so that he might place a wreath of names in a smooth circle, lest anyone should be first, or even last.
§82eorum e medio prodeo gyro Solon, §83ut, quod dixisse Croeso regi existimor, §84id omnis hominum secta sibi dictum putet.
From the middle of their circle, I, Solon, step forward, so that what I am thought to have said to King Croesus, every school of men may consider as said to themselves.
§85Graece coactum est ὄρα τέλοσ μακροῦ βίου, §86quod longius fit, si Latine dixeris: §87spectare vitae iubeo cunctos terminum. §88proinde miseros aut beatos dicere §89evita, quod sunt semper ancipiti in statu.
In Greek it is compressed into "hora telos makrou biou", which becomes longer if you say it in Latin: "I bid all to look upon the end of life." Therefore, avoid calling people wretched or happy, because they are always in a precarious state.
§90id adeo sic est.
This is indeed so.
si queam, paucis loquar.
If I can, I shall speak in a few words.
§91Rex an tyrannus Lydiae, Croesus, fuit §92his in beatis, dives insanum in modum, §93lateribus aureis templa qui divis dabat,
Croesus, king or tyrant of Lydia, was among these happy ones, wealthy to an insane degree, who used to give temples to the gods with golden bricks; he summoned me.
I come obedient to his word, so that the Lydians might enjoy a better king.
§96rogat, beatum prodam, si quem noverim.
He asks me to declare a happy man, if I know any.
I name Tellus, a citizen not ignoble: he had offered his life fighting for his country.
He looked down on him, and seeks another; I found Aglaus: he had never exceeded the boundaries of his own little field.
§101at ille ridens: “Quo dein me ponis loco, §102beatus orbe toto qui solus vocor?” §103Spectandum
dico
terminum vitae prius: §104tum iudicandum, si manet felicitas.
But he, laughing, said: "In what place then do you put me, who alone am called happy in the whole world?" I say that the end of life must be looked upon first: then it must be judged if happiness remains.
§105dictum moleste Croesus accepit: ego §106relinquo regem, bellum ille in Persas parat, §107profectus, victus, vinctus, regi deditus,
Croesus received this saying with annoyance; I leave the king; he prepares war against the Persians, marched out, was conquered, bound, and delivered to the king.
§108stat ille, captans funeris iam instar sui, §109qua flamma totum se per ambitum dabat §110volvens in altum tumidos aestu globos.
He stands, already catching the likeness of his own funeral, where the flame was spreading itself through the whole circumference, rolling high thick clouds of smoke with the heat.
§111ac paene sero Croesus ingenti sono, §112O vere vates,
inquit,
O Solon, Solon §113clamore magno ter Solonem nuncupat.
And almost too late, Croesus, with a huge sound, said, "O truly a prophet," he says, "O Solon, Solon!" With a great shout, he calls upon Solon three times.
§114qua voce Cyrus motus, extingui iubet §115gyrum per omnem et destrui ardentem pyram: §116et commodum profusus imber nubibus §117repressit ignem.
Moved by this voice, Cyrus orders to extinguish the fire through the whole circle and to destroy the burning pyre; and opportunely a heavy rain poured from the clouds and repressed the fire.
Croesus ad regem illico §118per militarem ducitur lectam manum: §119interrogatur, quem Solonem diceret §120et quam ciendi causam haberet nominis?
Croesus is immediately led to the king by a chosen military hand: he is questioned, what Solon he was speaking of, and what reason he had for calling upon his name.
§121seriem per omnem cuncta regi edisserit.
He explains everything to the king in full detail.
§122miseratur ille vimque fortunae videns §123laudat Solonem: Croesum inde in amicis habet §124vinctumque pedicis aureis secum iubet, §125reliquum quod esset vitae, totum degere.
He pities him, and seeing the power of fortune, praises Solon: from then on he has Croesus among his friends, and orders him, though bound with golden fetters, to spend with him all that remained of his life.
I, by the testimony of two kings, was praised and approved by both.
§128quodque uni dictum est, quisque sibi dictum putet.
And what was said to one, let everyone think said to himself.
§129Ego iam peregi, qua de causa huc prodii.
I have now finished the purpose for which I came out here.
§130venit ecce Chilon.
Behold, Chilon comes.
vos valete et plaudite.
Farewell, and applaud.
My loins hurt from sitting, my eyes from watching, while waiting for Solon to withdraw.
1 §133hui, quam pauca, di, locuntur Attici!
Ah, how few words, by the gods, the Athenians speak!
He has finally finished one maxim in three hundred verses and goes away, looking back at me.
§136Spartanus ego sum Chilon, qui nunc prodeo.
I am Spartan Chilon, who now comes forward.
§137brevitate nota, qua Lacones utimur, §138commendo nostrum γνῶθι σεαυτόν, nosce te, §139quod in columna iam tenetur Delphica.
With the well-known brevity that we Laconians use, I commend our "gnothi seauton", "know thyself", which is already kept on the Delphic column.
§140labor molestus iste fructi est optimi, §141quid ferre possis, quidve non, dinoscere; §142noctu diuque, quae geras, quae gesseris, §143ad usque puncti tenuis instar quaerere.
That troublesome labor is of the best fruit, to discern what you can bear and what you cannot; night and day, to examine what you are doing and what you have done, even to the likeness of a minute point.
All duties, modesty, honor, constancy are in this, and all glory is despised by us.
§146Dixi: valete memores, plausum non moror.
I have spoken: farewell, keeping this in mind; I do not wait for applause.
§147CLEOBULUS ego sum, parvae civis insulae, §148magnae sed auctor, qua cluo, sententiae: §149ἄριστον μέτρον quem dixisse existimant.
I am Cleobulus, a citizen of a small island, but author of a great maxim, for which I am famous: whom they think to have said "ariston metron".
§150interpretare tu, qui orchestrae proximus §151gradibus propinquis in quatuordecim sedes: §152ἄριστον μέτρον an sit optimus modus,
Translate, you who sit closest to the orchestra in the fourteen seats on the near steps: whether "ariston metron" is the best measure, speak!
§153dic! adnuisti? gratiam habeo, persequar
Did you nod? I thank you.