used in the cure of ulcerations. But incisions and burn- ings they admitted the least of all things. Some diseases also they cured by incantations. Pythagoras, however, thought that music greatly contributed to health, if it was used in a proper manner. The Pytha- goreans likewise employed select sentences of Homer and Hesiod for the amendment of souls. But they thought it was necessary to retain and preserve in the memory things which they had learnt and heard; and that it was requisite to be furnished with disciplines and auditions, to as great an extent as there was an ability of learning and remembering; the former of these being the power by which knowledge is obtained, but the latter, the power by which it is preserved. Hence, they very much honored the memory, abundantly exercised, and paid great attention to it. In learning too, they did not dismiss what they were taught, till they had firmly comprehended the first rudiments of it; and they recalled to their memory what they had daily heard, after the following manner: A Pytha- gorean never rose from his bed till he had first recollected the transactions of the former day; and he accomplished this by endeavouring to remember what he first said, or heard, or ordered his domestics to do when he was rising, or what was the second and third thing which he said, heard, or commanded to be done. And the same method was adopted with respect to the remainder of the day. For again, he endeavoured to recollect who was the first person that he met, on leaving his house, or who was the second; and with whom he in the first, or second, or third place discoursed. And after the same manner he proceeded in other things. For he endeavoured to resume in his memory all the events of the whole day, and in the very same order in which each of them happened to take place. But if they had sufficient leisure after rising from sleep, they tried after the same manner to recollect the events of the third preceding day. And thus they endeavoured
to exercise the memory toa great extent. For there is not any thing which is of greater importance with respect to science, experience and wisdom, than the ability of remembering. From these studies therefore, it happened that all Italy was filled with philosophers, and this place, which before was unknown, was after- wards on account of Pythagoras called Magna Grecia. Hence also it contained many philosophers, poets, and legislators. For the rhetorical arts, demonstrative reasonings, and the laws written by them, were trans- ferred from Italy to Greece. Those likewise who make mention of physics, adduce as the principal physiologists Empedocles and the Elean Parmenides. Those too, who wish to cite sentences, pertaining to the conduct of human life, adduce for this purpose the conceptions of Epicharmus. And nearly all philosophers make use of these. ‘Thus much therefore concerning the wisdom of Pythagoras, how in a certain respect he very much impelled all his auditors to the pursuit of it, as far as they were adapted to its participation, and how per- fectly it was delivered by him.
CHAP. XXX.
WITH respect to justice, however, we shall learn in
the best manner, how he cultivated and delivered it to
mankind, if we survey it from its first principle, and
from what first causes it germinates, and also direct
our attention to the first cause of injustice. For thus
we shall discover how he avoided the latter, and what
methods he adopted in order that the former might be
properly ingenerated in the soul. The principle of
justice therefore, is the common and the equal, through
which, in a way most nearly approximating to one
body and one soul, all men may be co-passive, and
may call the same thing mine and thine; as is also |
go
testified by Plato, who learnt this from the Pytha- goreans. ‘This therefore, Pythagoras effected in the best manner, exterminating every thing private in man- ners, but increasing that which is common as far as to ultimate possessions, which are the causes of sedition and tumult. For all things [with his disciples] were common and the same to all, and no one possessed any thing private. And he indeed, who approved of this communion, used common possessions in the most just manner; but he who did not, received his own pro- perty, which he brought to the common stock, with an addition to it, and departed. And thus he established justice in the best manner, from the first principle of it.
In the next place, therefore, association with men introduces justice; but alienation, and a contempt of the common genus, produce injustice. Wishing there- fore to insert this familiarity from afar in men, he also ordained that his disciples should extend it to animals of the same genus, and commanded them to consider these as their familiars and friends; so as neither to injure, nor slay, nor eat any one of them. He there- fore who associates men with animals, because they consist of the same elements as we do, and participate with us of a more common life, will in a much greater degree establish fellowship with those who partake of a soul of the same species, and also of a rational soul. From this also it is evident that he introduced justice produced from the most proper principle. Since like- wise the want of riches, sometimes compels many to do something contrary to justice, he well foresaw that this would be the case, and through economy procured for himself liberal expenses, and what was just in sufficient abundance. For again, a just arrangement of domestic concerns is the principle of all good order in cities. For cities are constituted from houses. It is said there- fore, that Pythagoras himself was the heir of the pro- perty of Alczeus, who died after performing an embassy to the Lacedemonians, but that notwithstanding this,
gI
he was no less admired for his economy than for his
philosophy. When also he was married, he so educated
the daughter that was born to him, and who was after-
wards married to Meno the Crotonian, that when she
was a virgin she was the leader of choirs, but when
a wife she held the first place among those that ap-
proached to altars. It is- likewise said, that the Meta-
pontines preserving the remembrance of Pythagoras
after his time, made his house a temple of Ceres, but
the street in which he lived a museum.
Because also insolence, luxury, and a contempt of the laws, frequently impel men to injustice, on this account he daily exhorted his disciples to give assistance to law, and to be hostile to illegality. Hence he made such a division as the following: that what is called luxury, is the first evil that usually glides into houses and cities; that the second is insolence; and the third destruction. That hence luxury should by all possible means be excluded and expelled [from every house and city,] and that men should be accustomed from their birth to a temperate and manly life. He farther added, that it is requisite to be purified from all malediction, whether it be that which is lamentable, or that which excites hostility, and whether it be of a reviling, or insolent, or scurrilous nature.
Besides these, likewise, he established another most
beautiful species of justice, viz. the legislative; which
orders indeed what ought to be done; but forbids
what ought not to be done. This species, however,
is more excellent than the judicial form of justice.
For it resembles medicine which heals those that are
diseased. It differs from it however in this, that it
does not suffer disease to commence, but pays attention
from afar to the health of the soul. This therefore
being the case, the best of all legislators came from
the school of Pythagoras: in the first place, indeed,
Charondas the Catanean; and in the next place,
Zaleucus and Timaratus, who wrote laws for the
Locrians. Besides these likewise there were Theetetus
and Helicaon, Aristocrates, and Phytius, who became
the legislators of the Rhegini. All these likewise
obtained from their citizens honors similar to those
of the Gods. For Pythagoras did not act like Hera-
clitus, who said that he would write laws for the
Ephesians, and also petulantly: said, that in those
laws he would order the citizens to hang themselves.
But Pythagoras endeavoured to establish laws, with
great benevolence and political science. Why how-
ever is it requisite to admire these men? For Zam-
olxis being a Thracian, and the slave of Pythagoras,
after he had heard the discourses of Pythagoras,
having obtained his liberty, and returned to the Getz,
gave laws to them, as we have before observed in the
beginning of this work, and exhorted the citizens to
fortitude, having persuaded them that the soul 1s im-
mortal. Hence even at present, all the Galatea, and
Trallians, and many others of the Barbarians, persuade
their children that the soul cannot be destroyed; but
that it remains after death, and that death 1s not to be
feared, but danger 15 to be encountered with a firm and
manly mind. Waving therefore instructed the Gete
in these things, and written laws for them, he was con-
sidered by them as the greatest of the Gods.
Farther still, he apprehended that the dominion of
the Gods was most efficacious to the establishment of
justice, and supernally from this he constituted a polity
and laws, and also justice. It will not however be
foreign to the purpose, to add particularly the manner
in which he thought we ought to conceive of divinity;
viz. that we should conceive that he exists, and that
he is so disposed towards the human race, that he
1] wonder that the learned Obrechtus should translate 78ySdv, cum omni juventute sua. Had his translation, which is on the whole very excellent, been reviewed by English or Scotch critics, they would have immediately said from this circumstance, that he did not under- stand Greek.
inspects and does not neglect it. And this conception which the Pythagoreans derived from Pythagoras, they apprehended to be of great utility. For we require an inspection of this kind, which we do not in any thing think fit to resist. But such as this is the inspective government of divinity. For if a divine nature is a thing of this kind, it deserves to have the empire of the universe. For it was rightly said by the Pytha- goreans, that man is an animal [so far as pertains to his irrational part,] naturally insolent, and various, accord- ing to impulses, desires, and the rest of the passions. He requires therefore a transcendent inspection and government of this kind, from which a certain casti- gation and order may be derived. Hence they thought that every one being conscious of the variety of his nature, should never be forgetful of piety towards, and the worship of divinity; but should always place him before the eye of the mind, as inspecting and diligently observing the conduct of mankind. But after divinity and the demoniacal nature, they thought that every one should pay the greatest attention to his parents and the laws, and should be obedient to them, not feignedly, but faithfully. And universally, they thought it necessary to believe, that nothing is a greater evil than anarchy; since the human race is not naturally adapted to be saved, when no one rules over it.
These men also thought it right to adhere to the
customs and legal institutes of their ancestors, even
though they should be somewhat inferior to other
customs and laws. For to fly from the existing laws,
and to be studious of innovation, is by no means
profitable and salutary. Pythagoras therefore gave
many other specimens of piety to the Gods, evincing
that his life was conformable to his doctrines. Nor
will it be foreign to the purpose to mention one of
them, which may serve to elucidate the rest. But I
will relate what Pythagoras said and did relative to