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
promised that he would furnish him with every thing requisite to the
support of his bodily exercise, on condition that he would receive from
him gradually and easily, but continually, so that he might not be
burthened by receiving them at once, certain disciplines, which he said
he had learnt from the Barbarians in his youth, but which now began to
desert him through forgetfulness and the incursions of old age. But the
young man immediately acceded to the conditions, through the hope of
having necessary support. Pythagoras, therefore, endeavoured to instruct
him in the disciplines of arithmetic and geometry, forming each of his
demonstrations in an abacus, and giving the youth three oboli as a
reward for every figure which he learnt. This also he continued to do
for a long time, exciting him to the geometrical theory by the desire of
honour; diligently, and in the best order, giving him (as we have said)
three oboli for every figure which he apprehended. But when the wise man
observed that the elegance, sweetness, and connexion of these
disciplines, to which the youth had been led in a certain orderly path,
had so captivated him that he would not neglect their pursuit though he
should suffer the extremity of want, he pretended poverty, and an
inability of giving him three oboli any longer. But the youth on hearing
this replied, “I am able without these to learn and receive your
disciplines.” Pythagoras then said, “But I have not the means of
procuring sufficient nutriment for myself.” As it is requisite,
therefore, to labour in order to procure daily necessaries and mortal
food, it would not be proper that his attention should be distracted by
the abacus, and by stupid and vain pursuits. The youth, however,
vehemently abhorring the thought of discontinuing his studies, replied:
“I will in future provide for you, and repay your kindness in a way
resembling that of the stork: for I in my turn will give you three oboli
for every figure.” And from this time he was so captivated by these
disciplines, that he alone, of all the Samians, migrated from his
country with Pythagoras, having the same name with him, but being the
son of Eratocles. There are said to be three books of this Samian On
Athletics, in which he orders the Athletæ to feed on flesh instead of
dry figs; which books are very improperly ascribed by some to Pythagoras
the son of Mnesarchus. It is likewise said, that about the same time
Pythagoras was admired at Delos, when he approached to the bloodless
altar, as it is called, of the father Apollo, and worshipped it. After
which he went to all the oracles. He likewise dwelt for some time in
Crete and Sparta, for the purpose of becoming acquainted with their
laws; and, having been an auditor and learner of all these, he returned
home in order to investigate what he had omitted. And in the first
place, indeed, he established a school in the city, which is even now
called the semicircle of Pythagoras; and in which the Samians now
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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