Solon Quotes

A half truth is the worst of all lies, because it can be defended in partiality.
SOLON

Defend Lying Partial Truth Worst
Reprove your friend privately, commend him publicly.
SOLON

Commend Friendship Public
Men keep their engagements when it is an advantage to both parties not to break them.
SOLON

Engagement Man Myself Party Relationship
Rule, after you have first learned to submit to rule.
SOLON

Learning Rule Submit
Seek to learn constantly while you live; do not wait in the faith that old age by itself will bring wisdom.
SOLON

Age Faith Learning Live Wisdom
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
Learn to obey before you command.
SOLON

Command Learning Obedience Yourself
Call no man happy until he is dead.
SOLON

Call Death Happiness
If things are going well, religion and legislation are beneficial; if not, they are of no avail.
SOLON

Benefit Legislation Religion
No fool can be silent at a feast.
SOLON

Feast Fool One Liner Silence
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
Angels are winged with God’s power.
SOLON

Angel God Power Wings
Justice, even if slow, is sure.
SOLON

Justice One Liner Slow
As I grow older, I constantly learn more.
SOLON

Growth Learning Myself Old
Wealth I desire to have; but wrongfully to get it, I do not wish.
SOLON

Desire Myself Wealth Wrong
Pure chastity is beauty to our souls, grace to our bodies, and peace to our desires.
SOLON

Chastity Desire Grace Ourselves Peace Purity Soul
To make an empire durable, the magistrates must obey the laws and the people the magistrates.
SOLON

Empire Law Obedience People
Let no man be called happy before his death. Till then, he is not happy, only lucky.
SOLON

Call Death Happiness Himself
In all things let reason be your guide.
SOLON

Guide One Liner Reason Yourself
True blessedness consisteth in a good life and a happy death.
SOLON

Blessing Death Goodness Life True
No more good must be attempted than the nation can bear.
SOLON

Attempt Goodness Nation Patriot Tolerance Try
Watch well each separate citizen, Lest having in his heart of hearts A secret spear, one still may come Saluting you with cheerful face, And utter with a double tongue The feigned good wishes of his wary mind.
SOLON

Citizenship Heart Mindset Oneself Secret Separate
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
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
Society is well governed when its people obey the magistrates, and the magistrates obey the law.
SOLON

Government Law Obedience People Society
In all things that you do, consider the end.
SOLON

End Yourself
Consider your honour, as a gentleman, of more weight than an oath.
SOLON

Gentle Man Promise Yourself

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