Chares of Mytilene Sentences in Greek
The Sentences is a collection of brief, pithy maxims attributed to Chares of Mytilene. As a work of gnomic literature, it belongs to the tradition of concise prose or verse sayings that convey general truths and ethical wisdom. The extant text is structured as ten prose passages, which offer advice on virtuous living and proper social conduct. The maxims cover themes of piety, justice, and self-control, advising against envy of the fortunate, urging respect for the gods and one's elders, and recommending restraint in speech and anger. The work’s survival status is largely unknown, as it is not attested in major digital or print repositories of classical texts. The author, Chares of Mytilene, is otherwise unidentifiable among known historical figures from that city. This attribution places the Sentences within the broader and significant tradition of Greek gnomic literature, which includes collections ranging from archaic poets to Hellenistic philosophers. Its obscurity underscores the fragmentary nature of the historical record for many minor philosophical and didactic works.
| 1 | ΧΑΡΗΣ ΓΝΩΜΑΙ μὴ φθόνει τοῖς εὐτυχοῦσι, μὴ δοκῆις εἶναι κακός. |
| 2a | [ τὰ κ]αλὰ καὶ δίκαι[α δρᾶν], [ ] . δόξα ἀγήρα[(ν)τος ⏑⏓ ]· [ ]σ̣ι, παῖ, πατρὸς γερ̣[αιτέρου]· [ ]ωι σωφρονεστέρ[ωι ⏑⏓ ]. |
| 2a | ⸤ ἔλπιζε τιμῶν το ⸥ ὺ̣ς θεοὺς πράξειν ⸤ καλῶσ ⸥ . [ ἐ]μποιεῖν τὸν Ἡρα̣[κλῆ] [ ἐ]ξ̣ ἴσου σέβου. [ ⏑⏓ ]. ⸤ ὀργὴν ἑταίρων καὶ ⸥ φίλων πειρῶ φέ ⸤ ρειν ⸥ , [ ]ω̣ν μὴ̣ κακῶν γ̣ι̣[ –⏑⏓ ]. |
| 2a | ⸤ ἔργων πονηρῶν ⸥ χεῖρα ἐλευθέ ⸤ ραν ἔχε ⸥ . |
| 2a | . . . |
| 2b.(10) | . . . [ ] ... μὴ π̣ρ[άσ]σ̣ε̣ι̣[ . ] κακ̣[ῶς] [ ] . α̣ . ἠ̣δικημένος [ ] ε̣ὐμαρέστερο̣ς [ ] . ι̣σ̣θ̣ῆναι κακό̣[ . ] [ ]τ̣α̣ ψε̣ύ̣δ̣η λέγειν [ ] τἀληθῆ λέγων [ ]ν̣ τοῖς φίλοισιν εὐμαρῶ[ς]. ⸤ μὴ τοὺς κακοὺ ⸥ ς οἴκτειρε πράσσοντας̣ ⸤ κακῶσ ⸥ , [ βέ]β̣αιος ἠτυχηκότι. |
| 2b.(10) | ⸤ ὀργῆς ἕκατι κρυ ⸥ π̣〈τὰ〉 μὴ ἐκ̣φ〈ή〉ν〈η〉ις φίλο ⸤ υ ⸥ [ π]οιοῦ προμηθίας ⸤ γλώσσης μάλιστα ⸥ π̣ ⸤ αντ ⸥ αχοῦ πειρῶ κρα̣τ̣ ⸤ εῖν ⸥ , ⸤ ὃ καὶ γέροντι κα ⸥ ὶ ν̣ ⸤ έω ⸥ ι̣ τ̣ι̣μὴν φέρει, ⸤ ἡ γλῶσσα σιγὴν κ ⸥ α̣ι̣ρ̣ ⸤ ί ⸥ α̣ν̣ κ̣εκτημένη. |
| 2c.(50) | [ .......... ] . [ ... ] .... θ̣υμοῦ λαβεῖν [ ........ ] ....... βλ̣άβην φέρει [ ........ ] ... [ . ] . [ . ] .... ω̣π̣|ους ἔχειν̣ [ .... ] .... ι̣η̣ ν̣ο̣|μίζεται [ ]ν ἐκφοβούμενο[ . ] [ ] .. θ̣ων τύχηι [ ] . ἐκφ̣[ ... ]υς̣ ὅλων [ ] .. συν̣τ̣ε̣λεῖ τύχη λύσιν πονηρῶ̣[ν ἐσθλοῖσι δαίμων [ . φηνελ̣ε̣[ . ]ι . ητ[ μόνη[ κ̣ . ην̣η γὰρ [ ἢ̣ μὴ λ̣έγε ἐν [ μηθένος αμ[ ὁ μὴ λέγ̣ων [ [ . ] . μ̣[ . ]η̣ χαρι[ βλαπ[τ πλουτο̣ . [ [ . ] . [ . ]ε̣σ̣μα̣[ v. 45—51 praeter litteras singulas leguntur [μ]η̣[δ]ὲ̣ν π̣ο̣ι̣εῖν[, ἐ]ξυβρί[ζ]ει[, ]ε̣υχε̣υσ̣[ fr. d—f paucas tantum modo litteras legit G. |
| 3 | δαπάνην ἄκαιρον μηδαμῶς προσίεσο, γαστρὸς δὲ πειρῶ πᾶσαν ἡνίαν κρατεῖν· μόνη γὰρ ὧν πέπονθεν οὐκ ἔχει χάριν, ἀεὶ δὲ τοῦ δέοντος ἐνδεῖται πλέον. |
| 3 | ὅστις δὲ γαστρὸς μὴ κρατεῖν ἐπίσταται, οὗτος τὰ πλείω τῶν κακῶν ἔχει κακά. |