Su un episodio delle biografie soloniane nelle Epistole dei Sapienti

Abstract

This contribution aims to give a general evaluation and interpretation of
the peculiarities observed in the pseudepigraphic letter of Solon to Epimenides (Diog.
Laert. 1. 64-65) and already noted by Cobet, whose conclusions are assessed and revised.
Through the comparison with the numerous witnesses that similarly refer Solon’s
attempt to prevent the tyranny of Pisistratus, it emerges the image of an anonymous
epistolographer who artfully exploits the biographical tradition, interweaving it with
that of the Solonian reforms. Moreover, this sheds light on the corpus of the so-called
letters of the (seven) wise men – preserved in Diogenes Laertius’ Lives –, and, at the
same time, warrantying caution in approaching such texts from the traditional perspective
of source analysis.