Alphabetical Moral Maxims in Monostichs

Notes

1. §14ξένον σεαυτὸν ἴσθι — The form ἴσθι is identical for both the 2nd person singular present imperative of εἰμί ('to be') and the 2nd person singular perfect imperative of οἶδα ('to know'). Here, since it takes the accusative reflexive pronoun σεαυτόν and the predicate accusative ξένον, it must be interpreted as the imperative of οἶδα ('know yourself to be a stranger'). If it were from εἰμί ('be a stranger yourself'), the subject and predicate would be in the nominative case (e.g., ξένος αὐτὸς ἴσθι).
2. §9ἵστη μὲν ..., γλῶσσα δὲ ... ἔχοι — This verse exhibits an asymmetrical shift in mood between the parallel clauses coordinated by μὲν... δέ. The first clause uses the 2nd person singular present active imperative ἵστη (from ἵστημι), whereas the second clause shifts to the 3rd person singular present active optative of wish/command ἔχοι (from ἔχω). Both convey imperatival force, but with stylistic variation.
3. §12τὸ εἶναι τῷ δοκεῖν — A contrastive use of articular infinitives. The nominative τὸ εἶναι acts as the subject ('being/reality'), while the dative τῷ δοκεῖν represents respect, means, or cause ('appearance/seeming'). Used with the optative of wish/command ὑπορρέοι (from ὑπορρέω, 'to slip away, decay'), the clause warns against reality being undermined or washed away by mere appearance.