What are the three maxims of Delphi?

There were three maxims carved into the Temple of Apollo at Delphi:

  • γνῶθι σεαυτόν (know thyself)
  • μηδὲν ἄγαν (nothing in excess)
  • Ἐγγύα πάρα δ’ἄτη (a pledge comes from folly)

What does nothing in excess mean?

Moderation is also a principle of life. In ancient Greece, the temple of Apollo at Delphi bore the inscription Meden Agan (μηδὲν ἄγαν) – ‘Nothing in excess’. Doing something “in moderation” means not doing it excessively.

What does the inscription on the tower of Delphi say?

The Temple of Apollo at Delphi was inscribed with three maxims: “Know thyself,” “Nothing too much” and “Make a pledge and destruction is near.” They are indicative of the kind of insight the Oracle offered; her pronouncements were most often puzzles, challenging the receiver’s intellect and soul.

Who said know thyself and nothing in excess?

The Ancient Greek aphorism “know thyself” is one of the Delphic maxims and was the first of three maxims inscribed in the pronaos of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi according to the Greek writer Pausanias. The two maxims that followed “know thyself” were “nothing to excess” and “surety brings ruin”.

What is Delphic aphorism?

The Delphic maxims are a set of 147 aphorisms (pithy observations which contain general truths) inscribed at Delphi. Originally, they were said to have been given by the Greek god Apollo’s Oracle at Delphi and were therefore attributed to Apollo himself.

Which Greek philosopher said moderation in all things?

The essential thought is found in the work of the Greek poet Hesiod (c. 700 bc), ‘observe due measure; moderation is best in all things’, and of the Roman comic dramatist Plautus (c. 250–184 bc), ‘moderation in all things is the best policy. ‘

What did Aristotle teach about moderation?

In fact, Aristotle thinks that moderation is the way of attaining to happiness. He states that virtue or ethics is the moderation between excess and deficiency. He believes every mood has a certain level which more or less than that what is a vice, but that mood in itself is a virtue.

What does it mean to Know thyself in Delphi?

These were the words inscribed almost as a warning in the pronaos of the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. It was Plato who actually transmitted this phrase via his dialogues. Indeed, he suggested the importance of looking inwards before making any decisions or taking any steps forward.

What is the Greek version of to know thyself?

The motto γνῶθι σ(ε)αυτόν (“know thyself”) was one of the maxims inscribed on the pediment of the temple of Apollo at Delphi, along with μηδὲν ἄγαν (“nothing in excess”), inviting mankind to exercise moderation in life.

What is Greek for know thyself?

gnōthi seauton
The Ancient Greek aphorism “know thyself” (Greek: γνῶθι σεαυτόν, transliterated: gnōthi seauton; also …