Anacharsis veio a Atenas, bateu à porta de Solon e disse que era um estranho que havia vindo para fazer laços de amizade e hospitalidade com ele. Na resposta de Solon de que era melhor fazer amizades em casa, "Bem, então", disse Anacharsis, "faças tu, que estás em casa, faças de mim teu amigo e convidado". Então, Solon, admirando a inteligência do homem, o recebeu graciosamente e o manteve com ele algum tempo. Isto foi quando ele já estava envolvido em assuntos públicos e compilando suas leis (nomos). Anacharsis, por conseguinte, ao saber do que Solon tratava, riu dele por pensar que poderia conter a injustiça e a rapacidade dos cidadãos por leis escritas, que eram como teias de aranhas; elas apreenderiam os fracos e delicados que poderiam ser pegos em suas malhas, mas seriam despedaçadas pelos ricos e poderosos. Diz-se que Solon respondeu que os homens mantêm seus acordos uns com os outros quando nenhuma das partes lucra com a quebra deles, e ele estava adaptando suas leis aos cidadãos de maneira a deixar claro para todos que a prática da justiça era mais vantajosa que a transgressão das leis. Mas os resultados justificaram a conjectura de Anacharsis e não as esperanças de Solon. Foi também Anacharsis quem disse que, depois de assistir a uma sessão da assembleia, ficou surpreso ao descobrir que, entre os gregos, os sábios pleiteavam causas, mas os tolos as decidiam.

Anacharsis came to Athens, knocked at Solon's door, and said that he was a stranger who had come to make ties of friendship and hospitality with him. On Solon's replying that it was better to make one's friendships at home, "Well then," said Anacharsis, "do thou, who art at home, make me thy friend and guest." So Solon, admiring the man's ready wit, received him graciously and kept him with him some time. This was when he was already engaged in public affairs and compiling his laws. Anacharsis, accordingly, on learning what Solon was about, laughed at him for thinking that he could check the injustice and rapacity of the citizens by written laws, which were just like spiders' webs ; they would hold the weak and delicate who might be caught in their meshes, but would be torn in pieces by the rich and powerful. To this Solon is said to have answered that men keep their agreements with each other when neither party profits by the breaking of them, and he was adapting his laws to the citizens in such a manner as to make it clear to all that the practice of justice was more advantageous than the transgression of the laws. But the results justified the conjecture of Anacharsis rather than the hopes of Solon. It was Anacharsis, too, who said, after attending a session of the assembly, that he was amazed to find that among the Greeks, the wise men pleaded causes, but the fools decided them.