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

of any one of the Pythagoreans, though he did every thing to accomplish his purpose; for they had ob- served, and carefully avoided his monarchical dis- position. He sent therefore to the Pythagoreans, a troop of thirty soldiers, under the command of Eury- menes the Syracusan, who was the brother of Dion, in order that by treachery their accustomed migration from Tarentum to Metapontum, might be oppor- tunately effected for his purpose. For it was usual with them to change their abode at different seasons of the year, and they chose such places as were adapted to this migration. In Phale therefore, a craggy part of Tarentum, through which the Pythagoreans must necessarily pass in their journey, Eurymenes insidi- ously concealed his troop, and when the Pythagoreans, expecting no such thing, came to that place about the middle of the day, the soldiers rushed upon them with shouts, after the manner of robbers. But the Pytha- goreans being disturbed and terrified at an attack so unexpected, and at the superior number of their enemies (for the whole number of the Pythagoreans was but ten), and considering also that they must be taken captive, as they were without arms, and had to contend with men who were variously armed,—they found that their only safety was in flight, and they did not conceive that this was foreign to virtue. For they knew that fortitude, according to the decision of right reason, is the science of things which are to be avoided and endured. And this they now obtained. For those who were with Eurymenes, being heavy- armed, would have abandoned the pursuit of the Pythagoreans, if the latter in their flight had not arrived at a certain field sown with beans, and which were in a sufficiently flourishing condition. Not being willing therefore to violate the dogma which ordered them not to touch beans, they stood still, and from necessity attacked their pursuers with stones and sticks, and what- ever else they happened to meet with, till they had

Ioi

slain some, and wounded many of them. All the
Pythagoreans however, were at length slain by the
spearmen, nor would any one of them suffer himself
to be taken captive, but preferred death to this, con-
formably to the mandates of their sect.

Eurymenes therefore, and his soldiers, were beyond measure disturbed on finding that they should not be able to bring one of the Pythagoreans alive to Diony- sius, though they were sent by him for this purpose alone. Hence, having piled earth on the slain, and buried them in that place in a common sepulchre, they turned their steps homeward. As they were returning, however, they happened to meet with Myllias the Crotonian, and his wife Timycha the Lacedemonian, whom the other Pythagoreans had left behind, because Timycha being pregnant, was now in her sixth! month, and on this account walked leisurely. ‘These therefore, the soldiers gladly made captive, and led them to the tyrant, paying every attention to them, in order that they might be brought to him safe. But the tyrant having learnt what had happened, was greatly dejected, and said to the two Pythagoreans, You shall obtain from me honors transcending all others in dignity, if you will consent to reign in conjunction with me. All his offers however being rejected by Myllias and Timycha; If then, said he, you will only teach me one thing, I will dismiss you with a sufficiently safe guard. Myllias therefore asking him what it was he wished to learn; Dionysius replied, It is this, why your companions chose rather to die, than to tread on beans? But Myllias immediately answered, My companions indeed submitted to death, in order that they might not tread upon beans, but I would rather tread on them, than tell you the cause of this. Dionysius therefore, being

1In the original Séxarov the tenth month; but as it very seldom happens that a woman is in a state of pregnancy more than nine months, it appears to me that for déxarov we should read éxrov the sixth month, as in the above translation.

astonished at this answer, ordered him to be forcibly
taken away, but commanded Timycha to be tortured:
for he thought, that as she was a woman, pregnant,
and deprived of her husband, she would easily tell
him what he wanted to know, through fear of the
torments. The heroic woman, however, grinding her
tongue with her teeth, bit it off, and spit it at the
tyrant; evincing by this, that though her sex being
vanquished by the torments might be compelled to
disclose something which ought to be concealed in
silence, yet the member subservient to the develop-
ment of it, should be entirely cut off. So much aifh
culty did they make in admitting foreign friendships,
even though they should happen to be royal.

Similar to these also, were the precepts concerning
silence, and which tended to the exercise of temper-
ance. For the subjugation of the tongue, is of all
other continence the most difficult. The persuading
likewise the Crotonians to abstain from the profane
and spurious association with harlots, pertains to the
same virtue. And besides this, the correction through
music, by means of which Pythagoras restored a young
man to temperance, who had become furious through
love. The exhortation also, which leads from las-
civious insolence, must be referred to the same virtue.
And these things Pythagoras delivered to the Pytha-
goreans, he himself being the cause of them. For
they so attended to their bodies, that they might always
remain in the same condition, and not at one time be
lean, but at another, abounding in flesh. For they
considered this to be an indication of an anomalous
life. In a similar manner also with respect to the
mind, they were careful that they might not be at one
time cheerful, and at another sad, but that they might
be mildly joyful with uniformity. But they expelled
rage, despondency, and perturbation. And it was a
precept with them, that no human casualties ought to be
unexpected by those who are endued with intellect, but

that they should expect every thing may happen which it
is not in their power to prevent. But if at any time they
were in a rage, or oppressed with sorrow, or any thing
else of this kind, they separated themselves from the
rest of their associates, and each by himself alone,
endeavoured to digest and heal the passion.

This also is said of the Pythagoreans, that no one
of them when angry, either punished a servant, or
admonished any free man, but each of them waited
till his mind was restored to its former [tranquil]
condition. But they called to admonish, pedartan.
For they accomplished this waiting by employing
silence and quiet. Hence Spintharus relates of Archy-
tas the Tarentine, that returning after a certain time
from the war which the city of Tarentum waged
against the Messenians, to inspect some land which
belonged to him, and finding that the bailiff and the
other servants, had not paid proper attention to the
cultivation of it, but had greatly neglected it, being
enraged, he was so indignant, that he told his servants
it was well for them he was angry; since, if this had
not happened, they would not have escaped the punish-
ment due to so great an offence. Spintharus likewise
says that a similar thing is related of Clinias. For he
also deferred all admonitions and punishments, till his
mind was restored to tranquillity.

It is farther related of the Pythagoreans, that they
expelled from themselves lamentation, weeping, and
every thing else of this kind; and that neither gain,
nor desire, nor anger, nor ambition, nor any thing of
a similar nature, became the cause of dissention among
them; but that all the Pythagoreans were so disposed
towards each other, as a worthy father is towards his
offspring. ‘This also is a beautiful circumstance, that
they referred every thing to Pythagoras, and called it
by his name, and that they did not ascribe to themselves
the glory of their own inventions, except very rarely.
For there are very few whose works are acknowledged

to be their own. The accuracy too, with which they
preserved their writings is admirable. For in so many
ages, no one appears to have met with any of the
commentaries of the Pythagoreans, prior to the time
of Philolaus. But he first published those three cele-
brated books, which Dion the Syracusan is said to have
bought, at the request of Plato, for a hundred mina.
For Philolaus had fallen into a certain great and severe
poverty; and from his alliance to the Pythagoreans,
was a partaker of their writings.

With respect also to opinion,! it is related that they spoke of it as follows: That it is the province of a stupid man to pay attention to the opinion of every one, and especially to that of the multitude. For it belongs to a few only to apprehend and opine rightly; since it is evident that this pertains to the intelligent alone. But they are few. It is manifest therefore, that a power of this kind does not extend itself to the multitude. But it is also stupid to despise the opinion of every one. For it will happen that he who is so disposed will be unlearned and incorrigible. It is how- ever necessary that he who is destitute of science should learn those things of which he is ignorant, and has no scientific knowledge. And it is likewise necessary that the learner should pay attention to the opinion of him who possesses science, and is able to teach. And universally, it is necessary that those young men who wish to be saved, should attend to the opinion of their elders, and of those who have lived well. But in the whole of human life there are certain ages (denominated by them as it is said endedasmene) which it is not in the power of any casual person to connect with each other. For they are expelled by each other, unless some one conducts a man from his birth, in a beautiful and upright manner. It is necessary therefore, when a child is educated well, and is formed to temperance

1 Obrechtus by translating epi 5¢ ddgys in this place, “ De fama et gloria,” has evidently mistaken the meaning of Iamblichus.

and fortitude, that a great part of his education should be given to the age of adolescence [which is that of a lad]. In a similar manner also, when a lad is formed to temperance and fortitude, it is necessary that a great part of his education should be transferred to the age of manhood. For that which happens to the multitude is absurd and ridiculous. For they fancy it is requisite that boys should be orderly and temperate, and should abstain from every thing which appears to be trouble- some and indecorous; but that when they have arrived at adolescency, they may for the most part do whatever they please. Hence there is nearly a conflux of both kinds of errors into this age. For lads commit many faults which are both puerile and virile. For, in short, to avoid every kind of sedulity and order, and to pursue every species of sport, and puerile intemperance and insolence, are most adapted to the age of a boy. Such a disposition therefore as this, is derived from the puerile into the following age. But the genus of strong desires, and of different species of ambition, and in a similar manner the remaining impulses and dispositions, when they are of a severe and turbulent nature, are derived from the virile age into that of adolescency. Hence this of all the ages demands the greatest attention. And universally, no man ought to be suffered to do whatever he pleases, but it is always necessary that there should be a certain inspection, and a legal and elegantly- formed government, to which each of the citizens is Obedient. For the animal, when left to itself and neglected, rapidly degenerates into vice and depravity.

It is likewise said, that the Pythagoreans frequently
inquired and doubted why we accustom boys to take
their food in an orderly and commensurate manner,
and show them that order and symmetry are beautiful;
but that the contraries to these, disorder and incom-
mensuration, are base; and that he who is given to
wine and is insatiable, is held in great disgrace. For
if no one of these is useful to us when we have arrived