What does it mean?
Avoiding excess and keeping a sense of measure are seen as wise choices.
Closest English saying: Moderation in all things.
What does it literally say?
Μέτρον άριστον
Métron áriston
“Measure is best.”
An ancient Greek maxim traditionally associated with Cleobulus of Lindos. An ancient attribution does not mean we know every stage of its transmission. A common variant is «Παν μέτρον άριστον» (Pan métron áriston), “Measure in everything is best”.
How is it used?
“Work steadily, but rest as well. Measure is best.”
Other ways Greeks say it
- Παν μέτρον άριστον.
Where does it come from?
Ancient Greek gnomic tradition. eipane avoids firm personal attributions without primary documentation.
This is an English edition of the Greek entry, which remains the reference version. The English text was written from the Greek entry with the help of AI tools and checked against it. Suggest a correction ↗