Know thyself

The Ancient Greek aphorism "know thyself" or "gnothi seauton" (Greek: γνῶθι σεαυτόν, transliterated: gnōthi seauton; also ... σαυτόν … sauton with the ε contracted), is one of the Delphic maxims and was inscribed in the pronaos (forecourt) of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi according to the Greek writer Pausanias (10.24.1). The aphorism came from Luxor in Ancient Egypt.

In Latin the aphorism is generally given as nosce te ipsum or temet nosce.

The maxim, or aphorism, "know thyself" has had a variety of meanings attributed to it in literature.

The aphorism might have come from Luxor in Ancient Egypt. Pre-Socratics like Thales of Miletus and Pythagoras of Samos are thought by some to have had ancient Egyptian influences, according to Greek folklore and later writers including Aristotle. In any case the saying assumes a distinctive meaning and importance in Greek religion and thought. The Greeks attributed much of their wisdom to Egyptian sources, to the extent that such an attribution is almost conventional, and not necessarily proof of real influence. There are two parts of the ancient Luxor Temple, the External Temple, where the beginners were allowed to enter and the Internal Temple where a person was only allowed to enter after proven worthy and ready to acquire more knowledge and insights. One of the proverbs of the External Temple is "The body is the house of God." That is why it is said: "Man, know thyself". In the Internal Temple, one of the many proverbs is "Man, know thyself, and you are going to know the gods". The ancient Greek aphorism which came from the ancient Egyptian proverb has been attributed to at least the following ancient Greek sages:

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