Pythagoras, therefore, having been benefited by Thales in other
respects, and especially having learned from him to be sparing of his
time; for the sake of this he entirely abstained from wine and animal
food, and still prior to these from voracity, and confined himself to
such nutriment as was slender and easy of digestion. In consequence of
this, his sleep was short, his soul vigilant and pure, and his body
confirmed in a state of perfect and invariable health. In possession of
such advantages, therefore, he sailed to Sidon, being persuaded that
this was his natural country, and also properly conceiving that he might
easily pass from thence into Egypt. Here he conversed with the prophets
who were the descendants of Mochus the physiologist, and with others,
and also with the Phœnician hierophants. He was likewise initiated in
all the mysteries of Byblus and Tyre, and in the sacred operations which
are performed in many parts of Syria; not engaging in a thing of this
kind for the sake of superstition, as some one may be led to suppose,
but much rather from a love and desire of contemplation, and from an
anxiety that nothing might escape his observation which deserved to be
learnt in the arcana or mysteries of the Gods. Having been previously
instructed therefore in the mysteries of the Phœnicians, which were
derived like a colony and a progeny from the sacred rites in Egypt, and
hoping from this circumstance that he should be a partaker of more
beautiful, divine, and genuine monuments of erudition in Egypt; joyfully
calling to mind also the admonitions of his preceptor Thales, he
immediately embarked for Egypt, through the means of some Egyptian
sailors, who very opportunely at that time landed on the Phœnician coast
under mount Carmelus, in whose temple Pythagoras, separated from all
society, for the most part dwelt. But the sailors gladly received him,
foreseeing that they should acquire great gain by exposing him to sale.
But when, during the voyage, they perceived with what continence and
venerable gravity he conducted himself, in conformity to the mode of
living he had adopted, they were more benevolently disposed towards him.
Observing, likewise, that there was something greater than what pertains
to human nature in the modesty of the youth, they called to mind how
unexpectedly he had appeared to them on their landing, when from the
summit of mount Carmelus, which they knew was more sacred than other
mountains, and inaccessible to the vulgar, he leisurely descended
without looking back, or suffering any delay from precipices or opposing
stones; and that when he came to the boat, he said nothing more than,
“Are you bound for Egypt?” And farther, that on their answering in the
affirmative, he ascended the ship and sate silent the whole time of the
voyage, in that part of the vessel where he was not likely to incommode
the occupations of the sailors. But Pythagoras remained in one and the
same unmoved state for two nights and three days, neither partaking of
food, nor drink, nor sleep, unless perhaps as he sate in that firm and
tranquil condition, he might sleep for a short time unobserved by all
the sailors. To which we may add, that when the sailors considered how,
contrary to their expectations, their voyage had been continued and
uninterrupted, as if some deity had been present; putting all these
things together, they concluded that a divine dæmon had in reality
passed over with them from Syria into Egypt. Hence, speaking both to
Pythagoras and to each other with greater decorum and gentleness than
before, they completed, through a most tranquil sea, the remainder of
their voyage, and at length happily landed on the Egyptian coast. Here
the sailors reverently assisted him in descending from the ship; and
after they had placed him on the purest sand, they raised a certain
temporary altar before him, and heaping on it from their present
abundance the fruits of trees, and presenting him as it were with the
first fruits of their freight, they departed from thence, and hastened
to their destined port. But Pythagoras, whose body through such long
fasting was become weaker, did not oppose the sailors in assisting him
to descend from the ship, and immediately on their departure eat as much
of the fruits as was requisite to restore his decayed strength. From
thence also he arrived safe at the neighbouring lands, constantly
preserving the same tranquillity and modesty of behaviour.