The Fragments of Solon of Athens (Illustrated)

Solon of Athens

Apr 2026 · Delphi Ancient Classics Book 160 · Delphi Classics

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About this ebook

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)

* Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Solon’s life and works
* Features the complete extant works of Solon, in both English translation and the original Greek
* Concise introduction to the poet, his life and achievements
* A new translation of the fragments
* Excellent formatting of the texts
* Easily locate the fragments you want to read with individual contents tables
* Provides a special dual English and Greek text, allowing readers to compare the sections paragraph by paragraph — ideal for students
* Features four bonus biographies, including the original sources of Herodotus, Plutarch and Diogenes Laërtius — discover Solon’s ancient world

CONTENTS:

The Translations
The Fragments of Solon of Athens

The Greek Texts
List of Greek Texts

The Dual Text
Dual Greek and English Text

The Biographies
Extracts from Book I of ‘Histories’ (c. 420 BC) by Herodotus
Parallel Lives: Solon (c. 110 AD) by Plutarch
Lives of the Eminent Philosophers: Solon (3rd century AD) by Diogenes Laërtius
Solon (1911) by John Malcolm Mitchell

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