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

And nought can frustrate his almighty power.

But they thought that their opinions deserved to be
believed, because he who first promulgated them, was
not any casual person, but a God. For this was one
of their questions: What was Pythagoras? For they
say that he was the Hyperborean Apollo; of which
this was an indication, that rising up in the Olympic
games, he showed his golden thigh; and also that he
received the Hyperborean Abaris as his guest, and was
presented by him with the dart on which he rode
through the air. But it is said that Abaris came from
the Hyperborean regions, in order that he might collect
gold for the temple, and that he predicted a pestilence.
He also dwelt in temples, and was never seen either to
eat or drink. It is likewise said, that rites which purify
from evil are performed by the Lacedemonians, and
that on this account Lacedemon was never infested
with pestilence. Pythagoras, therefore, caused this
Abaris to acknowledge [that he was more than man, ]
receiving from him at the same time the golden dart,
without which it was not possible for him to find his
way. In Metapontum also, certain persons praying
that they might obtain what a ship contained that was
then sailing into port, Pythagoras said to them, You
will then have a dead body. In Sybaris, too, he caught
a deadly serpent and dismissed it. In a similar manner
likewise in T'yrrhenia, he caught a small serpent, whose
bite was fatal. But in Crotona a white eagle, it is
said, suffered Pythagoras to stroke it. A certain person
also wishing to hear him discourse, he said that he
could not, till some sign appeared. And after this a
white bear was seen in Cauconia; the death of which
he predicted to one who was about to tell him that
it was dead. He likewise reminded Myllias the Cro-

tonian that he had been Midas the son of Gordius.
And Myllias passed over to the continent of Asia, in
order to perform at the sepulchre [of Midas] those rites
which had been enjoined him by Pythagoras. It is
likewise said, that the person who bought his house,
and who dug up that which had been buried in it,
did not dare to tell any one what he saw [on this
occasion]. But instead of suffering for this offence, he
was seized at Crotona for sacrilege, and put to death.
For he took away a golden beard which had fallen from
a statue. These things therefore, and others of the
like kind, are related by the Pythagoreans, in order to
render their opinions worthy of belief. And as these
are acknowledged to be true, and it is impossible they
should have happened to one man, they consequently
think it is clear, that what is related of Pythagoras,
should be received as pertaining to a being superior
toman, and not toamereman. ‘This also is the mean-
ing of their enigmatical assertion, that man, bird, and
another third thing, are bipeds. For the third thing is
Pythagoras. Such, therefore, was Pythagoras on ac-
count of his piety, and such he was truly thought
to be.

With respect to oaths, however, all the Pythagoreans
religiously observe them, being mindful of the Pytha-
goric precept,

First to th’ immortal Gods thy homage pay, As they by law are orderly dispos’d;

And reverence thy oath, but honor next

Th’ illustrious heroes.

Hence a certain Pythagorean, being compelled by law
to take an oath, yet in order that he might preserve
a Pythagoric dogma, though he would have sworn
religiously, chose instead of swearing to pay three
talents, this being the fine which he was condemned
to pay to the defendant. That'Pythagoras however
thought that nothing was from chance and fortune,

but that all events happened conformably to divine providence, and especially to good and pious men, is confirmed by what is related by Androcydes in his treatise on Pythagoric Symbols, of Thymaridas the Tarentine, and a Pythagorean. For when through a certain circumstance he was about to sail from his own country, and his friends who were present were em- bracing him, and bidding him farewell, some one said to him, when he had now ascended into the ship, May such things happen to you from the Gods, O Thy- maridas, as are conformable to your wishes! But he replied, predict better things; -for I should rather wish that such things may happen to me as are conformable to the will of the Gods. For he thought it was more scientific and equitable, not to resist or be indignant with divine providence. If, therefore, any one wishes to learn what were the sources whence these men derived so much piety, it must be said, that a perspicuous para- digm of the Pythagoric theology according to numbers, is in a certain respect to be found in the writings of Orpheus. Nor is it to be doubted, that Pythagoras receiving auxiliaries from Orpheus, composed his treatise Concerning the Gods, which on this account also he inscribed the Sacred Discourse, because it con- tains the flower of the most mystical place in Orpheus ; whether this work was in reality written by Pythagoras, as by most authors it is said to have been, or as some of the Pythagoric school who are both learned and worthy of belief assert, was composed by Telauges; being taken by him from the commentaries which were left by Pythagoras himself to his daughter Damo, the sister of Telauges, and which it.is said after her death were given to Bitale the daughter of Damo, and to Telauges the son of Pythagoras, and the husband of Bitale, when he was of a mature age. For when Pythagoras died, he was left very young with his mother Theano. In this Sacred Discourse also, or treatise concerning the Gods (for it has both these inscriptions), who it was

that delivered to Pythagoras what is there said con-
cerning the Gods, is rendered manifest. For it says:
“that Pythagoras the son of Mnesarchus was instructed
in what pertains to the Gods, when he celebrated orgtes
in the Thracian Libethra, being initiated in them by
Aglaophemus; and that Orpheus the son of Calliope,
having learnt wisdom from his mother 1n the mountain
Pangeus, said, that the eternal essence of number is
the most providential principle of the universe, of heaven
and earth, and the intermediate nature; and farther
still, that it 1s the root of the permanency of divine
natures, of Gods and demons.” 1 From these things,
therefore, it is evident that he learnt from the Orphic
writers that the essence of the Gods is defined by

1 « The Pythagoreans,” (says Syrianus in Aristot. Metaphys. lib. 13.) “ received from the theology of Orpheus, the principles of intelligible and intellectual numbers, they assigned them an abundant progression, and extended their dominion as far as to sensibles themselves. Hence that proverb was peculiar to the Pythagoreans, that all things are assimilated to number. Pythagoras, therefore, in THE Sacrep Dis- course, clearly says, that “number is the ruler of forms and ideas, and is the cause of Gods and demons.” He also supposes, that “ to the most ancient and artificially ruling deity, number is the canon, the artificial reason, the intellect also, and the most undeviating balance of the composition and generation of all things.” airés pev LliPtydpas, ev rd iépm Aoyy, Stappydyy popdwv xai Wewy xpdyropa rév dpOpov edeyer eat, Kai Odwy Kai Saipovwv airiov’ Kai ro mpéc- Bvrarw kai xpariorevovre réexvity Géw Kavova, Kai oyov TexviKdy, vouv te xai otaOpdv axNivécraray tov apiOuov trexe cvaordaros nai yevéoews tiv wdvrwv. Syrianus adds, “ But Philolaus declared that number is the governing and self-begotten bond of the eternal permanency of mundane natures.” didddavs be, ris TOv KoopeKdv dusvias Stapdvys THY Kpaticrevovcay Kal atroyevy ovoxyy éwat dredyvaro rév dpOpsy. “And Hippasus, and all those who were destined to a quinquennial silence, called number the judicial instru- ment of the maker of the universe, and the first paradigm of mundane fabrication.” dé: Se wépe ‘Immacov dxovopatixot étrov Kpitixdy xoo- poupyov Béov dpyévor, xai wapdderypa mpwrdv xooporoiias. “ But. how is it possible they could have spoken thus sublimely of number, unless they had considered it as possessing an essence separate from sensibles, and a transcendency fabricative, and at the same time paradigmatic ? ”

number. Through the same numbers also, he produced an admirable fore-knowledge and worship of the Gods, both which are especially most allied to numbers. ‘This, however, may be known from hence; for it is necessary to adduce a certain fact, in order to procure belief of what is said. When Abaris performed sacred rites in his accustomed manner, he procured a fore-knowledge of future events, which is studiously cultivated by all the Barbarians, through sacrificing animals, and especi- ally birds; for they are of opinion that the viscera of such animals are subservient to a more accurate in- spection. Pythagoras, therefore, not wishing to sup- press his ardent pursuit of truth, but to impart it to him through a certain safer way, and without blood and slaughter, and also because he thought that a cock was sacred to the sun, furnished him with a consummate knowledge of all truth, as tt 1s satd, through the arith- metical science. He also obtained from piety, faith con- cerning the Gods. For Pythagoras always proclaimed, that nothing admirable pertaining to the Gods or divine dogmas should be disbelieved, because the Gods are able to accomplish all things. And the divine dogmas in which it is requisite to believe, are those which Pythagoras delivered. Thus, therefore, the Pythagoreans believed in, and assumed the things about which they dogmatized, because they were not the progeny of false opinion. Hence Eurytus the Crotonian, the auditor of Philolaus said, that a shep- herd feeding his sheep near the tomb of Philolaus, heard some one singing. But the person to whom this was related, did not at all disbelieve the narration, but asked what kind of harmony it was. Pythagoras himself, also, being asked by a certain person what was indicated by seeming in sleep to converse with his father who was dead. answered that it indicated nothing. For neither, said he, is any thing portended by your speaking with me.

Pythagoras likewise used pure and white garments,

and in a similar manner white and pure coverlids; for he did not use those that were made of wool. And this custom he also delivered to his auditors. In speak- ing also of the natures superior to man, he employed honorable appellations, and words of good omen, and upon every occasion made mention of and reverenced the Gods; so that while at supper, he performed libations to the divinities, and ordered his disciples to celebrate with hymns the beings that are above us, every day. He paid attention likewise to rumors and omens, prophecies, and lots, and in short, to all casual circumstances. Moreover, he sacrificed to the Gods with millet, cakes, honey-combs, and other fumigations. But he did not sacrifice animals, nor did any one of the contemplative philosophers. His other disciples, how- ever, viz. the acusmatici, and the politici, were ordered by him to sacrifice animals, such as a cock, or a lamb, or some other animal recently born, but not frequently. At the same time they were prohibited from sacrificing oxen. This also is an indication of the honor which he paid to the Gods, that he exhorted his disciples never to employ the names of the Gods uselessly in swearing. On which account also Syllus, one of the Pythagoreans in Crotona, paid a fine for not swearing, though he could have sworn without violating truth. An oath too such as the following is ascribed to the Pythagoreans, as they were unwilling, through rever- ence, to name Pythagoras; just as they very much abstained from using the names of the Gods. But they manifested the man through the invention of the tetractys.

I swear by him who the tetractys found,
Whence all our wisdom springs, and which contains
Perennial Nature’s fountain, cause, and root.

And, in short, it is said that Pythagoras was emulous
of the Orphic mode of writing and [piety of] disposi-
tion; and that he honored the Gods in a way similar

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to that of Orpheus, placing them in images and in
brass, not conjoined to our forms, but to divine
receptacles; 1 because they comprehend and provide
for all things, and have a nature and morphe similar
to the universe. He also promulgated purifications,
and initiations as they are called, which contain the
most accurate knowledge of the Gods. And farther
still, it is said, that he was the author of a compound
divine philosophy and worship of the Gods; having
learnt indeed some things from the followers of
Orpheus, but others from the Egyptian priests; some
from the Chaldzans and Magi; some from the mysteries
performed in Eleusis, in Imbrus, Samothracia, and
Delos; and some also from those which are performed
by the Celta, and in Iberia. It is also said that the
Sacred Discourse of Pythagoras is extant among the
Latins, and is read not to all, nor by all of them, but
by those who are promptly disposed to learn what is
excellent, and apply themselves to nothing base. He
likewise ordained that men should make libations thrice,
and observed that Apollo delivered oracles from the
tripod, because the triad is the first number. That
sacrifices also should be made to Venus on the sixth
day, because this number is the first that partakes of
every number, and, when divided in every possible
way, receives the power of the numbers subtracted and
of those that remain. But that it is necessary to sacrifice