The wise man participates of God.
Where that which is wise in you resides, there also is your good.
That which is not noxious to the soul, is not noxious to man.
He who unjustly expels a wise man from the body, confers a benefit on
him by his iniquity. For he thus becomes liberated as it were, from
bonds.
The fear of death renders a man sad through the ignorance of his soul.
You will not possess intellect, till you understand that you have it.
Think that your body is the garment of your soul; and therefore preserve
it pure.
Impure dæmons vindicate to themselves the impure soul.
Speak not of God to every man.
It is dangerous, and the danger is not small, to speak of God even
things which are true.
A true assertion respecting God, is an assertion of God.
You should not dare to speak of God to the multitude.
He does not know God who does not worship him.
The man who is worthy of God is also a God among men.
It is better to have nothing, than to possess much and impart it to no
one.
He who thinks that there is a God, and that nothing is taken care of by
him, differs in no respect from him who does not believe that there is a
God.
He honors God in the best manner who renders his intellect as much as
possible similar to God.
If you injure no one, you will fear no one.
No one is wise who looks downward to the earth.
To lie is to deceive in life, and to be deceived.
Recognise what God is, and what that is in you which recognises God.
It is not death, but a bad life, that destroys the soul.
If you know him by whom you were made, you will know yourself.
It is not possible for a man to live conformable to divinity, unless he
acts modestly, well, and justly.
Divine wisdom is true science.
You should not dare to speak of God to an impure soul.
The wise man follows God, and God follows the soul of the wise man.
A king rejoices in those whom he governs, and therefore God rejoices in
the wise man. He who governs likewise, is inseparable from those whom he
governs; and therefore God is inseparable from the soul of the wise man,
which he defends and governs.
The wise man is governed by God, and on this account is blessed.
A scientific knowledge of God causes a man to use few words.
To use many words when speaking of God, produces an ignorance of God.
The man who possesses a knowledge of God, will not be very ambitious.
The erudite,[95] chaste, and wise soul, is the prophet of the truth of
God.
Accustom yourself always to look to Divinity.
A wise intellect is the mirror of God.
PYTHAGORIC SENTENCES,
FROM THE
PROTREPTICS OF IAMBLICHUS.[96]
As we live through soul, it must be said that by the virtue of this we
live well; just as because we see through the eyes, we see well through
the virtue of these.
It must not be thought that gold can be injured by rust, or virtue by
baseness.
We should betake ourselves to virtue as to an inviolable temple, in
order that we may not be exposed to any ignoble insolence of soul with
respect to our communion with, and continuance in life.
We should confide in Virtue as in a chaste wife; but trust to Fortune as
to an inconstant mistress.
It is better that virtue should be received accompanied with poverty,
than wealth with violence; and frugality with health, than veracity with
disease.
An abundance of nutriment is noxious to the body; but the body is
preserved when the soul is disposed in a becoming manner.
It is equally dangerous to give a sword to a madman, and power to a
depraved man.
As it is better for a part of the body which contains purulent matter to
be burnt, than to continue in the state in which it is, thus also it is
better for a depraved man to die than to live.
The theorems of philosophy are to be enjoyed as much as possible, as if
they were ambrosia and nectar. For the pleasure arising from them is
genuine, incorruptible, and divine. They are also capable of producing
magnanimity; and though they cannot make us eternal beings, yet they
enable us to obtain a scientific knowledge of eternal natures.
If vigor of sensation is considered by us to be an eligible thing, we
should much more strenuously endeavour to obtain prudence; for it is as
it were the sensitive vigor of the practical intellect which we contain.
And as through the former we are not deceived in sensible perceptions,
so through the latter we avoid false reasoning in practical affairs.
We shall venerate Divinity in a proper manner, if we render the
intellect that is in us pure from all vice, as from a certain stain.
A temple, indeed, should be adorned with gifts, but the soul with
disciplines.
As the lesser mysteries are to be delivered before the greater, thus
also discipline must precede philosophy.
The fruits of the earth, indeed, are annually imparted, but the fruits
of philosophy at every part of the year.
As land is especially to be attended to by him who wishes to obtain from
it the most excellent fruit, thus also the greatest attention should be
paid to the soul, in order that it may produce fruit worthy of its
nature.