On being asked why he had not framed any law against parricide, he replied that he hoped it was unnecessary. Asked how crime could most effectually be diminished, he replied, “If it caused as much resentment in those who are not its victims as in those who are,” adding, “Wealth breeds satiety, satiety outrage.”
His counsel to men in general is stated by Apollodorus in his work on the Philosophic Sects as follows:* Put more trust in nobility of character than in an oath. Never tell a lie. Pursue worthy aims. Do not be rash to make friends and, when once they are made, do not drop them. Learn to obey before you command. In giving advice seek to help, not to please, your friend. Be led by reason. Shun evil company. Honour the gods, reverence parents.
He flourished, according to Sosicrates, about the 46th Olympiad, in the third year of which he was archon at Athens; it was then that he enacted his laws. He died in Cyprus at the age of eighty.
From ‘Lives of the Eminent Philosophers’ by Diogenes Laertius (180-240).
* The Chronicle of Apollodorus of Athens (180-? BC) was a wide-ranging account of history and ideas from the Fall of Troy (dated to 1184 BC) to his own time.
* Sosicrates of Rhodes (fl. mid-2nd century BC) was an authority on whom Diogenes relied a good deal. An Olympiad is the period between each Olympic Games. The Olympic Games were held in high summer every four years from 776 BC, until they were abolished in AD 394 by Roman Emperor Theodosius during the 293rd Olympiad. The 46th Olympiad began in 596 BC.
Précis
Crime would always be with us, Solon believed, so long as those not directly affected by it felt no outrage. Indeed, Solon saw the need for greater self-discipline in many areas, such as honesty, loyalty, humility, choosing companions, and respecting one’s parents. Diogenes ended by dating Solon’s life to the early sixth century BC. (54 / 60 words)
Crime would always be with us, Solon believed, so long as those not directly affected by it felt no outrage. Indeed, Solon saw the need for greater self-discipline in many areas, such as honesty, loyalty, humility, choosing companions, and respecting one’s parents. Diogenes ended by dating Solon’s life to the early sixth century BC.
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Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, besides, must, ought, unless, until, whereas, whether.
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Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
What advice did Solon give regarding friendship?
Suggestion
To make friends cautiously, but steadfastly loyal. (7 words)
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
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For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Calculation. Offender. Then.
2 Action. King. Upon.
3 Each. God. Than.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
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Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Stand. 2. Like. 3. Light. 4. Break. 5. Object. 6. Man. 7. May. 8. Lie. 9. Seal.
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For each word above, choose one or more suitable
meanings from this list.
1.
Conditions of a golf ball.
2.
Hold oneself upright on one’s feet.
3.
A thing of any kind.
4.
Not dark.
5.
Fasten in tightly, so as to prevent escape.
6.
Maritime mammal.
7.
A stall in a market.
8.
A goal, one’s purpose.
9.
Find pleasure in, approve.
10.
Express opposition to something.
11.
The hawthorn tree and its blossom.
12.
Similar to.
13.
Snap; cause to stop working.
14.
Verb indicating possibility.
15.
Provide the crew for.
16.
Tell untruths.
17.
Pay for e.g. drinks, food, on behalf of others.
18.
Not heavy or serious.
19.
An island in the Irish Sea.
20.
A month of the year.
21.
A short rest (an intermission, holiday or moment of relief).
22.
A male person.
23.
Stretch out.
24.
Bear, endure a hardship.
25.
Set flame to.
26.
Official stamp in wax.
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Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
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South. (8) Shout. (8) Shoot. (8) Oaths. (8) Hoots. (8) Tush. (7) Tosh. (7) Thus. (7) Thou. (7) Shut. (7) Shot. (7) Shoo. (7) Oohs. (7) Oath. (7) Huts. (7) Hots. (7) Host. (7) Hoot. (7) Hats. (7) Hast. (7) Soh. (6) Ooh. (6) Ohs. (6) Hut. (6) Hot. (6) Hat. (6) Has. (6) Ash. (6) Autos. (5) Soot. (4) Outs. (4) Oust. (4) Oats. (4) Oast. (4) Auto. (4) Too. (3) Sou. (3) Sot. (3) Sat. (3) Out. (3) Oat. (3)