17th century illustration of Chilon (fl. 6th century BCE), Spartan philosopher and one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Chilon was one of the elected governors, or ephors, of Sparta who advised the king. As a thinker he wrote many elegaic poems that contained sayings and aphosrism we still use today, such as Do not speak ill of the dead and Do not laugh at a person in misfortune . As a statesman he is credited with the militarisation of Sparta and thus its strength and influence in later centuries. Below the image, is a seven line latin poem by Roman poet Ausonius. Print by Dutch artist Jacob de Gheyn III in 1616.