I came across a reference to the Delphic Maxims.
The Delphic maxims are a set of maxims inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Originally, they were said to have been given by the Greek god Apollo's Oracle at Delphi, Pythia, and therefore were attributed to Apollo. The 3rd century doxographer Diogenes Laertius attributed them to the Seven Sages of Greece as did the 5th century scholar Stobaeus. Contemporary scholars, however, hold that their original authorship is uncertain, and that "most likely they were popular proverbs, which tended later to be attributed to particular sages." Roman educator Quintilian argued that students should copy those aphorisms often to improve their moral core. Perhaps the most famous of these maxims is 'know thyself,' which was the first of three maxims carved above the entrance to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.
The Three Maxims were:
Know ThyselfNothing in ExcessSurety Brings Ruin
Know thyself is by far the best known but all three are foundational wisdom. I am guessing that all the confident talking heads at the beginning of Covid spouting the benefits of mandated vaccination, school shutdowns, and masking are now wishing they had paid more attention to the idea that too much certainty (Surety) causes ruin.
There are 147 maxims collected by Stobaeus referred to as Delphic Maxims. All pretty sensible.
No.001 Follow God002 Obey the law003 Respect the Gods004 Respect your parents005 Be defeated by justice006 Know by learning007 What you listened understand it008 Be thyself009 Set out to be married010 Know your opportunity011 Think mortal thoughts012 Know when you are an outsider013 Honour the hearth014 Be in control of yourself015 Help your friends016 Control your temper017 Exercise prudence018 Honour forethought019 Do not use an oath020 Embrace friendship021 Cling to education022 Pursue honour023 Be eager for wisdom024 Praise the good025 Find fault with no one026 Praise virtue027 Practice what is just028 Show favour to your friends029 Ward off your enemies030 Exercise nobility of character031 Shun evil032 Be impartial033 Guard what is yours034 Shun what belongs to others035 Listen to all036 Be fair of speech037 Look after your own038 Nothing in excess039 Save time040 Look to the future041 Despise insolence042 Have respect for suppliants043 Be accommodating to all044 Educate your sons045 If you have, give046 Fear deceit047 Speak well of everyone048 Be a seeker of wisdom049 Choose what is holy050 Act from knowledge051 Shun murder052 Pray for what is possible053 Consult the wise054 Test your character055 If you have received, give back056 Look down on none057 Make use of expertise058 Give what you aim to give059 Honour generosity060 Envy no one061 Be on your guard062 Praise hope063 Despise slander064 Gain possessions justly065 Honour good people066 Know who is the judge067 Control your marriages068 Recognize fortune069 Do not make risky promises070 Speak plainly071 Associate with likeminded people072 Control your expenditure073 Be happy with what you have074 Revere a sense of shame075 Repay favours076 Pray for success077 Embrace your fate078 Listen and observe079 Work for what you can own080 Despise strife081 Detest disgrace082 Restrain your tongue083 Shun violence084 Make just judgements085 Use what you have086 Judge incorruptibly087 Make accusations face to face088 Speak from knowledge089 Have no truck with violence090 Live free of sorrow091 Have kindly interactions092 Complete the race and don't chicken out093 Deal kindly with everyone094 Do not curse your sons095 Control your wife096 Benefit yourself097 Be courteous098 Respond in a timely manner099 Struggle for glory100 Act decisively101 Repent of your errors102 Control your eye103 Give timely counsel104 Act without hesitation105 Guard friendship106 Be grateful107 Pursue harmony108 Keep secret what should be secret109 Fear what rules110 Pursue what is profitable111 Accept due measure112 Dissolve enmities113 Accept old age114 Do not boast about power115 Exercise (religious) silence116 Shun hatred117 Acquire wealth justly118 Do not abandon honour119 Despise evil120 Take sensible risks121 Never tire of learning122 Never cease being thrifty123 Admire oracles124 Love those whom you rear125 Do not fight an absent foe126 Respect the old127 ΝInstruct the young128 Do not put your trust in wealth129 Respect yourself130 Do not initiate violence131 Crown your ancestors132 Die for your country133 Do not live your life in discontent134 Do not make fun of the dead135 Share the load of the unfortunate136 Gratify without harming137 Have no grief138 Beget good from good139 Make promises to none140 Do not wrong the dead141 Do as well as your mortal status permits142 Do not put your trust in chance143 As a child be well-behaved144 As a youth be self-disciplined145 As a middle-aged person be honest146 As an old man be sensible147 At your end be without sorrow
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