Chilon of Sparta

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For the athlete, see Chilon of Patras

Chilon of Sparta (Χίλων) was a Lacedaemonian, son of Damagetus and one of the Seven Sages of Greece. He was elected an ephor in Sparta in 556/5 BC. It is recorded that he composed verses in elegiac metre to the number of two hundred. Chilon was also the first person who introduced the custom of joining the ephors to the kings as their counselors, though Satyrus attributes this institution to Lycurgus Chilon is said to have helped to overthrow the tyranny at Sicyon, which became a Spartan ally. He is also credited with the change in Spartan policy leading to the development of the Peloponnesian League in the sixth century BC. ^[1]

Some of his sayings, according to the philosopher Demetrius Phalereus:

• "Do not speak evil of the dead."
• "Honor old age."
• "Prefer punishment to disgraceful gain; for the one is painful but once, but the other for one's whole life."
• "Do not laugh at a person in misfortune."
• "If one is strong be also merciful, so that one's neighbors may respect one rather than fear one."
• "Learn how to regulate one's own house well."
• "Do not let one's tongue outrun one's sense."
• "Restrain anger."
• "Do not dislike divination."
• "Do not desire what is impossible."
• "Do not make too much haste on one's road."
• "Obey the laws."
• "Nothing in excess."

Chilon's teachings flourished around the beginning of the 6th century B.C. A legend says that he died of joy in the arms of his son, who had just gained a prize at the Olympic games.

[edit] References

• Franz Kiechle: Chilon. In: Der Kleine Pauly, Bd. 1 (1964), Sp. 1146.
• Jean Voilquin, Les Penseurs grecs avant Socrate, GF Flammarion, 1964.
• G.L. Huxley. Early Sparta, 1962
• The Lives and Opinions of the Eminent Philosophers, by Diogenes Laertius
• Pliny, 7, c. 33.
• On-line version: [1]