Pythagoras: His Life and Teaching, a Compendium of Classical Sources (29 page)

CHAPTER
4

S
AGACITY
AND
W
ISDOM

T
o Wisdom (the last general head of Education) belong these sentences of Pythagoras.

The strength, wall, and armor of a wise man is wisdom.
⁷³¹

Call to mind that most men acknowledge wisdom to be the greatest good, but few endeavor to possess this greatest good.

The sacrifices of fools are the food of fire; their donations, the subsistence of sacrilegious persons.
⁷³²

A horse is not to be guided without a bridle, nor riches without wisdom.
⁷³³

He conceived the imposition of names on things to be the highest part of wisdom.
⁷³⁴

O
F
P
OLITICS:
T
HE
O
THER
P
ART
OF
P
RACTICAL
P
HILOSOPHY

T
he heads of Politics (according to Iamblichus) are these: common conversation, friendship, worship of the gods, piety to the dead, and lawmaking.
⁷³⁵

They hold Pythagoras to be the inventor of all political discipline. He used to say that amongst beings nothing is pure, but everything partakes of some other—as Earth of Fire, Fire of Water and Air. In like manner, honest partakes of dishonest, just of unjust, and the like. Hence it is that reason is carried away to either side. There are two motions: one of the body, the other of the mind; one irrational, the other elective. Commonwealths he compared to a Right Triangle, wherein one side consists of three parts, the base of five, the other side of the mean between them, of four. In the coincidence of these lines with one another, and their squares, we behold delineated the best form of a commonwealth, and of Justice.

CHAPTER
1

C
OMMON
C
ONVERSATION

T
o common conversation belong these maxims of Pythagoras.

A just stranger is to be preferred, not only before a countryman, but before a kinsman.
⁷³⁶

Esteem as a great part of good education to be able to suffer the want of education in others.
⁷³⁷

Desire that they who converse with you should rather respect than fear you. For admiration accompanies respect; hatred, fear.
⁷³⁸

There being a justice in the mutual conversation of men, one towards another, of this also the Pythagoreans delivered this manner.
⁷³⁹
There is in the common conversation of men one opportune, another importune. They differ in diversity of age, in dignity, in nearness of affinity, beneficence, and if there be anything like these in mutual differences. For there is a kind of conversation which appears to the younger towards the younger not to be importune; but towards the elder, it is importune. For no kind—neither of anger, nor of menacing, or boldness, but all such kind of importunity ought diligently to be avoided by the younger toward the elder. In like manner is the reason of dignity; for coming to a person endowed with true worth and virtue, it is neither decent nor opportune to speak much, or to commit any of the aforementioned things. Like these also are those which concern such as have obliged and deserved well of others.

There is a various and multiple use of opportunity. For of those that are angry and incensed, some do it opportunely, others importunely. And again, of those who covet, and desire, and have appetite, it may be opportune for some to pursue those things, not for others. The same reason there is of other affections, actions, dispositions, conversations, intercessions, and discourses. But opportunity is of such a nature that it is capable of being taught, and undeceivable,
and capable of act, and generally and simply having nothing of all those in it. But the consequences are of such a kind that they together—decent, and convenient, and the like—attend the nature of opportunity.

They held that there is a primacy in everything, and that everywhere there is one thing which is best. In science, in experience, in generation, likewise in a family, a city, an army, and in all such like constitutions: but it is difficult to discern and understand the nature of the primacy in all the aforesaid things. For in sciences, it is the part of more than ordinary intelligence, by clear intuition, to discern and judge the parts of the thing which is the primacy of them. But there is a great difference, and almost of the whole and general a hazard, in not rightly taking the primacy. For in a word, nothing can afterwards be right if the true primacy be not known. The same manner and reason is in other kinds of primacy. For neither can a family be well governed where there is not a true master and voluntary government; for it is requisite that both these be voluntary in the prefecture, as well he who is chief as those who are subject to him. As learning is then right when there is such conformity between the masters and the scholars that they will teach, these will learn; for if either he refractory, it cannot be rightly performed. In this manner he conceived it to be fit for inferiors to obey superiors, disciples their masters.

CHAPTER
2

F
RIENDSHIP

P
ythagoras evidently demonstrated that there is a friendship of all unto all: of gods towards men by piety and religious worship; of doctrines to one another; of the soul to the body; of the rational part to the irrational by philosophy and its theory; of men towards one another; between countrymen by right observation of laws; between strangers by right physiology; of a man to his wife, or children, or brethren, and servants, by unperverted communion.
⁷⁴⁰
In a word, of all towards all. Moreover of some irrational creatures by justice and natural affinity and communion; of the body, in itself mortal, a conciliation and combination of the contrary faculties, by health and wholesome diet, and temperance, in imitation of the good composure in the elements. In all these, of one and the same, according to comprehension of the name friendship, Pythagoras is acknowledged to be the inventer and lawgiver. And so admirable a friendship did he deliver to those who enquired of him, that unto this day (says Iamblichus), we say of those who are intimately joined together by friendship, they are of the Pythagoreans.

We must add the Institution of Pythagoras herein, and the exhortations he used to his Disciples. They were advised to take away all contention and love of controversy out of true friendship; if possible out of all. But if that be not possible, at least out of that which is our own country, and generally that towards elders. Likewise out of that towards benefactors; for to become antagonists or contest with such when we are fallen into anger, or some other passion, is not consistent with the preservation of the amity we have with them. They said that in friendship there ought to be least scratches and cuts; and, if any happen, we should slay and subdue anger. It were best that both should do so, but chiefly the younger, and that those exercises which they called
[“admonitions”],† ought to be made from the elder towards the younger with much commendation and benevolence. That there appear much care and tenderness in those who give the correction; for by this means, the correction shall be profitable. That we do not destroy friendship, neither in jest nor
in earnest; for it is not easy to heal the friendship between men, if once a falsehood has incurred into the manners of those who call themselves friends.

That we must not renounce friendship for adversity, or any other impotence which happens in life. That renunciation of friendship only is commendable which is made by reason of some great wickedness, and misdemeanor. But that we must not take away our friendship from them unless they become absolutely wicked. And before we renounce a friend, we must ingeniously pause to see if by challenging him he may be diverted from this ill habit and become rectified. We must fight, not in words, but actions; the fight is lawful and pious. Though difference of power be not a just ground for one man to fight with another, yet this is a just ground, even the most just that is possible.

They said that to a friendship that will prove true, are required many definitions and rules; these must be well discerned, and not confused. Moreover, it ought to be accommodated to the disposition of others that no conversation be made negligently and vainly, but with respect and right order. Neither that any passion be excited vainly and wickedly and sinfully, such as concupiscence or anger. The same of the other passions and habits.

Much more admirable are those things which they defined concerning the community of the divine good, and those concerning the unanimity of the mind, and those concerning the Divine Mind. For they mutually exhorted one another, that they should not tear asunder the god which is in them. Thus their study of friendship by words and actions had reference to some divine temperament, and to union with God, and to unity with the mind, and the divine soul. Thus Iamblichus.

He conceived the extremity (or end) of friendship, to be the making one of two. Man ought to be one.
⁷⁴¹
This sentence (says Clemens) is mystic.
⁷⁴²
He first said,
[“friends share in common”], and
[“friendship is equality”].†
⁷⁴³

CHAPTER
3

W
ORSHIP
OF
THE
G
ODS

T
he principles of worshipping the gods proposed by Pythagoras and his followers, are these.
⁷⁴⁴

That all which they determine to be done, aim and tend to the acknowledgment of the deity. This is the principle, and the whole life of man consists in this: that he follow God. This is the ground of philosophy. For men do ridiculously who seek that which is good anywhere else than from the gods. They do as if a man in a country, governed by a king, should apply his service to some citizen of inferior magistry and neglect the supreme governor. In the same manner conceive they that such men do; for since there is a God, we must confess that good is in his power. Now all, to those whom they love and delight in, give good things; and to the contrary to these, their contraries. Therefore it is manifest, that such things are to be done in which God delights.

Thus he defined particularly of all things. To believe of the divinity that it is; and that it is in such manner as to mankind; that it overlooks them not and neglects them not—such beliefs the Pythagoreans, taught by him, conceived to be profitable. For we have need of such a government, as we ought not in anything to contradict; such is that which proceeds from the divinity. For the divinity is such that it merits the dominion of all. Man they affirmed to be, rightly speaking, a creature reproachful and fickle as to his appetites, affections, and other passions. He therefore has need of such government and guidance, from which proceeds moderation and order. Now they conceived that everyone, being conscious of the fickleness of his own nature, should never be forgetful of sanctity and service towards the Divinity, but always have the Divinity in their mind; how it overlooks and observes human life.

In fine, they say that Pythagoras was an imitator of the Orphean constitutions—worshipping the gods after the manner of Orpheus, placed in brazen images, not representing the forms of men but of the gods themselves, who comprehending and foreseeing all things, resemble in nature and form the whole. He declared their purifications
and rites, which are called
[“Rites of Fulfillment”],† having the most exact knowledge of them.

Moreover they affirm, he made a composition of the divine philosophy and service: part whereof he had learned from the Orpheans; part from the Egyptian priests; some from the Chaldeans and Magi; some from the Eleusinian Rites; and those in Imber, and Samothracia, and Delos, and the Celtae, and Iberians.

Amongst the Latins also is read the sacred discourse of Pythagoras. Not to all, but to such as are admitted to the doctrine of excellent things, and are not addicted to ought that is dishonest.

It prescribes that men offer libation thrice; and Apollo gives oracles from a tripod, because number first consists in a triad.

That we must sacrifice to Venus on the sixth day, because that is the first common number of the number of universal nature. Now after all ways, the thing divided in like manner assumes as well the power of those things which are taken away as of those which are left.

That to Hercules we ought to sacrifice on the eighth day of the month, in respect of his being born at the end of seven months.

It says also, that we ought to enter into a temple having a pure garment, and in which none has slept the sleep of slothfulness; black and russet, testifying purity in ratiocinations of equality and justice.

It commanded, that if blood be shed unwillingly in a temple, that it be either taken up in a dish or scattered into the sea; for that is the first element, and most estimable of all creatures.

It says likewise, that a woman ought not to be brought to bed in a temple, for it is religious; that the divinity of the soul should be annexed to the body in a temple.

It commanded that upon holy days we cut not our hair, nor pare our nails; intimating that the increase of our goods ought not to be preferred before the empire of the gods.

That we must not kill a flea in the temple, because to the deity we ought not to offer any superfluous things, or vermin. But that the gods are to be worshipped with cedar, laurel, cypress, and myrtle, etc.

He said piety and religion are chiefly conversant in our minds, at such time as we attend the divine rites.
⁷⁴⁵

He taught that the gods and heroes are not to be worshipped with equal honors.
⁷⁴⁶
But that the gods must always be worshipped with applause (or silence at the celebration of their rites), we being white and pure. Heroes are to be worshipped only from noon. He advised that such as sacrifice should present themselves to the gods, not in rich, but in white and clean garments; and that not only the body be clear from all blemish, but that they bring also a pure mind.
⁷⁴⁷
Purity is acquired by expiations, and bathings, and sprinklings; and by refraining from murder, and adultery, and all pollution; and by abstaining from the flesh of things that die of themselves, and from mullets, and
melanures
, and sheep, and oviparous creatures, and beans, and all other things which are commanded by those who have the care of sacred rites.

He permitted not that any man should pray for himself, because none knows what is good for himself.
⁷⁴⁸

An Oath is just, and therefore Jupiter is surnamed''
[“of oaths”]†.
⁷⁴⁹
He commanded his disciples to be very backward and cautious in taking an Oath; but that when they have taken it, they should be very forward and diligent to keep it.
⁷⁵⁰