Wisdom, sapience, or sagacity is the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. Wisdom is associated with attributes such as unbiased judgment, compassion, experiential self-knowledge, self-transcendence and non-attachment, and virtues such as ethics and benevolence.
The ancient Greeks considered wisdom to be an important virtue. Apollo was considered a god of wisdom, designated as the conductor of the Muses (Musagetes), who were personifications of the sciences and of the inspired and poetic arts.
Apollo was considered the god who prophesied through the priestesses (Pythia) in the Temple of Apollo (Delphi), where the aphorism “know thyself” (gnōthi seauton) was inscribed.
The Delphic maxims are a set of 147 aphorisms inscribed 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.
| 147 Delphic maxims | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Greek | English |
| 001. | Ἕπου θεῷ | Follow God |
| 002. | Νόμῳ πείθου | Obey the law |
| 003. | Θεοὺς σέβου | Respect 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/Know 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 | Honor the house |
| 014. | Ἄρχε σεαυτοῦ | Control yourself |
| 015. | Φίλοις βοήθει | Help your friends |
| 016. | Θυμοῦ κράτει | Control anger |
| 017. | Φρόνησιν ἄσκει | Exercise prudence |
| 018. | Πρόνοιαν τίμα | Honor 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 honor |
| 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 | Favor friends |
| 029. | Ἐχθροὺς ἀμύνου | Defend against 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 | Have good reputation |
| 037. | Φίλῳ χαρίζου | Do a favor 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 accommodating 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 | Wish 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 | Honor 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 | Honor 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 favor |
| 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 | Have no violence |
| 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 | Initiate / lead / guide 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 honor |
| 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 the 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 be self-disciplined |
| 145. | Μέσος δίκαιος | As of middle-age be just |
| 146. | Πρεσβύτης εὔλογος | As an old man be sensible |
| 147. | Τελευτῶν ἄλυπος | On reaching the end be without sorrow |
Sapience is closely related to the term “sophia” often defined as “transcendent wisdom”, “ultimate reality”, or the ultimate truth of things. Sapiential perspective of wisdom is said to lie in the heart of every religion, where it is often acquired through intuitive knowing. This type of wisdom is described as going beyond mere practical wisdom and includes self-knowledge, interconnectedness, conditioned origination of mind-states and other deeper understandings of subjective experience. This type of wisdom can also lead to the ability of an individual to act with appropriate judgement, a broad understanding of situations and greater appreciation/compassion towards other living beings.
The word sapience is derived from the Latin sapientia, meaning “wisdom”. The corresponding verb sapere has the original meaning of “to taste”, hence “to perceive, to discern” and “to know”; its present participle sapiens was chosen by Carl Linnaeus for the Latin binomial for the human species, Homo sapiens.