Solon
Solon
Solonwas an Athenian statesman, lawmaker, and poet. He is remembered particularly for his efforts to legislate against political, economic, and moral decline in archaic Athens. His reforms failed in the short term, yet he is often credited with having laid the foundations for Athenian democracy. He wrote poetry for pleasure, as patriotic propaganda, and in defense of his constitutional reforms...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionStatesman
party men law
Men keep their engagements when it is an advantage to both parties not to break them.
men desire riding
An unlucky rich man is more capable of satisfying his desires and of riding out disaster when it strikes, but a lucky man is better off than him...He is the one who deserves to be described as happy. But until he is dead, you had better refrain from calling him happy, and just call him fortunate.
integrity men evil
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.
men evil excellence
Many evil men are rich, and good men poor, but we shall not exchange with them our excellence for riches.
men disgrace
Call no man happy until he is dead.
happiness men lucky
Let no man be called happy before his death. Till then, he is not happy, only lucky.
men agreement break
Men keep agreements when it is to the advantage of neither to break them.
party men law
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.
happiness men fortunate
No man is happy; he is at best fortunate.
gratitude home men
If all men were to bring their miseries together in one place, most would be glad to take each his own home again rather than take a portion out of the common stock.
blessing men giving
As the Deity has given us Greeks all other blessings in moderation, so our moderation gives us a kind of wisdom which is timid, in all likelihood, and fit for common people, not one which is kingly and splendid. This wisdom, such as it is, observing that human life is ever subject to all sorts of vicissitudes, forbids us to be puffed up by the good things we have, or to admire a man's felicity while there is still time for it to change.
excited good race ran
Durant-Bennett just ran a good race, ... We're excited that we have one more meet. This is not the way we wanted to end.
hate
I hate to say it was vindication, but that is how we felt,
No one can be said to be happy until he is dead.