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THE WISDOM OF THE SAGES Sages and sagacity descend from remote prehistoric times, and are found in all cultures. Claims by Greek writers that the seven sages, or any sages, represent a first in sagacity could be viewed as somewhat brash. The context of sagacity The Iliad (3.146) has its sages, such as Oukalegon and Antenor , two Trojan demogerontes ("senators") who were "both sage", pepnumeno ampho, in the dual number. Pepnumeno is related to pneuma, "breath, spirit" and has the morphology of a stative, a current state resulting from a perfected action; that is, at some point they were inspired by divinity and remain so in public life. From the beginning of literature a sage was never wise as a private individual (idios) but always in some social way. He was a success, a famous man, a man of stature and note, who had a kleos, a reputation. At the same time he was not to have such brashness, or arrogance (hybris), as to ascribe this wisdom to his own abilities. Deity must take the credit. This duality led to a social tension. Later the cynics were to bark and howl at the stereotype of fame from their location in the streets.
Sophistes (plural sophistai) forms an agent noun from the adjective, sophos. The sophist dispensed wisdom professionally. The concept was honorable until Socrates seized it and gave it a fatal shake. Socrates restored the humility of the view that wisdom was inspired and was nothing you could teach. The sagacity of action The seven appeared at a time of incipient reunification of the Greek city states after a time of civil disorder and population displacements consequent on the fall of Mycenaean civilization. Unity was expressed in such common institutions as the Panhellenic Games and the Oracle at Delphi . There were many oracles, and more than one of Apollo (god of truth), but Delphi was preferred, perhaps because of its central, sheltered and scenic location, and was fast rising to dominance. The times required men of action. Ordinary people were illiterate and did not have the time or patience for the lengthy considerations of indecisive men. They mistrusted the literate, running playwrights out of town, burning the Pythagorean schools and assassinating the Pythagoreans, and characterizing the philosophers as fools with their heads in the clouds, or being so stupid as to step into a well while looking at the stars. Look at the earth around you, they said. Pay attention to earning money. And yet, it was on these people that the burden of constructing the new Hellas fell. The successful and dominant Dorians had brought a succinct and somewhat hard-boiled tradition of action with them from up-country. For example, when emissaries came from the Persia n Great King demanding earth and water from Sparta as a token of submission, the Spartans threw them into a well, exclaiming "dig it out yourselves." This technique was admired everywhere. Poetry grew shorter and epigrammatic. The tombstones became eloquent. Nutshell advice was sought from the oracles, who were happy to comply. The Pythia , as she was called, when asked a question (and paid for the answer) would come under the influence of an intoxicating substance in the temple (perhaps natural gas) and make an utterance, which would be made readable and versified by the priests. These succinct utterances never gave a direct answer. They were always in the form of an ainigma, or riddle. The meaning would then be unfolded by action. The oracle, in a sense, gave you the authority of solving your own problem by not telling you what to do. If it went wrong, then you guessed wrong. It is the privilege of free men of action that they make and pay for their own mistakes. The Greeks loved it. The Greeks valued the true and the effective, but they wanted it simple, and they wanted it now. In response to the need arose the paroimion, Latin proverbium, a simple principle of truth and action. A body of these developed, the koinai gnomai, "common knowledge", put forth as the sagacity of the sages. Aristophanes , the Comedian , in ''Knights'' (348), depicts the democratic sausage-monger giving a speech around the theme of a paroimion and then pacing the streets all night long repeating it over and over in triumph. To the seven sages were attributed the most memorable of the pithy maxims. The best were engraved in the pronaon of the temple of Apollo at Delphi, as dedications to the god of truth. Pausanias (10.24.1) lists the sages as stated below. The maxims have been filled in from other sources. Pausanias mentions two: "know thyself" and "nothing in excess" without telling us who said them. The standard list is:
Pausanias must have seen the engravings, as he wanted to substitute Myson Of Chenae , who appears in Plato's list, instead of Periander, a tyrant. This is evidence that the basis of selection was not general wisdom but the ability to produce great paroimia. There were at least twenty men whom someone in antiquity called one of the Seven. Moreover, different authors attribute the sayings to different sages. Other quotes attributed to the sages include: "Master anger"; "Look to the end of life"; "Avoid responsibility for others' debts"; and the characteristically Greek "Call no man happy until he is dead". THE INSTITUTION OF SAGACITY The sources seem to tell us everything about the sages except who singled them out as sage and for what purpose. The Hellenes , we are told, but entire populations rarely act except through representatives. The trophy-swapping stories in Diogenes Laertius (under Thales ) give something of a clue. First there is the tripod brought up with a catch of fish and claimed by the purchasers of the fish, who appealed to the oracle and were told to give the tripod to the wisest. They chose Thales, but he passed it on to another, etc., until it came back to him. Then he sent it to Apollo , as only the god is wise. In another version the trophy was a bowl bequeathed to him who did the most good with his wisdom. It went the round also and ended up at Delphi. In a third version it was a gift from Croesus to the wisest. The bowl gives us a hint as to how men became officially sage. Diogenes evidently read the inscription on the bowl, as he quotes it: :"Thales, the Milesian, son of Examyas (dedicates this) to Delphian Apollo after twice winning the prize from all the Greeks." What prize was that, and what contest? Such language is spoken of victors in the Panhellenic Games . The Pythian Games featured a declamation contest for poets and probably would-be sages. Diogenes Laertius quotes these verses attributed to Thales: :"Of all things that are, the most ancient is God, for he is uncreated. :The most beautiful is the universe, for it is God's. :The greatest is space, for it holds all things. :The swiftest is mind, for it speeds everywhere. :The strongest, necessity, for it masters all. :The wisest, time, for it brings everything to light." Chance has not revealed to us the exact origin of the seven sages. However, the fact that the paroimia on the wall of the naon were dedicated to Apollo may indicate that they were the winning words of a contest. Perhaps in the Pythian Games of archaic Greece a standing board of one winner and seven follow-ups existed. This circumstance would account for the large number of people said to be in the seven, and also would have given Croesus and Cyrus a guest list for their courts, as they were patrons of the arts. There were still seven sages at the court of Chosroes I , a king of the Sassanid Dynasty , 531-579. Delphi was not the only seat of Apollo. Another existed at Didyma ten miles south of Miletus , where there was a temple, the Didymaion, at which oracles were given, and games, the Megala Didymeia, including recitation in the open next to a grove. Didyma were rivals to Delphi. The sages could have won at Didyma and have dedicated their prizes and sayings at Delphi. REFERENCES
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