At decolonise-classics.org we recommend all institutions to drop the heavily loaded “Classics” from their curriculum and program degrees.
Instead, we recommend the adoption of the following depending on the focus of the course:
“Greco-Roman Studies”
“Hellenic Studies”
“Latin Studies”
Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Just be one!
-Marcus Aurelius
Delphic Maxims
001 Ἕπου θεῷ Follow God 002 Νόμῳ πείθου Obey the law 003 Θεοὺς σέβου Worship the Gods 004 Γονεῖς αἰδοῦ Respect your parents 005 Ἡττῶ ὑπὸ δικαίου Be overcome by justice 006 Γνῶθι μαθών Know what you have learned 007 Ἀκούσας νόει Perceive what you have heard 008 Σαυτὸν ἴσθι Be yourself 009 Γαμεῖν μέλλε Intend to get married 010 Καιρὸν γνῶθι Know your opportunity 011 Φρόνει θνητά Think as a mortal 012 Ξένος ὢν ἴσθι If you are a stranger act like one 013 Ἑστίαν τίμα Honour the hearth (or Hestia) 014 Ἄρχε σεαυτοῦ Control yourself 015 Φίλοις βοήθει Help your friends 016 Θυμοῦ κράτει Control anger 017 Φρόνησιν ἄσκει Exercise prudence 018 Πρόνοιαν τίμα Honour providence 019 Ὅρκῳ μὴ χρῶ Do not use an oath 020 Φιλίαν ἀγάπα Love friendship 021 Παιδείας ἀντέχου Cling to discipline 022 Δόξαν δίωκε Pursue honour 023 Σοφίαν ζήλου Long for wisdom 024 Καλὸν εὖ λέγε Praise the good 025 Ψέγε μηδένα Find fault with no one 026 Ἐπαίνει ἀρετήν Praise virtue 027 Πρᾶττε δίκαια Practice what is just 028 Φίλοις εὐνόει Be kind to your friends 029 Ἐχθροὺς ἀμύνου Watch out for your enemies 030 Εὐγένειαν ἄσκει Exercise nobility of character 031 Κακίας ἀπέχου Shun evil 032 Κοινὸς γίνου Be impartial 033 Ἴδια φύλαττε Guard what is yours 034 Ἀλλοτρίων ἀπέχου Shun what belongs to others 035 Ἄκουε πάντα Listen to everyone 036 Εὔφημος ἴσθι Be (religiously) silent 037 Φίλῳ χαρίζου Do a favour for a friend 038 Μηδὲν ἄγαν Nothing to excess 039 Χρόνου φείδου Use time sparingly 040 Ὅρα τὸ μέλλον Foresee the future 041 Ὕβριν μίσει Despise insolence 042 Ἱκέτας αἰδοῦ Have respect for suppliants 043 Πᾶσιν ἁρμόζου Be accommodated in everything 044 Υἱοὺς παίδευε Educate your sons 045 Ἔχων χαρίζου Give what you have 046 Δόλον φοβοῦ Fear deceit 047 Εὐλόγει πάντας Speak well of everyone 048 Φιλόσοφος γίνου Be a seeker of wisdom 049 Ὅσια κρῖνε Choose what is divine 050 Γνοὺς πρᾶττε Act when you know 051 Φόνου ἀπέχου Shun murder 052 Εὔχου δυνατά Pray for things possible 053 Σοφοῖς χρῶ Consult the wise 054 Ἦθος δοκίμαζε Test the character 055 Λαβὼν ἀπόδος Give back what you have received 056 Ὑφορῶ μηδένα Down-look no one 057 Τέχνῃ χρῶ Use your skill 058 Ὃ μέλλεις, δός Do what you mean to do 059 Εὐεργεσίας τίμα Honour a benefaction 060 Φθόνει μηδενί Be jealous of no one 061 Φυλακῇ πρόσεχε Be on your guard 062 Ἐλπίδα αἴνει Praise hope 063 Διαβολὴν μίσει Despise a slanderer 064 Δικαίως κτῶ Gain possessions justly 065 Ἀγαθοὺς τίμα Honour good men 066 Κριτὴν γνῶθι Know the judge 067 Γάμους κράτει Master wedding-feasts 068 Τύχην νόμιζε Recognize fortune 069 Ἐγγύην φεῦγε Flee a pledge 070 Ἁπλῶς διαλέγου Speak plainly 071 Ὁμοίοις χρῶ Associate with your peers 072 Δαπανῶν ἄρχου Govern your expenses 073 Κτώμενος ἥδου Be happy with what you have 074 Αἰσχύνην σέβου Revere a sense of shame 075 Χάριν ἐκτέλει Fulfill a favour 076 Εὐτυχίαν εὔχου Pray for happiness 077 Τύχην στέργε Be fond of fortune 078 Ἀκούων ὅρα Observe what you have heard 079 Ἐργάζου κτητά Work for what you can own 080 Ἔριν μίσει Despise strife 081 Ὄνειδος ἔχθαιρε Detest disgrace 082 Γλῶτταν ἴσχε Restrain the tongue 083 Ὕβριν ἀμύνου Keep yourself from insolence 084 Κρῖνε δίκαια Make just judgements 085 Χρῶ χρήμασιν Use what you have 086 Ἀδωροδόκητος δίκαζε Judge incorruptibly 087 Αἰτιῶ παρόντα Accuse one who is present 088 Λέγε εἰδώς Tell when you know 089 Βίας μὴ ἔχου Do not depend on strength 090 Ἀλύπως βίου Live without sorrow 091 Ὁμίλει πρᾴως Live together meekly 092 Πέρας ἐπιτέλει μὴ ἀποδειλιῶν Finish the race without shrinking back 093 Φιλοφρόνει πᾶσιν Deal kindly with everyone 094 Υἱοῖς μὴ καταρῶ Do not curse your sons 095 Γυναικὸς ἄρχε Rule your wife 096 Σεαυτὸν εὖ ποίει Benefit yourself 097 Εὐπροσήγορος γίνου Be courteous 098 Ἀποκρίνου ἐν καιρῷ Give a timely response 099 Πόνει μετ’ εὐκλείας Struggle with glory 100 Πρᾶττε ἀμετανοήτως Act without repenting 101 Ἁμαρτάνων μετανόει Repent of sins 102 Ὀφθαλμοῦ κράτει Control the eye 103 Βουλεύου χρόνῳ Give a timely counsel 104 Πρᾶττε συντόμως Act quickly 105 Φιλίαν φύλαττε Guard friendship 106 Εὐγνώμων γίνου Be grateful 107 Ὁμόνοιαν δίωκε Pursue harmony 108 Ἄρρητον κρύπτε Keep deeply the top secret 109 Τὸ κρατοῦν φοβοῦ Fear ruling 110 Τὸ συμφέρον θηρῶ Pursue what is profitable 111 Καιρὸν προσδέχου Accept due measure 112 Ἔχθρας διάλυε Do away with enmities 113 Γῆρας προσδέχου Accept old age 114 Ἐπὶ ῥώμῃ μὴ καυχῶ Do not boast in might 115 Εὐφημίαν ἄσκει Exercise (religious) silence 116 Ἀπέχθειαν φεῦγε Flee enmity 117 Πλούτει δικαίως Acquire wealth justly 118 Δόξαν μὴ λεῖπε Do not abandon honour 119 Κακίαν μίσει Despise evil 120 Κινδύνευε φρονίμως Venture into danger prudently 121 Μανθάνων μὴ κάμνε Do not tire of learning 122 Φειδόμενος μὴ λεῖπε Do not stop to be thrifty 123 Χρησμοὺς θαύμαζε Admire oracles 124 Οὓς τρέφεις, ἀγάπα Love whom you rear 125 Ἀπόντι μὴ μάχου Do not oppose someone absent 126 Πρεσβύτερον αἰδοῦ Respect an elder 127 Νεώτερον δίδασκε Teach a youngster 128 Πλούτῳ ἀπίστει Do not trust wealth 129 Σεαυτὸν αἰδοῦ Respect yourself 130 Μὴ ἄρχε ὑβρίζειν Do not begin to be insolent 131 Προγόνους στεφάνου Crown your ancestors 132 Θνῆσκε ὑπὲρ πατρίδος Die for your country 133 Τῷ βίῳ μὴ ἄχθου Do not be discontented by life 134 Ἐπὶ νεκρῷ μὴ γέλα Do not make fun of the dead 135 Ἀτυχοῦντι συνάχθου Share the load of the unfortunate 136 Χαρίζου ἀβλαβῶς Gratify without harming 137 Μὴ ἐπὶ παντὶ λυποῦ Grieve for no one 138 Ἐξ εὐγενῶν γέννα Beget from noble routes 139 Ἐπαγγέλλου μηδενί Make promises to no one 140 Φθιμένους μὴ ἀδίκει Do not wrong the dead 141 Εὖ πάσχε ὡς θνητός Be well off as a mortal 142 Τύχῃ μὴ πίστευε Do not trust fortune 143 Παῖς ὢν κόσμιος ἴσθι As a child be well-behaved 144 Ἡβῶν ἐγκρατής As a youth—self-disciplined 145 Μέσος δίκαιος As of middle-aged—just 146 Πρεσβύτης εὔλογος As an old man—sensible 147 Τελευτῶν ἄλυπος On reaching the end—without sorrow