Iamblichus' Life of Pythagoras, or Pythagoric Life: Accompanied by Fragments of the Ethical Writings of certain Pythagoreans in the Doric dialect; and a collection of Pythagoric Sentences from Stobaeus and others, which are omitted by Gale in his Opuscula Mythologica, and have not been noticed by any editorIamblichus
Philosophy
Iamblichus' Life of Pythagoras, or Pythagoric Life: Accompanied by Fragments of the Ethical Writings of certain Pythagoreans in the Doric dialect; and a collection of Pythagoric Sentences from Stobaeus and others, which are omitted by Gale in his Opuscula Mythologica, and have not been noticed by any editor
Iamblichus
Ethics, Ancient; Philosophers -- Greece -- Biography; Philosophy, Ancient; Pythagoras; Pythagoras and Pythagorean school
This also is evident, that [human] life becomes different from
disposition and action. But it is necessary that the disposition should
be either worthy or depraved; and that action should be attended either
with felicity or misery. And a worthy disposition, indeed, participates
of virtue; but a bad one of vice. With respect to actions, also, those
that are prosperous are attended with felicity; (for they derive their
completion through looking to reason) but those that are unfortunate,
are attended with misery; for they are frustrated of the end. Hence, it
is not only necessary to learn virtue, but also to possess and use it,
either for security, or increase, [of property when it is too little]
or, which is the greatest thing of all, for the emendation of families
and cities. For it is not only necessary to have the possession of
things beautiful, but also the use of them. All these things, however,
will take place, when a man lives in a city that uses equitable laws.
And these, indeed, I say, are what is called the horn of Amalthea. For
all things are contained in equitable legislation. And without this, the
greatest good of human nature can neither be effected, nor, when
effected, be increased and become permanent. For this comprehends in
itself virtue, and the tendency to virtue; because excellent natures are
generated according to it. Manners, likewise, studies, and laws, subsist
through this in the most excellent condition; and besides these,
rightly-deciding reason, and piety and sanctity towards the most
honorable natures. So that it is necessary that he who is to be happy,
and whose life is to be prosperous, should live and die in a country
governed by equitable laws, relinquishing all illegality. At the same
time what has been said is attended with necessity. For man is a part of
society, and hence from the same reasoning, will become entire and
perfect, if he not only associates with others, but associates in a
becoming manner. For some things are naturally adapted to subsist in
many things, and not in one thing; others in one thing, and not in many;
but others both in many, and in one thing, and on this account in one
thing, because in many. For harmony, indeed, and symphony and number,
are naturally adapted to be ingenerated in many things. For nothing
which makes a whole from these parts, is sufficient to itself.[57] But
acuteness of seeing and hearing, and swiftness of feet, subsist in one
thing alone. Felicity, however, and the virtue of soul, subsist both in
one thing and in many, in a whole, and in the universe. And on this
account they subsist in one thing, because they also subsist in many:
and they subsist in many, because they are inherent in a whole and in
the universe. For the orderly distribution of the whole nature of things
methodically arranges each particular. And the orderly distribution of
particulars gives completion to the whole of things and to the universe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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