they should so govern it, that they might faithfully transmit it to their posterity, as an hereditary possession. And that this would firmly be effected, if they were equal in all things to the citizens, and surpassed them in nothing else than justice. For men knowing that every place requires justice, have asserted in fables that Themis has the same order with Jupiter, that Dice, i.e. justice, is seated by Pluto, and that Law is estab- lished in cities; in order that he who does not act justly in things which his rank in society requires him to perform, may at the same time appear to be unjust towards the whole world. He added, it was proper that the senators should not make use of any of the Gods for the purpose of an oath, but that their lang- uage should be such as to render them worthy of belief even without oaths. And likewise, that they should so manage their own domestic affairs, as to make the government of them the object of their deliberate choice. That they should also be genuinely disposed towards their own offspring, as being the only animals that have a sensation of this conception. And that they should so associate with a wife the companion of life, as to be mindful that other compacts are engraved in tables and pillars, but those with wives are inserted in children. ‘That they should likewise endeavour to be beloved by their offspring, not through nature, of which they were not the causes, but through deliberate choice: for this is voluntary beneficence.
He further observed, that they should be careful not
to have connexion with any but their wives, in order
that the wives may not bastardize the race through the
neglect and vicious conduct of the husbands. That
they should also consider, that they received their
wives from the Vestal hearth with libations, and
brought them home as if they were suppliants, in the
presence of the Gods themselves. And that by orderly
conduct and temperance, they should become examples
both to their own families, and to the city in which
they live. That besides this, they should take care to prevent every one from acting viciously, lest offenders not fearing the punishment of the laws, should be con- cealed; and reverencing beautiful and worthy manners, they should be impelled to justice. He also exhorted them to expel sluggishness from all their actions; for he said that opportunity was the only good in every action. But he defined the divulsion of parents and children from each other, to be the greatest of injuries. And said, that he ought to be considered as the most excellent man, who is able to foresee what will be advantageous to himself; but that he ranks as the next in excellence, who understands what is useful from things which happen to others. But that he is the worst of men who waits for the perception of what is best, till he is himself afflicted. He likewise said, that those who wish to be honored, will not err if they imitate those that are crowned in the course: for these
do not injure their antagonists, but are alone desirous — that they themselves may obtain the victory. Thus also it is fit that those who engage in the administration of public affairs, should not be offended with those that contradict them, but should benefit such as are obedient to them. He likewise exhorted every one who aspired after true glory, to be such in reality as he wished to 9 tea to be to others: for counsel is not so sacred a thing as praise; since the former is only useful among men, but the latter is for the most part referred to the Gods. And after all this he added, that their city happened to be founded by Hercules, at that time when he drove the oxen through Italy, having been injured by Lacinius; and when giving assistance by night to Croton, he slew him through ignorance, conceiving him tobe anenemy. After which, Hercules promised that a city should be built about the sepulchre of Croton, and should be called from him Crotona, when he him- self became a partaker of immortality. Hence Pytha- goras said, it was fit that they should justly return
thanks for the benefit they had received. But the
Crotonians, on hearing this, built a temple to the
Muses, and dismissed the harlots which they were
accustomed to have. They also requested Py.hagoras
to discourse to the boys in the temple of Pythian Apollo,
and to the women in the temple of Juno.
CHAP. X.
Pyruacoras, therefore, complying with their wish,
is said to have given the boys the following advice:
That they should neither revile any one, nor take
vengeance on those that reviled. He likewise exhorted
them to pay diligent attention to learning, which
derives its appellation from their age. He added, that
it was easy for a modest youth to preserve probity
through the whole of life; but that it was difficult for
one to accomplish this, who was not naturally well
disposed at that age; or rather it is impossible that he
who begins his course from a bad impulse, should run
well to the end. Besides this, he observed that boys
were most dear to divinity, and hence in times of great
drought, they were sent by cities to implore rain from
the Gods, in consequence of the persuasion that divinity
is especially attentive to children; though such as are
permitted to be continually conversant with sacred
ceremonies, scarcely obtain purification in perfection.
From this cause also, the most philanthropic of the
Gods, Apollo and Love, are universally represeftted in
pictures as having the age of boys. It is likewise
acknowledged, that some of the games in which the
conquerors are crowned, were instituted on account
of boys; the Pythian, indeed, in consequence of the
serpent Python being slain by a boy ; but the Nemean
and Isthmian, on account of the death of Archemorus
and Melicerta. Besides what has been said likewise,
while the city of Crotona was building, Apollo pro-
mised to the founder, that he would give him a progeny,
if he brought a colony into Italy; from which inferring
that Apollo providentially attended to the propagation
of them, and that all the Gods paid attention to every
age, they ought to render themselves worthy of their
friendship. He added, that they should exercise them-
selves in hearing, in order that they may be able to
speak. And farther still, that as soon as they have
entered into the path in which they intend to proceed
to old age, they should follow the steps of those that
preceded them, and never contradict those that are
older than themselves. For thus hereafter, they will
justly think it right that neither should they be injured
y their juniors. On account of these exhortations, it
must be confessed that he deserved not to be called by
his own name, but that all men should denominate
him divine.
CHAP. XI.
But to the women he is said to have discoursed con- cerning sacrifices as follows: In the first place indeed, as they would wish that another person who intended to pray for them, should be worthy and good, because the Gods attend to such as these; thus also it is requisite that they should in the highest degree esteem equity and modesty, in order that the Gods may be readily disposed to hear their prayers. In the next place, they should offer to the Gods such things as ue have pro- duced with their own hands, and should bring them to the altars without the assistance of servants, such as cakes, honey-combs, and frankincense. But that they should not worship divinity with blood and dead bodies, nor offer many things at one time, as if they never meant to sacrifice again. With respect also to their association with men, he exhorted them to consider that their
parents granted to the female nature, that they should love their husbands in a greater degree than those who were the sources of their existence. That in conse- quence of this, they would do well either not to oppose their husbands, or to think that they have then van- quished, when they submit to them. Farther still, in the same assembly also, Pythagoras 1s said to have made that celebrated observation, that it is holy for a woman, after having been connected with her husband, to per- form sacred rites on the same day; but that this is never holy, after she has been connected with any other man. He also exhorted the women to use words of good omen through the whole of life, and to endeavor that others may predict good things of them. He likewise ad- monished them not to destroy popular renown, nor to blame the writers of fables, who surveying the justice of women, from their accommodating others with garments and ornaments, without a witness, when it is necessary for some other person to use them, and that neither litigation nor contradiction are produced from this confidence,—have feigned, that three women used but one eye in common, on account of the facility of their communion with each other. He farther observed, that he who is called the wisest of all others, and who gave arrangement to the human voice, and in short, was the inventor of names, whether he was a God or a demon, or a certain divine man,} perceiving
1 This inventor of names was called by the Egyptians Theuth, as we are informed by Plato in the Philebus and Phedrus ; in the latter of which dialogues, Socrates says: ‘I have heard, that about Nau- cratis in Egypt, there was one of the ancient Gods of the Egyptians, to whom a bird was sacred, which they call Ibis; but the name of the demon himself was Theuth. According to tradition, this God first discovered number and the art of reckoning, geometry and astronomy, the games of chess and hazard, and likewise letters.” On this passage I observe as follows, in Vol. 3. of my translation of Plato: The genus of disciplines belonging to Mercury, contains gymnastic, music, arith- metic, geometry, astronomy, and the art of speaking and writing. This God, as he is the source of invention, is called the son of Maia ;
that the genus of women is most adapted to piety, gave
to each of their ages the appellation of some God.
Hence he called an unmarried woman Core, i.e.
Proserpine; but a bride, Nympha; the woman who
has brought forth children, Mater ; and a grandmother,
according to the Doric dialect, Maza. In conformity
to which also, the oracles in Dodona and at Delphi,
are unfolded into light through a woman. But through
this praise pertaining to piety, Pythagoras is said to
have produced so great a change in female attire, that
the women no longer dared to clothe themselves with
costly garments, but consecrated many myriads of their
vestments in the temple of Juno. The effect also of
this discourse is said to have been such, that about the
region of the Crotonians the fidelity of the husband to
the wife was universally celebrated; [imitating in this
respect] Ulysses, who would not receive immortality
from Calypso, on condition that he should abandon
Penelope. Pythagoras therefore also observed, that it
remained for the women to exhibit their probity to
their husbands, in order that they might be equally
because investigation, which is implied by Mata, produces invention : and as unfolding the will of Jupiter, who is an intellectual God, he is the cause of mathesis or discipline. He first subsists in Jupiter, the artificer of the world; next among the supermundane Gods ; in the third place, among the liberated Gods ; fourthly, in the planet Mercury; fifthly, in the Mercurial order of demons; sixthly, in human souls, who are the attendants of this God ; and in the seventh degree, his properties subsist in certain animals, such as the ibis, the ape, and sagacious dogs. The narration of Socrates in this place, is both allegorical and anagogic or reductory. Naucratis is a region of Egypt eminently subject to the influence of Mercury, though the whole of Egypt is allotted to this divinity. Likewise, in this city a man once flourished full of the Mercurial power, because his soul formerly existed in the heavens of the Mercurial order. But he was first called Theuth, that is, Mercury, and a God, because his soul subsisted according to the perfect similitude of this divinity. But afterwards a demon, because from the God Mercury, through a Mercurial demon, gifts of this kind are transmitted to a Mercurial soul.
celebrated with Ulysses. In short, it is recorded that
through the above-mentioned discourses, Pythagoras
obtained no moderate honor and esteem, both in the
city of the Crotonians and throughout Italy.
CHAP. XII.