NEW AND IMPROVED EDITION--2024 ALSO INCLUDES WISDOM OF THE SEVEN SAGES Solon of Athens, the most revered lawgiver in Western history. Founder of democracy in Greece, reformer of Athens, herald, poet, politician, but above all: practical philosopher-sage. Responding to crisis, in 594 BCE, Solon was elected Archon of Athens, and given the power to make sweeping changes. His poetry fragments show him as a man driven to rid his polis of tyranny and slavery by injecting new ideals of justice and freedom. Not just external in ...
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NEW AND IMPROVED EDITION--2024 ALSO INCLUDES WISDOM OF THE SEVEN SAGES Solon of Athens, the most revered lawgiver in Western history. Founder of democracy in Greece, reformer of Athens, herald, poet, politician, but above all: practical philosopher-sage. Responding to crisis, in 594 BCE, Solon was elected Archon of Athens, and given the power to make sweeping changes. His poetry fragments show him as a man driven to rid his polis of tyranny and slavery by injecting new ideals of justice and freedom. Not just external in Athens, but also internal: a mind free from sleep, insight into the cosmos, the willpower to practice humility and temperance. Solon has been credited with the two most powerful sayings in philosophy of all time: Know Thyself and Nothing to Excess. This book explores the connection between Solon's thoughts and Stoicism and distills the philosophy of Solon as someone who can be seen as an early Stoic, or a pre-Stoic sage: in short, someone we may still want to listen to today. Connections are made between Solon and the Seven Sages (of which he was one) and Heraclitus. Heraclitus became a foundation for Stoic thought and as we will see, he followed the wisdom and insight of the Seven Sages, as did Socrates centuries later. We outline the major facts known about Solon's life through his sayings and fragments remaining of his poetry which are all in this book. We also give an overview of his political, economic and social reforms. CONTENTS Know Thyself and Nothing to Excess-Solon as an Early Stoic Calm the Eager Tumult of Your Heart-a Stoic way of life One Man of Ten Thousand-the Link between Heraclitus, Solon and the Stoics We Will not Exchange our Excellence with Them-Solon on Education and Virtue The Discipline of Action-Putting the Crocodile into Torpor Take the Mid-Seat, and be the Vessel's Guide-Solon on Governing, Part I-Laws The Best they Could Receive-Solon and the Founding Fathers The Fairest World Order-Solon on Governing, Part II-Economic Reforms Count No One Happy-Solon on the Opportunity of Aging, Old Age and Death A Teacher of Kings-Solon's Travels Solon's Poetry Fragments The Wisdom of the Seven Sages Delphic Maxims-The Quest for Self-Perfection How to Greet a God (the E at Delphi) (maybe important later) Thales of Miletus-Choose One Sole Good Chilon of Sparta-Dominate Anger Pittacus of Mytilene-Mercy is Better than Vengeance Bias of Priene-Most Men are Bad Cleobulus of Lindus-Be Superior to Pleasure Periander of Corinth-Practice Makes Perfect Anacharsis of Scythia-Bridle Speech, Gluttony and Sensuality Myson of Chenae-Investigate Arguments by the Light of the Facts Epimenides of Crete Further Reading and Bibliography Ancient Sources / Modern Sources
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