Life of Pythagoras — Iamblichus, trans. Thomas Taylor (1818)

Pythagoras said, it is requisite to choose the most excellent life; for custom will make it pleasant. Wealth is an infirm anchor, glory is still more infirm; and ina similar manner the body, dominion, and honor. For all these are imbecile and powerless. What then are powerful anchors? Prudence, magnanimity, fortitude. These no tempest can shake. This is the law of God, that virtue is the only thing that is strong; and that every thing else is a trifle.

Al the parts of human life, in the same manner as those of a statue, ought to be beautiful.

A statue indeed standing on its basis, but a worthy man on the subject of his deliberate choice, ought to be immovable.

1 The above sentences are from Stobzi Sententiz, p. 3. (the edition that of 1609,) and are ascribed to Pythagoras. 186

p. 187

Frankincense ought to be given to the Gods, but praise to good men.

It is requisite to defend those who are unjustly accused of having acted injuriously, but to praise those who excel in a certain good.

Neither will the horse be judged to be generous, that is sumptuously adorned, but the horse whose nature is illustrious; nor is the man worthy who possesses great wealth, but he whose soul is generous.

When the wise man opens his mouth, the beauties of his soul present themselves to the view, like the statues in a temple.!

Remind yourself that all men assert that wisdom is the greatest good, but that there are few who strenuously endeavour to obtain this greatest good.? Pythagoras.

Be sober, and remember to be disposed to believe; for these are the nerves of wisdom. Epicharmus.

It is better to live lying on the grass, confiding in divinity and yourself, than to lie on a golden bed with perturbation.

You will not be in want of any thing, which it is in the power of Fortune to give and take away.?

Despise all those things, which when liberated from the body you will not want; and exercising yourself in those things of which when liberated from the body you will be in want, invoke the Gods to become your helpers.*

Neither is it possible to conceal fire in a garment, nor a base deviation from rectitude in time.

1 The above seven sentences are to be found in p. 4. of Stobzus, and as it appears to me are erroneously ascribed to Socrates. For I conceive them to have been written either by Democrates or Demophilus.

2 Stob. p. 48.

3 Hence the dogma of the Stoics derived its origin, that the wise man is independent of Fortune.

4 Stob. p. 65. These three sentences are ascribed to Pythagoras,

p. 188

Wind indeed increases fire, but custom love.

Those alone are dear to divinity, who are hostile to injustice.”

Those things which the body necessarily requires, are easily to be procured by all men, without labor and molestation; but those things to the attainment of which labor and molestation ate requisite, are objects of desire, not to the body, but to depraved opinion. Aristoxenus Pythag. Stob. p. 132.

Of desire also, he [i.e. Pythagoras] said as follows: This passion is various, laborious, and very multiform. Of desires however, some are acquired and adventitious, but others are connascent. But he defined desire itself to be a certain tendency and impulse of the soul, and an appetite of a plenitude or presence of sense, or of an emptiness and absence of it, and of nonperception. He also said, that there are three most known species of erroneous and depraved desire, viz. the indecorous, the incommensurate, and the unseasonable. For desire is either immediately indecorous, troublesome, and illiberal; or it is not absolutely so, but is more vehement and lasting than is fit. Orin the third place, it is impelled when it is not proper, and to objects to which it ought not to tend. Ex Aristoxeni Pythag. Sententiis. Stob. p. 132.

Endeavour not to conceal your errors by words, but to remedy them by reproofs. Pythagoras. Stob. p. 146.

It is not so difficult to err, as not to reprove him who errs. Pythagoras. Stob. p. 147.

As a bodily disease cannot be healed, if it is concealed, or praised; thus also, neither can a remedy be applied to a diseased soul, which is badly guarded and protected. Pythagoras. Stob. p. 147.

1Stob. p. 80. These two sentences are ascribed to Socrates, but I have no doubt originally formed a part of the sentences of Demophilus.

2 Stob. p. 104. This sentence is ascribed to Democritus in Stobzus, but has doubtless either Democrates or Demophilus for its author.

p. 189

The grace of freedom of speech, like beauty in season, is productive of greater delight.

It is not proper either to have a blunt sword, or to use freedom of speech ineffectually.

Neither is the sun to be taken from the world, nor freedom of speech from erudition.