The "Seven Wise Men of Greece."

The so-called "Seven Wise Men of Greece" were Pittacus of Mitylene, Bias of Prienne, Solon of Athens, Chilon of Lacedaemon, Cleobulus of Lyndus, Periander of Corinth, and Thales of Miletus.

The origin of the title "Seven Wise Men" was as follows: Some fishermen of Miletus sold a draught of fishes to some by-standers before the net was drawn in. When the draught came in, there was also in the net a golden tripod. The fishermen claimed that they had sold only the fish: the buyers claimed that they had bought the whole draught. To settle the dispute, they referred the matter to the Oracle of Delphi.

Being ordered to adjudge the tripod to the wisest man in Greece, they offered it to their fellow-citizen Thales; but he modestly replied that there was a wiser man than he, and sent it to Bias. He also declined the honor, and sent the tripod to another; and thus it passed through the hands of seven individuals, who were ever after called the "Seven Wise Men of Greece."

The tripod was finally placed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.

These seven men met together but twice,--once at Delphi, and once at Corinth.

The chief maxim of each was as follows:--