The Delphic Commandments are the wise commandments left to the Greeks by the sages of Ancient Greece. A valuable legacy of knowledge and wisdom for future generations.
The ancient Greek priests did not give advice or listen to the confessions of the faithful but were only concerned with performing sacrifices and other rituals. The moral education and guidance of the citizens emanated from the educators but later continued in the sacred oracles, which, in addition to prophecies, gave moral instructions for the problems of daily life.
In the porch of the temple of Apollo at Delphi, the two famous Delphic instructions ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΑΥΤΟΝ (Know thyself) and ΜΗΔΕΝ ΑΓΑΝ (Do everything in moderation, avoid exaggeration) were inscribed on either side of the sacred letter E.
These Delphic commands, along with 145 others, 147 in total, were the mortgages passed on by the priests and the Seven Sages to future generations, for the benefit of living men.
These commands were simple quotations of 2 to 5 words and most of them belonged to the 7 Sages of ancient Greece (Thales the Milesian, Pittakos the Mytilenian, Vias the Prinean, Solon the Athenian, Cleobulus the Rhodian, Periandros the Corinthian, Chilon the Lakedaimonian), which were engraved on the front wall of the porch, or on the pillars of the gate of the great temple, or on the lintel, or on the many pillars which were placed around the circumference at the sides of the temple.
