The Ancient Greek aphorism “know thyself” is one of the Delphic maxims and was the first of three Ancient Greek aphorism “know thyself” inscribed in the pronaos (forecourt) of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi according to the Greek writer Pausanias. The two maxims that followed “know thyself” were “nothing to excess” and “surety brings ruin”.
The maxim, or aphorism, “know thyself” has had a variety of meanings attributed to it in literature, and over time, as in early ancient Greek the phrase meant “know thy measure.” In Latin the phrase, “know thyself,” is given as nosce te ipsum or temet nosce.
