ruggedraven36
Regular
331 messages
joined Dec 2015
The sayings of the Seven Sages.
Cleobulus of Miletus, son of Eua, says:
Here’s the breakdown—twenty rules for actually living a life that doesn't suck: 1. Moderation is everything. Don't overdo it. 2. Respect your old man. Period. 3. Keep your body and your mind in fighting shape. 4. Listen more than you talk. Most people just hear themselves speak anyway. 5. Better to be a know-it-all than a complete idiot. 6. Watch your mouth. Use kind words. 7. Be a friend to virtue and an enemy to malice. 8. Hate injustice, but stand up for mercy. 9. Give your neighbors the best advice you can muster. 10. Master your impulses—don't let them master you. 11. Never force anything. It never works out. 12. Raise your kids right. It's on you. 13. Pray for some good luck once in a while. 14. Drop the hate. It's a waste of energy. 15. If someone is working against the people, they're your enemy. Simple as that. 16. Don't argue with your wife in front of others, and don't get all mushy either. One makes you look crazy, the other makes you look weak. Pick a lane. 17. Don't discipline the help when they've been drinking; they'll just assume you're drunk too. 18. Marry someone on your own level. If you marry way up, you won't have in-laws—you'll have bosses. 19. Don't laugh at the guy being mocked. You'll just end up on the target list for everyone he's making fun of. 20. When things are great, stay humble. When things hit the fan, don't lose your dignity.
Solon of Athens, son of Exekias, says:
1. Don't overdo it. 2. Don't act like you're sitting on a high bench—if you play judge too hard, the guy in the hot seat is just going to resent you. 3. Avoid chasing cheap thrills that leave you feeling empty later. 4. Guard your integrity—it’s worth way more than any oath you ever take. 5. Seal your words with silence, and use silence when the moment calls for it. 6. Stop lying. Just tell the truth. 7. Stick to things that actually matter. 8. Don't think you're smarter than your folks. 9. Don't rush into friendships—but once you've built them, don't be the one to break them. 10. If you can't learn how to follow, you have no business trying to lead. 11. If you expect everyone else to answer for their mistakes, make sure you're ready to do the same. 12. When giving advice to your fellow citizens, don't tell them what sounds good—tell them what's actually right. 13. Don't get arrogant. 14. Don't run with the wrong crowd. 15. Consult a higher power. 16. Show respect to your friends. 17. If you don't know, keep your mouth shut. 18. If you do know, stay quiet. 19. Be kind to your own people. 20. Use what people can see to prove what they can't.
Cleomenes of Sparta, son of Damagetus, says:
Here’s the playbook—simple enough if you actually have the spine to follow it: 1. Get to know yourself. Truly. 2. When you’re drinking, shut up. Otherwise, you'll start talking nonsense. 3. Don't threaten people who are free—it’s cheap and it isn't right. 4. Stop gossiping about your neighbors. Trust me, you won't like what you hear coming back your way. 5. Show up to a friend's party at a reasonable hour, but show up to their crisis immediately. 6. Keep weddings low-key. No need for the massive, flashy circus. 7. Treat the Dead with respect. 8. Respect your elders. 9. Avoid anyone who can't mind their own business. 10. Losing is better than winning dirty. A loss hurts once; a shameful win haunts you for life. 11. Don't kick someone when they're already down. 12. If you’ve got power, stay calm. It commands respect—fear is just a shortcut for cowards. 13. Run your own household properly. 14. Don't let your mouth run faster than your brain. 15. Master your impulses. 16. Stop chasing the impossible. 17. Don't rush blindly ahead. 18. Stop gesturing wildly—it makes you look unhinged. 19. Follow the law. 20. If you're wronged, make peace. If you're insulted, stand your ground.
Thales of Miletus, son of Examius, said:
1. Don't act as a guarantor—you're just setting yourself up for a wreck. 2. Remember the friends who are standing by you and the ones who aren't. 3. Stop worrying about your outward image; focus on being a leader worth following instead. 4. Don't build wealth through shady means. 5. Make sure your words don't turn those loyal to you against you. 6. Don't hesitate when it comes to looking after your parents. 7. If it’s worthless, don't take it from your father. 8. Treat your parents right, and that’s exactly what your kids will do for you when you're old. 9. Knowing who you really are? That's one of the hardest jobs there is. 10. Nothing beats the rush of actually hitting your goals. 11. Laziness is a dead end. 12. Overdoing it always backfires. 13. A lack of discipline is a heavy weight to carry. 14. Learn the right way, then teach it. 15. Even if you strike it rich, don't let yourself get lazy. 16. Keep your family's dirty laundry behind closed doors. 17. It’s better to be envied than pitied. 18. Know when to draw the line. 19. Don't take everyone at their word. 20. If you're going to give orders, make sure you can actually follow them yourself.
Pitacus of Miletus, son of Iros, said:
Here’s some unsolicited wisdom—take it or leave it: 1. Recognize a lucky break when it hits you. Don't ignore it. 2. Keep your mouth shut about your plans. If you brag and then fail? You're just an easy target for everyone to laugh at. 3. Surround yourself with people who actually matter. 4. Don't hold others to standards you won't meet yourself. It’s hypocritical. 5. Don't tolerate laziness. That kind of rot eventually brings down everything around it. 6. Return what you borrowed. Simple as that. 7. Learn to swallow the small annoyances people throw your way. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill. 8. Don't trash talk a friend or play nice with an enemy. Both are signs of someone who lacks basic judgment. 9. Nobody can predict the future—nobody. But if you look at how things played out in the past, you might actually stand a chance at seeing what's coming. 10. The ground beneath your feet stays put, but the ocean? You can't trust it for a second. 11. Greed is a bottomless pit. It never stops wanting more. 12. Actually own your stuff. Don't live life on credit or through someone else's hands. 13. Focus on the real essentials: compassion, raising kids right, wisdom, facts, trust, experience, skill, friendship, integrity, precision, keeping a home, and knowing your craft. Everything else is just noise.
f) Bijant of Byzantium, son of Teuta, said:
1. Most people are crooked. 2. He says you need to look in the mirror: if you look good, do good things; if you look ugly, let your integrity fix your natural flaws. 3. Approach your work slowly—but once you start, go all in. 4. Avoid mindless chatter so you don't screw up, because regret follows fast. 5. Don't be stupid or malicious. 6. Don't act without thinking. 7. Value common sense. 8. Acknowledge the existence of the gods. 9. Reflect on what you've actually done. 10. Be a careful listener. 11. Speak only when it makes sense. 12. If you're broke, don't envy the rich—there's nothing in it for you. 13. Don't praise a worthless man just because he has money. 14. Win people over through persuasion, not force. 15. When you nail a job, give the credit to the gods, not yourself. 16. Aim for success in youth, and wisdom in old age. 17. Give lasting recognition to hard work, caution to good fortune, nobility of soul to character, moderation to effort, mercy to fear, friendship to wealth, persuasion to speech, composure to silence, justice to reason, courage to boldness, strength to action, and supremacy to fame.
g) Pericles of Corinth, son of Kypselos, said:
1. Look out for everyone. 2. There’s beauty in stillness. 3. Recklessness is dangerous. 4. Profiting through shame is a loss. 5. * an indictment of nature. 6. Democracy beats tyranny every time. 7. Possessions die, but virtue is immortal. 8. When you're winning, stay level-headed; when you're losing, stay sensible. 9. It's better to die powerful than to live in want. 10. Prepare yourself to be worthy of being a parent. 11. While you're alive, let people praise you; once you're gone, let them think you were blessed. 12. Stick by your friends whether times are good or bad. 13. Whatever you've personally agreed to—keep it; breaking your own word is dangerous. 14. Don't spread private conversations. 15. Criticize in a way that suggests you intend to become a friend immediately. 16. Follow the old laws, but eat fresh food. 17. Don't just punish those who commit errors, but also those who have the capacity to make them. 18. Keep your troubles to yourself so you don't end up feeding your enemies.
