Leaving his fellow citizens the world’s first set of laws of democracy, the sage Solon set off on a journey. He was in Egypt, then arrived in Lydia, where he was received by King Croesus. You’ve probably heard: «Rich as Croesus!» — it’s about him. King Croesus received Solon, they talked about what happiness is, and it was this conversation that years later saved King Croesus’ life.
The fact is that later the troops of Cyrus, the creator of the great Persian state, invaded his kingdom. Cyrus captured the capital of Lydia, Sardis, captured Croesus and sentenced him to be burned at the stake. And then — the most interesting thing: Cyrus came to see how Croesus was burned, and heard how, from the flame of a flaring fire, he called out to the sage: “Oh Solon, how right you were!” Hearing this, Cyrus became interested in why, before his death, Croesus commemorates Solon, especially since he also heard this name, ordered the fire to be scattered and began to ask the unburned Croesus — “What’s the matter?” And Croesus told … (further in the presentation of Plutarch).
When meeting with Croesus, Solon was indifferent to the countless treasures that he showed him in his pantries. He said: «In Greece, greatness lies elsewhere.»
Croesus asked Solon: «Which of the people do you consider the happiest?» He hoped that he would name him, and Solon said: «I consider the Athenian Tellus the happiest.» Imagine what the ruler of Lydia must have thought after that? Who is this, the Athenian Tell? What feats did he accomplish that made him famous? Solon continued: “He was a man who lived in his native city during the heyday of this city, ate the fruits of his own hands, was happy in his family, and died fighting for his homeland.”
«Well, what about after him?» the king asked again. “After him,” said Solon, “the sons of the priestess of Hera in the city of Argos.” “What are these? Did you also fight for your homeland? “No,” he says, “it’s a different story.” And he slowly told how on the day of the solemn sacrifice the bulls, which were supposed to carry the chariot with gifts, did not come from the pasture. To save their city and their mother-priestess from the wrath of the goddess Hera, her two sons, instead of bulls, harnessed themselves to the heaviest chariot. They dragged the chariot to the temple, and Hera received her gifts. Citizens rejoiced and carried two athletes in their arms, and the mother fell on her knees in front of the altar of the goddess and asked: «Goddess, reward my sons.» The capricious and strict goddess Hera rewarded them: the next morning, the children of the priestess did not wake up. They died in their sleep, at the happiest moment of their lives.
Here the nerves of King Croesus could not stand it, he directly asked: “And me, do you consider me happy?” Evasively and very politely, Solon replied: “The gods did not let us know the boundaries of our life, declaring a happy person who is still living is the same as declaring a warrior who is still fighting a winner.” And he left with that.
Having told this amazing story, Croesus advised Cyrus to stop his soldiers who were robbing Sardis. He said: «If you have won, and your soldiers are robbing Sardis, then they are robbing your property!» And he added: “You won, and the war should end. After all, there is no such unreasonable person who prefers war to peace. In peacetime, sons bury their fathers, but in wartime, fathers bury their sons.” Cyrus not only pardoned Croesus, but seated him next to him and made him his adviser.
Amazing story. And what is important for us in it is that for the ancient Greeks, happiness was not in the possession of treasures, not in enjoyment and not in vivid experiences, but in respect for their fellow citizens, fulfilling their human duty and valiant service to their fatherland. And they judged happiness not by fluid experiences in the process of life, but by summing up the results of life as a whole. Perhaps it was no coincidence that they became the founders of the entire European civilization?
And what is the greatest happiness for you?