Know thyself Know thyself The Ancient Greek aphorism "know thyself" (Greek: , transliterated: '; also ' 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 phrase was later expounded upon by the philosopher Socrates who taught that: In Latin the phrase, "know thyself," is 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. According to a proposal by De Lubicz and Lamy (1956),
Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant modification to this quote, "Ave, Caesar, moriturus te saluto!" before collapsing on the floor of the Sheehan speakeasy in which he works. Written with optional macrons: . Classical Latin pronunciation: Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant "Ave, Imperator, morituri te salutant" ("Hail, Emperor, those who are about to die salute you") is a well-known Latin phrase quoted in Suetonius, "De Vita Caesarum" ("The Life of the Caesars", or "The Twelve Caesars"). It was reportedly used during an event in AD 52 on Lake Fucinus by naumachiarii—captives and criminals fated to die fighting during mock naval encounters—in the presence of the emperor