Along with success comes a reputation for wisdom.

The words of Euripides — “Along with success comes a reputation for wisdom.” — shine with the sharp light of ancient truth. In them, we see both irony and insight. For he reminds us that men often confuse success with wisdom. When one rises in fortune, conquers in battle, or triumphs in art, the crowd does not merely cheer the deed — they crown the doer with the mantle of intelligence, as though every victory were proof of deep understanding. Yet, as Euripides well knew, the gods often grant success even to the foolish, and failure even to the wise. Thus, the quote is both a celebration of triumph and a warning against illusion.

The ancients themselves bore witness to this. Consider the mighty King Croesus of Lydia. In his wealth and power, he was hailed as the wisest of kings, for men believed that one so prosperous must be guided by divine intellect. Yet when he tested the oracle at Delphi and misread its prophecy, his so-called wisdom crumbled, and he was conquered by Cyrus of Persia. His earlier success had clothed him in a false reputation for wisdom, but fate revealed that victory is not always proof of insight. Euripides’ words, then, are tinged with the tragic awareness that reputation may deceive.

Still, there is another side to this truth. For while success does not guarantee wisdom, it does bring the appearance of it. When a general wins his wars, when a leader enriches his city, when an artist’s work captures the hearts of thousands, men look upon them as sages, seeking counsel as if the power of victory had unlocked secret knowledge. The successful, whether truly wise or not, wield influence because their triumphs speak louder than their words. Thus, Euripides shows us how reputation grows not only from what is known, but from what is achieved.

History gives us yet another example in the figure of Julius Caesar. His rise from general to dictator was marked by dazzling victories. To the Roman people, his success was evidence of a wisdom beyond ordinary men. They called him brilliant strategist, master politician, even divine. Yet his end upon the Senate floor, struck down by knives, revealed that not all his choices were wise. Still, centuries later, his reputation for wisdom endures, inseparable from the grandeur of his success. So it is that triumph may carve an image more enduring than truth itself.

The lesson, therefore, is twofold. First, for those who succeed: guard your heart against pride. Do not mistake the applause of men for the judgment of the gods. Your reputation for wisdom may be but the echo of your fortune, not the substance of your character. Be humble, and seek true understanding, lest success deceive you. Second, for those who behold the successful: judge carefully. Do not assume that every victor is a sage, nor that every failure is a fool. Look beyond the glow of triumph to discern the real measure of a man’s spirit.

Let us then live with balance. Pursue success, yes, but not for the sake of the false reputation it may bring. Pursue wisdom for its own sake, and let your deeds spring from that deep well. If success follows, so be it; if not, you will still possess what cannot be taken from you. Better to be truly wise and overlooked, than celebrated as wise while living in folly. For reputation fades, but wisdom endures beyond time.

Therefore, O listener, walk this path: do not trust the mask of success, but seek the essence of wisdom. Let your victories, when they come, be guided by truth, and let your failures, if they come, be teachers on the road to understanding. For Euripides has shown us that men will grant you a reputation for wisdom if you succeed — but only you can grant yourself the reality of it. And reality is always greater than reputation.