Of his wisdom, however, the commentaries written by the Pythagoreans
afford, in short, the greatest indication; for they adhere to truth in
every thing, and are more concise than all other compositions, so that
they savour of the ancient elegance of style, and the conclusions are
exquisitely deduced with divine science. They are also replete with the
most condensed conceptions, and are in other respects various and
diversified both in the form and the matter. At one and the same time
likewise, they are transcendently excellent, and without any deficiency
in the diction, and are in an eminent degree full of clear and
indubitable arguments, accompanied with scientific demonstration, and as
it is said, the most perfect syllogism; as he will find to be the case,
who, proceeding in such paths as are fit, does not negligently peruse
them. This science, therefore, concerning intelligible natures and the
Gods, Pythagoras delivers in his writings from a supernal origin.
Afterwards, he teaches the whole of physics, and unfolds completely
ethical philosophy and logic. He likewise delivers all-various
disciplines, and the most excellent sciences. And in short there is
nothing pertaining to human knowledge which is not accurately discussed
in these writings. If therefore it is acknowledged, that of the
[Pythagoric] writings which are now in circulation, some were written by
Pythagoras himself, but others consist of what he was heard to say, and
on this account are anonymous, but are referred to Pythagoras as their
author;—if this be the case, it is evident that he was abundantly
skilled in all wisdom. But it is said that he very much applied himself
to geometry among the Egyptians. For with the Egyptians there are many
geometrical problems; since it is necessary that from remote periods,
and from the time of the Gods themselves,[38] on account of the
increments and decrements of the Nile, those that were skilful should
have measured all the Egyptian land which they cultivated. Hence also
geometry derived its name. Neither did they negligently investigate the
theory of the celestial orbs, in which likewise Pythagoras was skilled.
Moreover, all the theorems about lines appear to have been derived from
thence. For it is said that what pertains to computation and numbers,
was discovered in Phœnicia. For some persons refer the theorems about
the celestial bodies to the Egyptians and Chaldeans in common. It is
said therefore, that Pythagoras having received and increased all these
[theories,] imparted the sciences, and at the same time demonstrated
them to his auditors with perspicuity and elegance. And he was the first
indeed that denominated philosophy, and said that it was the desire, and
as it were love of wisdom. But he defined wisdom to be the science of
the truth which is in beings. And he said that beings are immaterial and
eternal natures, and alone possess an efficacious power, such as
incorporeal essences. But that the rest of things are only homonymously
beings, and are so denominated through the participation of real beings,
and such are corporeal and material forms, which are generated and
corrupted, and never truly are. And that wisdom is the science of things
which are properly beings, but not of such as are homonymously so. For
corporeal natures are neither the objects of science nor admit of a
stable knowledge, since they are infinite and incomprehensible by
science, and are as it were, non-beings, when compared with universals,
and are incapable of being properly circumscribed by definition. It is
impossible however to conceive that there should be science of things
which are not naturally the objects of science. Hence it is not probable
that there will be a desire of science which has no subsistence, but
rather that desire will be extended to things which are properly beings,
which exist with invariable permanency, and are always consubsistent
with a true appellation. For it happens that the perception of things
which are homonymously beings, and which are never truly what they seem
to be, follows the apprehension of real beings; just as the knowledge of
particulars follows the science of universals. For he who knows
universals properly, says Archytas, will also have a clear perception of
the nature of particulars. Hence things which have an existence are not
alone, nor only-begotten, nor simple, but they are seen to be various
and multiform. For some of them are intelligible and incorporeal
natures, and which are denominated beings; but others are corporeal and
fall under the perception of sense, and by participation communicate
with that which has a real existence. Concerning all these therefore, he
delivered the most appropriate sciences, and left nothing [pertaining to
them] uninvestigated. _He likewise unfolded to men those sciences which
are common_ [_to all disciplines_,] as for instance the demonstrative,
the definitive, and that which consists in dividing, as may be known
from the Pythagoric commentaries. He was also accustomed to pour forth
sentences resembling Oracles to his familiars in a symbolical manner,
and which in the greatest brevity of words contained the most abundant
and multifarious meaning, like the Pythian Apollo through certain
oracles, or like nature herself through seeds small in bulk, the former
exhibiting conceptions, and the latter effects, innumerable in
multitude, and difficult to be understood. Of this kind is the sentence,
_The beginning is the half of the whole_, which is an apothegm of
Pythagoras himself. But not only in the present hemistich, but in others
of a similar nature, the most divine Pythagoras has concealed the sparks
of truth; depositing as in a treasury for those who are capable of being
enkindled by them, and with a certain brevity of diction, an extension
of theory most ample and difficult to be comprehended, as in the
following hemistich:
All things accord in number:
which he very frequently uttered to all his disciples. Or again,
_Friendship is equality; equality is friendship_. Or in the word
_cosmos_, i. e. _the world_; or by Jupiter, in the word _philosophy_, or
in the so much celebrated word _tetractys_. All these and many other
inventions of the like kind, were devised by Pythagoras for the benefit
and amendment of his associates; and they were considered by those that
understood them to be so venerable, and so much the progeny of divine
inspiration, that the following was adopted as an oath by those that
dwelt together in the common auditory:
I swear by him who the tetractys found,
And to our race reveal’d; the cause and root,
And fount of ever-flowing Nature.
This therefore was the form of his wisdom which is so admirable.
It is also said, that of the sciences which the Pythagoreans honored,
music, medicine and divination, were not among the least. But they were
habitually silent and prompt to hear, and he who was able to hear [in a
proper manner] was praised by them. Of medicine, however, they
especially embraced the diætetic species, and in the exercise of this
were most accurate. And in the first place, indeed, they endeavoured to
learn the indications of symmetry, of labor, food, and repose. In the
next place, with respect to the preparation of food, they were nearly
the first who attempted to employ themselves in it, and to define the
mode in which it should be performed. The Pythagoreans likewise employed
cataplasms more frequently than their predecessors; but they in a less
degree approved of medicated ointments. These however they principally
used in the cure of ulcerations. But incisions and burnings 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
Pythagoreans 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 Pythagorean 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 to a 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 afterwards on account of Pythagoras called
Magna Græcia. Hence also it contained many philosophers, poets, and
legislators. For the rhetorical arts, demonstrative reasonings, and the
laws written by them, were transferred 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 perfectly it was delivered by him.