Solon of Athens

One of the Seven Sages of Greece, Solon was a seventh-century BC statesman, lawmaker and poet. He is credited with laying the foundations for Athenian democracy, with efforts to legislate against political, economic and moral decline. Solon was also Athens’ first poet, composing verses that challenged and counselled the people, urging them to action. He wrote poetry for pleasure, as patriotic propaganda and in defence of his constitutional reform. His verses have come down to us in fragmentary quotations by authors like Plutarch, Aristotle and Demosthenes. Though only principally significant for historical rather than aesthetic reasons, they provide an invaluable window into the reforms and attitudes of archaic Greece, eventually leading to the foundation of modern democracy. Delphi’s Ancient Classics series provides eReaders with the wisdom of the Classical world, offering both English translations and the original Greek texts. This eBook presents Solon’s fragments, with illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1)