With respect to fortitude, however, many of the particulars which have
been already related, appropriately pertain to it; such as the admirable
deeds of Timycha, and of those Pythagoreans who chose to die rather than
transgress the decisions of Pythagoras concerning beans, and other
things conformable to such-like pursuits. Such also are the deeds which
Pythagoras himself generously accomplished, when he travelled everywhere
alone, and underwent immense labors and dangers, choosing to leave his
country, and dwell among strangers. Likewise, when he dissolved
tyrannies, gave an orderly arrangement to confused polities, and
emancipated cities. When also he caused illegality to cease, and impeded
the operations of insolent and tyrannical men; exhibiting himself a
benignant leader to the just and mild, but expelling savage and
licentious men from his association, and refusing even to give them an
answer; gladly, indeed, giving assistance to the former, but with all
his might resisting the latter. Many instances therefore of these things
might be adduced, and of upright actions frequently performed by him.
But the greatest of all these, is what he said and did to Phalaris, with
an invincible freedom of speech. For when he was detained in captivity
by Phalaris, the most cruel of tyrants, a wise man of the Hyperborean
race, whose name was Abaris, was his associate, who came to him for the
sake of conversing with him, and asked him many questions, and
especially such as were of a sacred nature, respecting statues and the
most holy worship, the providence of the Gods, celestial and terrestrial
natures, and many other things of a similar kind. But Pythagoras, being
under the influence of divine inspiration, answered Abaris vehemently,
and with all truth and persuasion, so as to convince those that heard
him. Then, however, Phalaris was inflamed with anger against Abaris,
because he praised Pythagoras, and was ferociously disposed towards
Pythagoras himself. He also dared to utter blasphemies against the Gods
themselves, and such as he was accustomed to pour forth. But Abaris gave
Pythagoras thanks for what he said; and after this, learnt from him that
_all things are suspended from and governed by the heavens; which he
evinced to be the case from many other things, and also from the energy
of sacred rites_. And Abaris was so far from thinking that Pythagoras,
who taught these things, was an enchanter, that he beyond measure
admired him as if he had been a God. To these things, however, Phalaris
replied by endeavouring to subvert divination, and openly denying the
efficacy of the things which are performed in sacred rites. But Abaris
transferred the discourse from these particulars to such as are clearly
apparent to all men; and endeavoured to persuade him that there is a
divine providence, from those circumstances which transcend all human
hope and power, whether they are immense wars, or incurable diseases, or
the corruption of fruits, or the incursions of pestilence, or certain
other things of the like kind, which are most difficult to be borne, and
deplorable, arising from the beneficent energies of certain dæmoniacal
and divine powers.[44]
Phalaris, however, shamelessly and audaciously opposed what was said.
Again therefore Pythagoras, suspecting that Phalaris intended to put him
to death, but at the same time knowing that he was not destined to die
by Phalaris, began to address him with great freedom of speech. For
looking to Abaris he said, that a transition was naturally adapted to
take place from the heavens to aerial and terrestrial beings. And again,
he showed that all things follow the heavens, from instances most known
to all men. He likewise indubitably demonstrated, that the
[deliberative] power of the soul possesses freedom of will. And
proceeding still farther, he amply discussed the perfect energy of
reason and intellect. Afterwards also, with his [usual] freedom of
speech, he spoke concerning tyranny, and all the prerogatives of
fortune, and concerning injustice and human avarice, and solidly taught
him that all these are of no worth. In the next place, he gave him a
divine admonition concerning the most excellent life, and earnestly
entered on a comparison of it with the most depraved life. He likewise
most clearly unfolded to him, how the soul, and its powers and passions,
subsist; _and, what is the most beautiful thing of all, demonstrated to
him that the Gods are not the causes of evils, and that diseases, and
such things as are the calamities of the body, are the seals of
intemperance_; reprehending at the same time mythologists and poets for
what they have badly said in fables [on this subject]. Confuting
Phalaris also, he admonished him, and exhibited to him through works
what the power of heaven is, and the magnitude of that power; and proved
to him by many arguments, that legal punishment is reasonably
established. He likewise clearly showed him what the difference is
between men and other animals; and scientifically discussed internal and
external speech. He also perfectly demonstrated the nature of intellect,
and of the knowledge which descends from it; together with many other
ethical dogmas consequent to these things.
Farther still, he instructed him in what is most beneficial among the
things that are useful in life; and in the mildest manner adapted
admonitions harmonising with these; adding at the same time prohibitions
of what ought not to be done. And that which is the greatest of all, he
unfolded to him the distinction between the productions of fate, and
those of intellect, and also the difference between what is done by
destiny, and what is done by fate. He likewise wisely discussed many
things concerning dæmons, and the immortality of the soul. These things
however pertain to another treatise. But those particulars are more
appropriate to our present purpose which belong to the cultivation of
fortitude. For if, when situated in the midst of dreadful circumstances,
Pythagoras appears to have philosophised with firmness of decision, if
on all sides he resisted and repelled fortune, and strenuously endured
its attacks, and if he employed the greatest freedom of speech towards
him who brought his life into danger, it is evident that he perfectly
despised those things which are thought to be dreadful, and that he
considered them as undeserving of notice. If also, when he expected
according to appearances to be put to death, he entirely despised this,
and was not moved by the expectation of it, it is evident that he was
perfectly free from the dread of death.[45]
He performed however what is still more generous than this, by effecting
the dissolution of tyranny, restraining the tyrant when he was about to
bring the most deplorable calamities on mankind, and liberating Sicily
from the most cruel and imperious power. But that it was Pythagoras who
accomplished this, is evident from the oracles of Apollo, in which it is
predicted that the domination of Phalaris would then be dissolved, when
those that were governed by him should become better men, and be more
concordant with each other; such as they then became, when Pythagoras
was present with them, through the doctrines and instruction which he
imparted to them. A greater proof however of the truth of this, is
derived from the time in which it happened. For on the very same day in
which Phalaris put Pythagoras and Abaris in danger of death, he himself
was slain by stratagem. That also which happened to Epimenides may be an
argument of the truth of these things. For as he, who was the disciple
of Pythagoras, when certain persons intended to destroy him, invoked the
Furies, and the avenging Gods, and by so doing caused all those that
attempted his life, to destroy each other;—thus also Pythagoras, who
gave assistance to mankind, after the manner and with the fortitude of
Hercules, for the benefit of men, punished and occasioned the death of
him who had acted in an insolent and disorderly manner towards others;
and this through the oracles themselves of Apollo, to the series of
which divinity both he and Epimenides spontaneously belonged from their
very birth. And thus far, indeed, we have thought it requisite to
mention this admirable and strenuous deed, the effect of his fortitude.
We shall however adduce another example of it, viz. the salvation of
legitimate opinion; for, preserving this, he performed that which
appeared to him to be just, and which was dictated by right reason, not
being diverted from his intention either by pleasure, or labor, or any
other passion, or danger. His disciples also chose to die rather than
transgress his mandates. And when they were exposed to all-various
fortunes, they preserved invariably the same manners. When also they
were involved in ten thousand calamities, they never deviated from his
precepts. But it was a never-failing exhortation with them, always to
give assistance to law, but to be hostile to illegality, and to be
accustomed from their birth to a life of temperance and fortitude, in
order to restrain and repel luxury. They had also certain melodies which
were devised by them, as remedies against the passions of the soul, and
likewise against despondency and lamentation, which Pythagoras invented,
as affording the greatest assistance in these maladies. And again, they
employed other melodies against rage and anger, through which they gave
intension and remission to these passions, till they reduced them to
moderation, and rendered them commensurate with fortitude. _That,
however, which afforded them the greatest support in generous endurance,
was the persuasion that no human casualties ought to be unexpected by
men who are in the possession of intellect, but that all things ought to
be expected by them, over which they have no absolute power._
Moreover, if at any time they happened to be angry, or sorrowful, they
immediately separated themselves from the rest of their associates, and
each by himself alone strenuously endeavoured to digest and heal the
passion [by which he was oppressed]. They also conceived generally, that
labor should be employed about disciplines and studies, and that they
should be severely exercised in trials of the most various nature, in
punishments and restraints by fire and sword, in order to be liberated
from innate intemperance, and an inexhaustible avidity of possessing;
and that for this purpose, no labors, nor any endurance should be
spared. In order to accomplish this likewise, they generously exercised
abstinence from all animals, and besides this, from certain other kinds
of food. Hence also arose their detention of speech, and their perfect
silence as preparatory to the subjugation of the tongue; in which for
many years they exercised their fortitude. To which also may be added,
their strenuous and assiduous investigation and resumption of the most
difficult theorems; and on account of these things, their abstinence
from wine, their paucity of food and sleep, and their contempt of glory,
wealth, and the like. And in conjunction with all these particulars,
they extended themselves to fortitude.
It is likewise said, that these men expelled lamentations and tears, and
every thing else of this kind. They also abstained from entreaty, from
supplication, and from all such illiberal adulation, as being effeminate
and abject.[46] To the same conception likewise the peculiarity of their
manners must be referred, and that all of them perpetually preserved
among their arcana, the most principal dogmas in which their discipline
was chiefly contained, keeping them with the greatest silence from being
divulged to strangers, committing them unwritten to the memory, and
transmitting them orally to their successors, as if they were the
mysteries of the Gods. Hence it happened, that nothing of their
philosophy worth mentioning, was made public, and that though for a long
time it had been taught and learnt, it was alone known within their
walls. But to those out of their walls, and as I may say, to the
profane, if they happened to be present, these men spoke obscurely to
each other through symbols, of which the celebrated precepts that are
now in circulation retain a vestige; such as, Dig not fire with a sword,
and other symbols of the like kind, which, taken literally, resemble the
tales of old women; but when unfolded, impart a certain admirable and
venerable benefit to those that receive them.
The precept, however, which is of the greatest efficacy of all others to
the attainment of fortitude, is that which has for its most principal
scope the being defended and liberated from those bonds which detain the
intellect in captivity from infancy, and without which no one can learn
or perceive any thing sane or true, through whatever sense he may
energize. For according to the Pythagoreans,
’Tis mind that all things sees and hears;
What else exists is deaf and blind.
But the precept which is next to this in efficacy is that which exhorts
to be beyond measure studious of purifying the intellect, and by various
methods adapting it through mathematical orgies to receive something
divinely beneficial, so as neither to fear a separation from body, nor,
when led to incorporeal natures, to be forced to turn away the eyes,
through their most refulgent splendor,[47] nor to be converted to those
passions which nail and fasten the soul to the body. And, in short,
which urges the soul to be untamed by all those passions which are the
progeny of the realms of generation, and which draw it to an inferior
condition of being. For the exercise and ascent through all these, is
the study of the most perfect fortitude. And such are the instances
adduced by us of the fortitude of Pythagoras, and the Pythagoreans.