The Seven Sages of Ancient Greece

who included Achilles, Aeneas, Jason, Theseus, and many others. Among them was Medus, the son of Medea by Jason, who fled with her to the land later known as Media, homeland of the Magi. The Precepts of Cheiron is an ancient poem, possibly by Hesiod, that is supposed to contain Cheiron’s teachings to Achilles; only a few fragments of it survive. One of the precepts is “First, whenever you come to your house, offer good sacrifices to the eternal gods.” 48

Next in Plethon’s Golden Chain are the Seven Sages of ancient Greece, whose names and dates are summarized in this table:49

The Seven Sages of Ancient Greece

Chilon of Sparta fl. 6th cent. BCE Solon of Athens c. 630–c. 560 BCE

Bias of Priene fl. 6th cent. BCE

Thales of Miletus 624/623–c. 548/545 BCE

Cleoboulus of Lindos fl. 6th cent. BCE

Pittacus of Mitylene c. 640–568 BCE Myson of Chenai fl. 6th cent. BCE

The story is that when Helen was being brought back to Greece from Troy, she threw her golden tripod overboard, because she thought (correctly) that people would fight over it.50 Many centuries later it was found, and indeed disagreements broke out over who should keep it. Therefore they sent it to the wisest person they knew, the philosopher Thales of Miletus, to decide. He didn’t consider himself to be the wisest,

48. Evelyn-White, Hesiod, Homeric Hymns, and Homerica, 73. 49. Plethon, Laws I.2.4. Some ancient sources give slightly different lists. 50. Diogenes Laertius, Lives 1.28–33.