Who said this and what does it mean? Wikiquote says that Solon said this to Croesus but gives no citation.
![](https://www.epicureanfriends.com/wcf/images/avatars/9f/23-9f93d8f94fca54fa8e91d055eb8208cd2ac9b0c8.jpg)
"Look To The End of A Long Life"
-
-
We do have:
(Diogenes Laertius 1.50) "There Croesus put the question, 'Whom do you consider happy?' and Solon replied, 'Tellus of Athens, and Cleobis and Biton,' and went on in words too familiar to be quoted here."
Tellus comes from the same root as telos (the end).
"The phrase medena pro tou telous makarize ("call no one blessed until his end") has remained a common proverbial expression, all the way to present-day, modern Greek. One can only assume that it was equally familiar to, and resonated powerfully with ancient Greeks." (Erik Anderson)
-
We also have:
(Herodotus Histories 1.30.2) Croesus found the opportunity to say, “My Athenian guest, we have heard a lot about you because of your wisdom and of your wanderings, how as one who loves learning you have traveled much of the world for the sake of seeing it, so now I desire to ask you who is the most fortunate man you have seen.” [3] Croesus asked this question believing that he was the most fortunate of men, but Solon, offering no flattery but keeping to the truth, said, “O King, it is Tellus the Athenian.” [4] Croesus was amazed at what he had said and replied sharply, “In what way do you judge Tellus to be the most fortunate?” Solon said, “Tellus was from a prosperous city, and his children were good and noble. He saw children born to them all, and all of these survived. His life was prosperous by our standards, and his death was most glorious: [5] when the Athenians were fighting their neighbors in Eleusis, he came to help, routed the enemy, and died very finely. The Athenians buried him at public expense on the spot where he fell and gave him much honor.
Unread Threads
-
- Title
- Replies
- Last Reply
-
-
-
Would Epicurus say: "Infinite Time contains no more pain than limited time when the limit of pain is measured by reason?" 15
- Cassius
July 20, 2024 at 10:44 PM - General Discussion
- Cassius
July 25, 2024 at 11:01 AM
-
- Replies
- 15
- Views
- 478
15
-
-
-
-
The Normal Curve of Pleasure 5
- kochiekoch
July 22, 2024 at 1:28 PM - General Discussion
- kochiekoch
July 23, 2024 at 5:59 PM
-
- Replies
- 5
- Views
- 315
5
-
-
-
-
Emily Austin conversation rebroadcast on Next Big Idea! 2
- Don
July 23, 2024 at 9:33 AM - General Discussion
- Don
July 23, 2024 at 10:44 AM
-
- Replies
- 2
- Views
- 180
2
-
-
-
-
"If You Wish To Be An Epicurean, Get Used To Being Called 'Cockeyed'" - or - "Why Vatican Saying 29 Would Make A Good Epicurean Tatoo" 3
- Cassius
July 9, 2024 at 7:57 AM - General Discussion
- Cassius
July 22, 2024 at 8:43 PM
-
- Replies
- 3
- Views
- 646
3
-
-
-
-
Does PD26 imply personal responsibility beyond oneself? 4
- Godfrey
July 11, 2024 at 3:22 PM - PD 26 - Of desires, all that do not lead to a sense of pain...
- Godfrey
July 11, 2024 at 5:43 PM
-
- Replies
- 4
- Views
- 404
4
-