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
But this follows from the whole being naturally prior to the part, and
not the part to the whole. For if the world was not, neither the sun nor
the moon would exist, nor the planets, nor the fixed stars. But the
world existing, each of these also exists.
The truth of this also may be seen in the nature itself of animals. For
if animal had no existence, there would neither be eye, nor mouth, nor
ear. But animal existing, each of these likewise exists. As the whole,
however, is to the part, so is the virtue of the whole to the virtue of
the part. For harmony not existing, and a divine inspection of mundane
affairs, things which are adorned would no longer be able to remain in
an excellent condition. And equitable legislation not existing in a
city, it is not possible for a citizen to be good or happy. Health,
likewise, not existing in the animal, it is not possible for the foot or
the hand to be strong and healthy. For harmony indeed is the virtue of
the world; equitable legislation is the virtue of a city; and health and
strength are the virtue of the body. Each of the parts likewise in these
things is co-arranged on account of the whole and the universe. For the
eyes see on account of the whole body. And the other parts and members
are co-arranged for the sake of the whole [body] and the universe.
FROM
EURYPHAMUS,
IN HIS TREATISE
CONCERNING HUMAN LIFE.
The perfect life of man falls short indeed of the life of God, because
it is not self-perfect, but surpasses that of irrational animals,
because it participates of virtue and felicity. For neither is God in
want of external causes; since being naturally good and happy, he is
perfect from himself; nor any irrational animal. For brutes being
destitute of reason, they are also destitute of the sciences pertaining
to actions. But the nature of man partly consists of his own proper
deliberate choice, and partly is in want of the assistance derived from
divinity. For that which is capable of being fashioned by reason, which
has an intellectual perception of things beautiful and base, can erectly
extend itself from earth, and look to heaven, and can perceive with the
eye of intellect the highest Gods,—that which is capable of all this,
participates likewise of assistance from the Gods. But in consequence of
possessing will, deliberate choice, and a principle of such a kind in
itself as enables it to study virtue, and to be agitated by the storms
of vice, to follow, and also to apostatize from the Gods,—it is likewise
able to be moved by itself. Hence it is a partaker of praise and blame,
honor and ignominy, partly from the Gods and partly from men, according
as it zealously applies itself either to virtue or vice. For the whole
reason of the thing is as follows: Divinity introduced man into the
world as a most exquisite animal, to be reciprocally honored with
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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