observe them.
SOLON

Advantage Agreement Evidence Frame Interest Man Myself Observation Party
We can have justice whenever those who have not been injured by injustice are as outraged by it as those who have been.
SOLON

Angry Injury Justice
To make an empire durable, the magistrates must obey the laws and the people the magistrates.
SOLON

Empire Law Obedience People
He who has learned how to obey will know how to command.
SOLON

Command Learning Obedience
Pure chastity is beauty to our souls, grace to our bodies, and peace to our desires.
SOLON

Chastity Desire Grace Ourselves Peace Purity Soul
In the ideal State laws are few and simple, because they have been derived from certainties. In the corrupt State laws are many and confused, because they have been derived from uncertainties.
SOLON

Confusion Ideal Law Simplicity State Uncertain

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.

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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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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