Delphic Maxim Weekly Posting Project

What are the Delphic Maxims?

According to witchipedia: “The Delphic Maxims are inscribed at Delphi and are said to have been delivered by Apollo Himself. The Maxims are suggestions for pious living, not quite commandments, really strong recommendations. According to legend, they were written down by The Seven Sages who are usually identified as: Solon of Athens, Chilon of Sparta, Thales of Miletus, Bias of Priene, Cleobulus of Lindos, Pittacus of Mitylene and Periander of Corinth.”

How many Delphic Maxims are there?

There are 147 Delphic maxims and they are on witchipedia but straight up list with alternativeinterpretations of the maxims can be found here.

Why are Delphic Maxims Important Today?

For those follow a Greek path they are a description on how to be a moral person. For those of us not following any flavor of Greek path they still may be of interest because they provide both a non-Christian and specifically pagan moral path which we may use as a starting point for finding our own morals and faith. There are other examples of Non-Christian ethic commands, the nine noble virtues inform the Norse path, and we are probably all familiar with the rede and the outer court 161 Wiccan laws (which are mostly meaningless but that's a separate post entirely).

Why I am Blogging About Each Maxim in Detail?

Star Foster's orginal post here started an impromptu blogging party way back in May surrounding the Delphic maxims. Many people were partaking in this event (myself included though it was under a personal journal). Her attempts to make modern understanding out of old pagan law spoke to the community and it spoke to me personally.

I don't follow any kind of reconstructionist tradition, but I appreciate taking rules that were traditionally pagan and considering what wisdom they carry over to the present, and whether they have any meaning in the path I follow. One of the most well known quotes “Know thyself” comes directly from the maxims. Even if all of the other 147 laws are duds, it's worth looking more deeply into something that offers a least one significant nugget of truth.

My blogging in the past has been very sporadic. I'm looking for some stability in posting. One of my weekly reoccurring segments is going to be to pick up these maxims and talk about each at length.