The first philosophers of Greece : $b An edition and translation of the remaining fragments of the pre-Sokratic philosophers, together with a translation of the more important accounts of their opinions contained in the early epitomes of their worksFairbanks, Arthur
Philosophy
The first philosophers of Greece : $b An edition and translation of the remaining fragments of the pre-Sokratic philosophers, together with a translation of the more important accounts of their opinions contained in the early epitomes of their works
Fairbanks, Arthur
Philosophy, Ancient
Theophr. _Phys. Op._ Fr. 17; _Dox._ 492. Favorinus says that he
(Pythagoras) was the first to call the heavens a universe and the earth
round [στρογγύλην].
Cic. _de Deor. Nat._ i. 11; Philod. _piet._ Fr. c 4 b; _Dox._ 533. For
Pythagoras, who held that soul is extended through all the nature of
things and mingled with them, and that from this our souls are taken, did
not see that god would be separated and torn apart by the separation of
human souls; and when souls are wretched, as might happen to many, then
part of god would be wretched; a thing which could not happen.
Hippol. _Phil._ 2; _Dox._ 555. There is a second philosophy not far
distant from the same time, of which Pythagoras, whom some call a Samian,
was the first representative. And this they call the Italian philosophy
because Pythagoras fled the rule of Polykrates over the Samians and
settled in a city of Italy where he spent his life. The successive
leaders of this sect shared the same spirit. And he in his studies of
nature mingled astronomy and geometry and music <and arithmetic>. And
thus he asserted that god is a monad, and examining the nature of number
with especial care, he said that the universe produces melody and is put
together with harmony, and he first proved the motion of the seven stars
to be rhythm and melody. And in wonder at the structure of the universe,
he decreed that at first his disciples should be silent, as it were
mystae who were coming into the order of the all; then when he thought
they had sufficient education in the principles of truth, and had sought
wisdom sufficiently in regard to stars and in regard to nature, he
pronounced them pure and then bade them speak. He separated his disciples
into two groups, and called one esoteric, and the other exoteric. To the
former he entrusted the more perfect sciences, to the latter the more
moderate. And he dealt with magic, as they say, and himself discovered
the art of physiognomy. Postulating both numbers and measures he was wont
to say that the first principle of arithmetic embraced philosophy by
combination, after the following manner:
Number is the first principle, a thing which is undefined,
incomprehensible, having in itself all numbers which could reach
infinity in amount. And the first principle of numbers is in substance
the first monad, which is a male monad, begetting as a father all other
numbers. Secondly the dyad is female number, and the same is called by
the arithmeticians even. Thirdly the triad is male number; this the
arithmeticians have been wont to call odd. Finally the tetrad is a female
number, and the same is called even because it is female.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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