Pythagoras, who lived in the sixth century before Christ, has been
the subject of so many legends that it is difficult to separate the
philosopher in him from the charlatan. He is said to have tamed wild
beasts with a word, to have visited hell, to have recounted his
previous stages of existence from the siege of Troy to his own life,
and to have accomplished many miracles. Probably these were the myths
which often gather round great men, and it is certain that from him
or from his disciples in his name much exact learning, especially in
mathematics, has reached us. Pythagoras was famous in many sciences.
His chief contribution to pharmacy was the invention of acetum scillae.
According to Pliny he wrote a treatise on squills, which he believed
possessed magic virtues. Pliny also states that he attributed magic
virtues to the cabbage, but it is not certain that he meant the
vegetable which we call the cabbage. Aniseed was another of his magic
plants. Holding aniseed in the left hand he recommended as a cure
for epilepsy, and he prescribed an anisated wine and also mustard to
counteract the poisonous effect of the bites of scorpions. An Antidotum
Pythagoras is given in some old books, but there is no authority for
supposing that this was devised by the philosopher. It was composed
of orris, 18 drachms and 2 scruples; gentian, 5 drachms; ginger, 4½
drachms; black pepper, 4 drachms; honey, _q.s._