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
Similar to these also, were the precepts concerning silence, and which
tended to the exercise of temperance. For the subjugation of the tongue,
is of all other continence the most difficult. The persuading likewise
the Crotonians to abstain from the profane and spurious association with
harlots, pertains to the same virtue. And besides this, the correction
through music, by means of which Pythagoras restored a young man to
temperance, who had become furious through love. The exhortation also,
which leads from lascivious insolence, must be referred to the same
virtue. And these things Pythagoras delivered to the Pythagoreans, he
himself being the cause of them. For they so attended to their bodies,
that they might always remain in the same condition, and not at one time
be lean, but at another, abounding in flesh. For they considered this to
be an indication of an anomalous life. In a similar manner also with
respect to the mind, they were careful that they might not be at one
time cheerful, and at another sad, but that they might be mildly joyful
with uniformity. But they expelled rage, despondency, and perturbation.
_And it was a precept with them, that no human casualties ought to be
unexpected by those who are endued with intellect, but that they should
expect every thing may happen which it is not in their power to
prevent._ But if at any time they were in a rage, or oppressed with
sorrow, or any thing else of this kind, they separated themselves from
the rest of their associates, and each by himself alone, endeavoured to
digest and heal the passion.
This also is said of the Pythagoreans, that no one of them when angry,
either punished a servant, or admonished any free man, but each of them
waited till his mind was restored to its former [tranquil] condition.
But they called _to admonish_, _pædartan_. For they accomplished this
waiting by employing silence and quiet. Hence Spintharus relates of
Archytas the Tarentine, that returning after a certain time from the war
which the city of Tarentum waged against the Messenians, to inspect some
land which belonged to him, and finding that the bailiff and the other
servants, had not paid proper attention to the cultivation of it, but
had greatly neglected it, being enraged, he was so indignant, that he
told his servants it was well for them he was angry; since, if this had
not happened, they would not have escaped the punishment due to so great
an offence. Spintharus likewise says that a similar thing is related of
Clinias. For he also deferred all admonitions and punishments, till his
mind was restored to tranquillity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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