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 ]· [ ]σι, παῖ, πατρὸς γερ[αιτέρου]· [ ]ωι σωφρονεστέρ[ωι ]. |
| 2a | ἔλπιζε τιμῶν το ὺς θεοὺς πράξειν καλῶσ . [ ἐ]μποιεῖν τὸν Ἡρα[κλῆ] [ ἐ]ξ ἴσου σέβου. [ ]. ὀργὴν ἑταίρων καὶ φίλων πειρῶ φέ ρειν , [ ]ων μὴ κακῶν γι[ – ]. |
| 2a | ἔργων πονηρῶν χεῖρα ἐλευθέ ραν ἔχε . |
| 2a | . . . |
| 2b.(10) | . . . [ ] ... μὴ πρ[άσ]σει[ . ] κακ[ῶς] [ ] . α . ἠδικημένος [ ] εὐμαρέστερος [ ] . ισθῆναι κακό[ . ] [ ]τα ψεύδη λέγειν [ ] τἀληθῆ λέγων [ ]ν τοῖς φίλοισιν εὐμαρῶ[ς]. μὴ τοὺς κακοὺ ς οἴκτειρε πράσσοντας κακῶσ , [ βέ]βαιος ἠτυχηκότι. |
| 2b.(10) | ὀργῆς ἕκατι κρυ π〈τὰ〉 μὴ ἐκφ〈ή〉ν〈η〉ις φίλο υ [ π]οιοῦ προμηθίας γλώσσης μάλιστα π αντ αχοῦ πειρῶ κρατ εῖν , ὃ καὶ γέροντι κα ὶ ν έω ι τιμὴν φέρει, ἡ γλῶσσα σιγὴν κ αιρ ί αν κεκτημένη. |
| 2c.(50) | [ .......... ] . [ ... ] .... θυμοῦ λαβεῖν [ ........ ] ....... βλάβην φέρει [ ........ ] ... [ . ] . [ . ] .... ωπ|ους ἔχειν [ .... ] .... ιη νο|μίζεται [ ]ν ἐκφοβούμενο[ . ] [ ] .. θων τύχηι [ ] . ἐκφ[ ... ]υς ὅλων [ ] .. συντελεῖ τύχη λύσιν πονηρῶ[ν ἐσθλοῖσι δαίμων [ . φηνελε[ . ]ι . ητ[ μόνη[ κ . ηνη γὰρ [ ἢ μὴ λέγε ἐν [ μηθένος αμ[ ὁ μὴ λέγων [ [ . ] . μ[ . ]η χαρι[ βλαπ[τ πλουτο . [ [ . ] . [ . ]εσμα[ v. 45—51 praeter litteras singulas leguntur [μ]η[δ]ὲν ποιεῖν[, ἐ]ξυβρί[ζ]ει[, ]ευχευσ[ 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. |