Is Pythagoras real or a myth?
A popular conspiracy theorist says there is no evidence Pythagoras existed. On his blog he says:
1. Anyone can tell stories but no one seems to know any actual evidence for Pythagoras.
2. But what exactly is the historical evidence for Pythagoras?
3. This tactic … deviously hides the fact that there is actually no evidence for Pythagoras: whether he actually existed…
4. Racists are unwilling to honestly admit that there is no actual evidence for Pythagoras…
5. Since there is no evidence for “Pythagoras”…
This rumour spreader is wrong. Pythagoras did exist and there is evidence, if you look.
Yes! Pythagoras was a real historical figure!
Here are some early Ancient Greek Primary Source References to Pythagoras who died around 500 BCE
- Isocrates (Isoc.) was an ancient Greek rhetorician. He was one of the earliest known writers on Pythagoras as he lived 436 – 338 BCE.
- Xenophon (Xen.) was another Greek historian around 430–355 BCE who mentioned Pythagoras.
- Plato (Pla.) is a famous philosopher who lived around 429–347 BCE. He discussed Pythagoras as well.
- Flavius Josephus (Joseph. Ap) was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian. His comments about Pythagoras were written about 60 CE.
- Diodorus of Sicily (Diod. Sic.) was an ancient Greek historian. He wrote on Pythagoras between 60 and 30 BCE.
- Pausanias (Paus.) flourished around 143–176 CE. He mentioned Pythagoras in his book wrote Descriptions of Greece.
- Philostratus (Philostr.) lived around 170—245 CE. Known as ‘the Athenian’ he also wrote about Pythagoras.
- Diogenes Laertius (Diog. Laert.) was an ancient Greek historian who wrote about the history of various philosophers including Pythagoras. He is most known for Lives of Eminent Philosophers written around 220 CE.
Ancient Greek Secondary Source References to Pythagoras
- Antiphon c. 480 – 411 BCE
Pythagoras of Samos was a real person. There are simply too many references in Ancient Greek and Ionian manuscripts to have been faked. Benign myths can be created within the primary source language, yet they are usually embellishments of some core truth. By contrast, malicious myths are more likely to be created upon translation from primary sources into secondary sources. In the case of Pythagoras, Greek sources will have more credibility than Latin translations as
1) Confusion can arise as not all words parse correctly from language to language,
2) Original Latin texts may have been biased by being written for a Roman audience, and
3) Latin translations of Greek texts were initially undertaken by Romans as an occupying force.
FYI, in the text below, Pythagoras’ name appears as Πυθαγόρας in Ancient Greek and Πυθαγόρης in Ionic Greek. The material below is sourced from: https://artflsrv03.uchicago.edu/philologic4/Greek/
All extracts of primary source Greek texts below are via this Perseus link.
All extended translations are freely available to anyone via this Perseus link.
ἔτη τετταράκοντα τέτταρα, διὰ τῆς ἰδίας ἀρετῆς κατωρθωκὼς οὐκ ὀλίγα τῶν κοινῶν. ὅτι ἐπʼ ἄρχοντος Ἀθήνησι Θηρικλέους κατὰ τὴν ἑξηκοστὴν πρώτην Ὀλυμπιάδα Πυθαγόρας ὁ φιλόσοφος ἐγνωρίζετο, προκεκοφὼς ἤδη ἐν παιδείᾳ· γέγονε γὰρ ἱστορίας ἄξιος, εἰ καί τις ἕτερος τῶν περὶ παιδείαν διατριψάντων. γέγονε δὲ Σάμιος τὸ γένος· οἱ δέ φασιν
he rushed at Tullius, and seizing him by the arm he hurled him down the steps. Tullius picked himself up and, limping from the fall, endeavoured to flee, but was put to death. Const. Exc. 4, p. 293. Servius Tullius, the king of the Romans, enjoyed a rule of forty-four years, successfully establishing not a few institutions in the commonwealth by virtue of his own high character. When Thericles was archon in Athens in the Sixty-first Olympiad, Pythagoras, the philosopher, was generally recognized, having already far advanced in learning; for if there is any man of those who have cultivated learning deserving of a place in history, it is he. By birth he was a Samian, though some men say that he was a Tyrrhenian. And there was such persuasion and charm in his words that every day almost the entire city turned to him, as to a god present among them, and all men ran in crowds to hear him. Not only in eloquence of speech did he show himself great, but he also displayed a character of soul which was temperate and constituted a marvellous model of a life of modesty for the youth to emulate. Whoever associated with him he converted from their ways of extravagance
ἐντυγχάνοντας ἀπέτρεπεν ἀπὸ τῆς πολυτελείας καὶ τρυφῆς, ἁπάντων διὰ τὴν εὐπορίαν ἀνέδην ἐκκεχυμένων εἰς ἄνεσιν καὶ διαφθορὰν ἀγεννῆ τοῦ σώματος καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς. ὅτιΠυθαγόραςπυθόμενος Φερεκύδην τὸν ἐπιστάτην αὐτοῦ γεγενημένον ἐν Δήλῳ νοσεῖν καὶ τελέως ἐσχάτως ἔχειν, ἔπλευσεν ἐκ τῆς Ἰταλίας εἰς τὴν Δῆλον. ἐκεῖ δὲ χρόνον ἱκανὸν τὸν ἄνδρα γηροτροφ
ἐπιθυμίας πρὸς τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν ἐκκαλεσάμενοι τὰς τραπέζας ἐκέλευον αἴρειν τοὺς παῖδας, καὶ παραχρῆμα ἄγευστοι τῶν παρατεθέντων ἐχωρίζοντο.Const. Exc. 2 (1), pp. 220- 223. ὅτι ὁ Πυθαγόρας μετεμψύχωσιν ἐδόξαζε καὶ κρεοφαγίαν ὡς ἀποτρόπαιον ἡγεῖτο, πάντων τῶν ζῴων τὰς ψυχὰς μετὰ θάνατον εἰς ἕτερα ζῷα λέγων εἰσέρχεσθαι. καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ἑαυτὸν ἔφασκεν ἐπὶ τῶν Τρωικ
This practice they followed to gain knowledge and judgement in all matters and experience in the ability to call many things to mind. The Pythagoreans trained themselves in the exercise of self-control in the following manner. They would have prepared for them everything which is served up at the most brilliant banquets, and would gaze upon it for a considerable time; then, after through mere gazing they had aroused their natural desires with a view to their gratification, they would command the slaves to clear away the tables and would at once depart without having tasted of what had been served. Const. Exc. 2 (1), pp. 220-223. Pythagoras believed in the transmigration of souls and considered the eating of flesh as an abominable thing, saying that the souls of all living creatures pass after death into other living creatures. And as for himself, he used to declare that he remembered having been in Trojan times Euphorbus, the son of Panthus, who was slain by Menelaus. We are told that once, when Pythagoras was sojourning in Argos, he saw a shield from the spoils of Troy fastened by nails to the wall and wept. And when the Argives inquired of him the cause of his grief, he replied that he himself had carried this shield in the land of
τοῦ διατηρεῖσθαι τὰς ὑπὲρ τούτων ὑποθήκας τὸ τοὺς Πυθαγορείους ὑπόστασιν ἔχειν μηδὲν τοιοῦτο ποιεῖν ἔγγραφον, ἀλλὰ διὰ μνήμης ἔχειν τὰ παραγγελλόμενα. ὅτι ὁ Πυθαγόρας πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις παρήγγελλε τοῖς μανθάνουσι σπανίως μὲν ὀμνύναι, χρησαμένους δὲ τοῖς ὅρκοις πάντως ἐμμένειν καὶ πρὸς τέλος ἄγειν ὑπὲρ ὧν ἄν τις ὀPauμόσῃ πραγμάτων, οὐχ ὁμοίαν
in addition to his other injunctions, commanded his pupils rarely to take an oath, and, when they did swear an oath, to abide by it under any circumstances and to bring to fulfilment whatever they have sworn to do; and that they should never reply as did Lysander the Laconian and Demades the Athenian, the former of whom once declared that boys should be cheated with dice and men with oaths, and Demades affirmed that in the case of oaths, as in all other affairs, the most profitable course is the one to choose, and that it was his observation that the perjurer forthwith continued to possess the things regarding which he had taken the oath, whereas the man who had kept his oath had manifestly lost what had been his own. For neither of these men looked upon the oath, as did Pythagoras, as a firm pledge of faith, but as a bait to use for ill-gotten gain and deception. Const. Exc. 4, pp. 293-295. Pythagoras commanded his pupils rarely to take an oath, and when they did swear an oath, to abide by it under every circumstance. The same Pythagoras, in his reflections upon the pleasures of love, taught that it was better to approach women in the summer not at all, and in the winter only sparingly. For in general he considered every kind of pleasure of love to be harmful, and believed that the uninterrupted indulgence in them is altogether weakening and destructive. Const. Exc. 2 (1), p. 423.
ἀπολλύντα. τούτων γὰρ ἑκάτερος οὐ καθάπερ Πυθαγόρας ὑπεστήσατο τὸν ὅρκον εἶναι πίστεως ἐνέχυρον βέβαιον, ἀλλʼ αἰσχροκερδείας καὶ ἀπάτης δέλεαρ.Const. Exc. 4, pp. 293-295. ὅτι Πυθαγόρας παρήγγελλε τοῖς μανθάνουσι σπανίως μὲν ὀμνύναι, χρησαμένους δὲ τοῖς ὅρκοις πάντως ἐμμένειν. ὅτι ὁ αὐτὸς Πυθαγόρας καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀφροδισίων ἐκλογιζόμενος τὸ συμφέρον παρήγγ
reply as did Lysander the Laconian and Demades the Athenian, the former of whom once declared that boys should be cheated with dice and men with oaths, and Demades affirmed that in the case of oaths, as in all other affairs, the most profitable course is the one to choose, and that it was his observation that the perjurer forthwith continued to possess the things regarding which he had taken the oath, whereas the man who had kept his oath had manifestly lost what had been his own. For neither of these men looked upon the oath, as did Pythagoras, as a firm pledge of faith, but as a bait to use for ill-gotten gain and deception. Const. Exc. 4, pp. 293-295. Pythagoras commanded his pupils rarely to take an oath, and when they did swear an oath, to abide by it under every circumstance. The same Pythagoras, in his reflections upon the pleasures of love, taught that it was better to approach women in the summer not at all, and in the winter only sparingly. For in general he considered every kind of pleasure of love to be harmful, and believed that the uninterrupted indulgence in them is altogether weakening and destructive. Const. Exc. 2 (1), p. 423. It is told of Pythagoras that once, when he was asked by someone when he should indulge in the pleasures of love, he replied, “When you wish not to be master of yourself.”
δέλεαρ.Const. Exc. 4, pp. 293-295. ὅτι Πυθαγόρας παρήγγελλε τοῖς μανθάνουσι σπανίως μὲν ὀμνύναι, χρησαμένους δὲ τοῖς ὅρκοις πάντως ἐμμένειν. ὅτι ὁ αὐτὸς Πυθαγόρας καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀφροδισίων ἐκλογιζόμενος τὸ συμφέρον παρήγγελλε κατὰ μὲν τὸ θέρος μὴ πλησιάζειν γυναιξί, κατὰ δὲ τὸν χειμῶνα προσιέναι τεταμιευμένως. καθόλου γὰρ τὸ γένος τῶν ἀφρ
and men with oaths, and Demades affirmed that in the case of oaths, as in all other affairs, the most profitable course is the one to choose, and that it was his observation that the perjurer forthwith continued to possess the things regarding which he had taken the oath, whereas the man who had kept his oath had manifestly lost what had been his own. For neither of these men looked upon the oath, as did Pythagoras, as a firm pledge of faith, but as a bait to use for ill-gotten gain and deception. Const. Exc. 4, pp. 293-295. Pythagoras commanded his pupils rarely to take an oath, and when they did swear an oath, to abide by it under every circumstance. The same Pythagoras, in his reflections upon the pleasures of love, taught that it was better to approach women in the summer not at all, and in the winter only sparingly. For in general he considered every kind of pleasure of love to be harmful, and believed that the uninterrupted indulgence in them is altogether weakening and destructive. Const. Exc. 2 (1), p. 423. It is told of Pythagoras that once, when he was asked by someone when he should indulge in the pleasures of love, he replied, “When you wish not to be master of yourself.” The Pythagoreans divided the life of mankind into four ages
.Const. Exc. 4, p. 295. ὅτι ὁ αὐτὸς Πυθαγόρας παρήγγελλε πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς προσιέναι τοὺς θύοντας μὴ
It is told of Pythagoras that once, when he was asked by someone when he should indulge in the pleasures of love, he replied, “When you wish not to be master of yourself.” The Pythagoreans divided the life of mankind into four ages, that of a child, a lad, a young man, and an old man; and they said that each one of these had its parallel in the changes which take place in the seasons in the year’s course, assigning the spring to the child, the autumn to the man, the winter to the old man, and the summer to the lad. Const. Exc. 4, p. 295. The same Pythagoras taught that when men approach the gods to sacrifice, the garments they wear should be not costly, but only white and clean, and that likewise they should appear before the gods with not only a body clean of every unjust deed but also a soul that is undefiled. Const. Exc. 2 (1), p. 223. Pythagoras declared that prudent men should pray to the gods for good things on behalf of imprudent men; for the foolish are ignorant of what in life is in very truth the good. Pythagoras used to assert that in their supplications men should pray simply for “all good things,” and not name them singly, as, for example, power, strength, beauty, wealth, and the like
σώφρονος ζῆλον καὶ πρὸς ἀνδρείαν τε καὶ καρτερίαν, ἔτι δὲ τὰς ἄλλας ἀρετάς, ἴσα θεοῖς παρὰ τοῖς Κροτωνιάταις ἐτιμᾶτο.Const. Exc. 2 (1), p. 223. ὅτι Πυθαγόρας φιλοσοφίαν, ἀλλʼ οὐ σοφίαν ἐκάλει τὴν ἰδίαν αἵρεσιν. καταμεμφόμενος γὰρ τοὺς πρὸ αὐτοῦ κεκλημένους ἑπτὰ σοφοὺς ἔλεγεν, ὡς σοφὸς μὲν οὐδείς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὢν καὶ πολλάκις διὰ
for the best things for themselves, whereas in truth they were calling down curses upon their own heads. Const. Exc. 4, p. 295. During the time that Pythagoras was delivering many other discourses designed to inculcate the emulation of a sober life and manliness and perseverance and the other virtues, he received at the hands of the inhabitants of Croton honours the equal of those accorded to the gods. Const. Exc. 2 (1), p. 223. Pythagoras called the principles he taught philosophia or love of wisdom, but not sophia or wisdom. For he criticized the Seven Wise Men, as they were called, who lived before his time, saying that no man is wise, being human, and many a time, by reason of the weakness of his nature, has not the strength to bring all matters to a successful issue, but that he who emulates both the ways and the manner of life of a wise man may more fittingly be called a “lover of wisdom.” Although both Pythagoras himself and the Pythagoreans after his time made such advancement and were cause of so great blessings to the states of Greece, yet they did not escape the envy which besmirches all noble things. Indeed there is no noble thing among men, I
ἐδόξασαν. λέγουσι δὲ καὶ ὡς αὐτοὶ γεωμετρίαν τε καὶ ἀστρολογίαν καὶ ἀριθμητικὴν ἀνεῦρον. καὶ τὰ μὲν περὶ τῆς εὑρέσεως ὧδε ἔχει. Φιλοσοφίαν δὲ πρῶτος ὠνόμασε Πυθαγόρας καὶ ἑαυτὸν φιλόσοφον, ἐν Σικυῶνι διαλεγόμενος Λέοντι τῷ Σικυωνίων τυράννῳ ἢ Φλιασίων, καθά φησιν Ἡρακλείδης ὁ Ποντικὸς ἐν τῇ Περὶ τῆς ἄπνου· μηδένα γὰρ εἶναι σοφὸν ἄνθρωπον
say that the stars consist of fire, and that, according as the fire in them is mixed, so events happen upon earth; that the moon is eclipsed when it falls into the earth’s shadow; that the soul survives death and passes into other bodies; that rain is caused by change in the atmosphere; of all other phenomena they give physical explanations, as related by Hecataeus and Aristagoras. They also laid down laws on the subject of justice, which they ascribed to Hermes; and they deified those animals which are serviceable to man. They also claimed to have invented geometry, astronomy, and arithmetic. Thus much concerning the invention of philosophy. But the first to use the term, and to call himself a philosopher or lover of wisdom, was Pythagoras; for, said he, no man is wise, but God alone. Heraclides of Pontus, in his De mortua, makes him say this at Sicyon in conversation with Leon, who was the prince of that city or of Phlius. All too quickly the study was called wisdom and its professor a sage, to denote his attainment of mental perfection; while the student who took it up was a philosopher or lover of wisdom. Sophists was another name for the wise men, and not only for philosophers but for the poets also. And so Cratinus when praising Homer and Hesiod in his Archilochi gives them the title of sophist. The men who were commonly regarded as sages were the following: Thales, Solon,
cont.
who took it up was a philosopher or lover of wisdom. Sophists was another name for the wise men, and not only for philosophers but for the poets also. And so Cratinus when praising Homer and Hesiod in his Archilochi gives them the title of sophist. The men who were commonly regarded as sages were the following: Thales, Solon, Periander, Cleobulus, Chilon, Bias, Pittacus. To these are added Anacharsis the Scythian, Myson of Chen, Pherecydes of Syros, Epimenides the Cretan; and by some even Pisistratus the tyrant. So much for the sages or wise men. But philosophy, the pursuit of wisdom, has had a twofold origin; it started with Anaximander on the one hand, with Pythagoras on the other. The former was a pupil of Thales, Pythagoras was taught by Pherecydes. The one school was called Ionian, because Thales, a Milesian and therefore an Ionian, instructed Anaximander; the other school was called Italian from Pythagoras, who worked for the most part in Italy. And the one school, that of Ionia, terminates with Clitomachus and Chrysippus and Theophrastus, that of Italy with Epicurus. The succession passes from Thales through Anaximander, Anaximenes, Anaxagoras, Archelaus, to Socrates, who introduced ethics or moral philosophy; from Socrates to his pupils the Socratics, and especially to Plato, the founder of the Old Academy; from Plato, through Speusippus and Xenocrates, the succession passes to
cont.
was another name for the wise men, and not only for philosophers but for the poets also. And so Cratinus when praising Homer and Hesiod in his Archilochi gives them the title of sophist. The men who were commonly regarded as sages were the following: Thales, Solon, Periander, Cleobulus, Chilon, Bias, Pittacus. To these are added Anacharsis the Scythian, Myson of Chen, Pherecydes of Syros, Epimenides the Cretan; and by some even Pisistratus the tyrant. So much for the sages or wise men. But philosophy, the pursuit of wisdom, has had a twofold origin; it started with Anaximander on the one hand, with Pythagoras on the other. The former was a pupil of Thales, Pythagoras was taught by Pherecydes. The one school was called Ionian, because Thales, a Milesian and therefore an Ionian, instructed Anaximander; the other school was called Italian from Pythagoras, who worked for the most part in Italy. And the one school, that of Ionia, terminates with Clitomachus and Chrysippus and Theophrastus, that of Italy with Epicurus. The succession passes from Thales through Anaximander, Anaximenes, Anaxagoras, Archelaus, to Socrates, who introduced ethics or moral philosophy; from Socrates to his pupils the Socratics, and especially to Plato, the founder of the Old Academy; from Plato, through Speusippus and Xenocrates, the succession passes to Polemo, Crantor, and Crates, Arcesilaus, founder of the Middle
cont.
the title of sophist. The men who were commonly regarded as sages were the following: Thales, Solon, Periander, Cleobulus, Chilon, Bias, Pittacus. To these are added Anacharsis the Scythian, Myson of Chen, Pherecydes of Syros, Epimenides the Cretan; and by some even Pisistratus the tyrant. So much for the sages or wise men. But philosophy, the pursuit of wisdom, has had a twofold origin; it started with Anaximander on the one hand, with Pythagoras on the other. The former was a pupil of Thales, Pythagoras was taught by Pherecydes. The one school was called Ionian, because Thales, a Milesian and therefore an Ionian, instructed Anaximander; the other school was called Italian from Pythagoras, who worked for the most part in Italy. And the one school, that of Ionia, terminates with Clitomachus and Chrysippus and Theophrastus, that of Italy with Epicurus. The succession passes from Thales through Anaximander, Anaximenes, Anaxagoras, Archelaus, to Socrates, who introduced ethics or moral philosophy; from Socrates to his pupils the Socratics, and especially to Plato, the founder of the Old Academy; from Plato, through Speusippus and Xenocrates, the succession passes to Polemo, Crantor, and Crates, Arcesilaus, founder of the Middle Academy, Lacydes, founder of the New Academy, Carneades, and Clitomachus. This line brings us to Clitomachus.
cont.
from Plato, through Speusippus and Xenocrates, the succession passes to Polemo, Crantor, and Crates, Arcesilaus, founder of the Middle Academy, Lacydes, founder of the New Academy, Carneades, and Clitomachus. This line brings us to Clitomachus. There is another which ends with Chrysippus, that is to say by passing from Socrates to Antisthenes, then to Diogenes the Cynic, Crates of Thebes, Zeno of Citium, Cleanthes, Chrysippus. And yet again another ends with Theophrastus; thus from Plato it passes to Aristotle, and from Aristotle to Theophrastus. In this manner the school of Ionia comes to an end. In the Italian school the order of succession is as follows: first Pherecydes, next Pythagoras, next his son Telauges, then Xenophanes, Parmenides, Zeno of Elea, Leucippus, Democritus, who had many pupils, in particular Nausiphanes [and Naucydes], who were teachers of Epicurus. Philosophers may be divided into dogmatists and sceptics: all those who make assertions about things assuming that they can be known are dogmatists; while all who suspend their judgement on the ground that things are unknowable are sceptics. Again, some philosophers left writings behind them, while others wrote nothing at all, as was the case according to some authorities with Socrates, Stilpo, Philippus, Menedemus, Pyrrho, Theodorus, Carneades, Bryson; some add Pythagoras and Aristo of Chios, except that
cont.
is as follows: first Pherecydes, next Pythagoras, next his son Telauges, then Xenophanes, Parmenides, Zeno of Elea, Leucippus, Democritus, who had many pupils, in particular Nausiphanes [and Naucydes], who were teachers of Epicurus. Philosophers may be divided into dogmatists and sceptics: all those who make assertions about things assuming that they can be known are dogmatists; while all who suspend their judgement on the ground that things are unknowable are sceptics. Again, some philosophers left writings behind them, while others wrote nothing at all, as was the case according to some authorities with Socrates, Stilpo, Philippus, Menedemus, Pyrrho, Theodorus, Carneades, Bryson; some add Pythagoras and Aristo of Chios, except that they wrote a few letters. Others wrote no more than one treatise each, as Melissus, Parmenides, Anaxagoras. Many works were written by Zeno, more by Xenophanes, more by Democritus, more by Aristotle, more by Epicurus, and still more by Chrysippus. Some schools took their name from cities, as the Elians and the Megarians, the Eretrians and the Cyrenaics; others from localities, as the Academics and the Stoics; others from incidental circumstances, as the Peripatetics; others again from derisive nicknames, as the Cynics; others from their temperaments, as the Eudaemonists or Happiness School; others from a conceit they entertained, as Truthlovers, Refutationists, and Reasoners from Analogy; others again from their teacher
ιʹ. Ἀποδείξεις πρὸς τὸ μὴ εἶναι τὴν ἡδονὴν τέλος δʹ. Ἀποδείξεις πρὸς τὸ μὴ εἶναι τὴν ἡδονὴν ἀγαθὸν δʹ. Περὶ τῶν λεγομένων ὑπὲρ τῆς · · · ηʹ Κεφ. αʹ. ΠΥΘΑΓΟΡΑΣ Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὴν Ἰωνικὴν φιλοσοφίαν τὴν ἀπὸ Θαλοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἐν ταύτῃ διαγενομένους ἄνδρας ἀξιολόγους διεληλύθαμεν, φέρε καὶ περὶ τῆς Ἰταλικῆς διαλάβωμεν, ἧς ἦρξε Πυθαγόρας
He it was who brought geometry to perfection, while it was Moeris who first discovered the beginnings of the elements of geometry : Anticlides(c. 3o0 BCE) in his second book On Alexander* affirms this, and further that Pythagoras spent most of his time upon the arithmetical aspect of geometry ; he also discovered the musical intervals on the monochord. Nor did he neglect even medicine. We are told by Apollodorus the calculator (died c. 370 BCE) that he offered a sacrifice of oxen on finding that in a right-angled triangle the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the squares on the sides containing the right angle.
the context. Or rather “soft cheese”;cf. supra,i. § 7, note. Cf. Iamblichus, Vit. Pyth. 25, and Porphyry, De abstinentia, i. 26. Cf. inf. ix. 23. See, however, Porphyry, Vit. Pyth. 4, who cites as his authority Timaeus the Sicilian historian (F.H.G. i. p. 211, Fr. 78), who was not improbably the source used by Favorinus. The χοῖνιξ was about a quart, in dry measure. The word Πυθαγόρας being taken to be a compound from Πύθιος and ἀγορεύειν. For the doctrines of Pythagoras(§§ 25-35) Alexander is taken as D. L.’s authority (see Introd. pp. xxvi, xxvii) This indefatigable pedant is known to have written a special work on the Pythagorean system. Our author may not have possessed this work by Alexander, but he probably had access to a public library containing it. In any case he deserves praise for the selection. Between Alexander Polyhistor in the first century b.c. and the threshold of the third century a.d. there had been an enormous increase in neoPythagorean literature, mostly dealing with mystical properties of numbers and with ethics based
τοίνυν ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ τῶν περὶ Πυθαγόρου βιβλίων, ὅτι Πυθαγόρας ἑνὸς αὐτοῦ τῶν συνουσιαστῶν τελευτήσαντος τοὔνομα Καλλιφῶντος
Ἕλλησιν ὅτι μὲν ἐδιδάχθησαν ἐκείνου τὰς ἀρχὰς παρασχόντος, ἐῶ νῦν λέγειν, ὅτι δʼ ἐστὶ καλὰ καὶ πρέποντα τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ φύσει καὶ μεγαλειότητι, σφόδρα μεμαρτυρήκασι· καὶ γὰρ Πυθαγόρας καὶ Ἀναξαγόρας καὶ Πλάτων οἵ τε μετʼ ἐκεῖνον ἀπὸ τῆς στοᾶς φιλόσοφοι καὶ μικροῦ δεῖν ἅπαντες οὕτως φαίνονται περὶ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ φύσεως πεφρονηκότες. ἀλλʼ οἱ
ὡρμημένος πολλὰ καὶ θαυμαστὰ περὶ τῆς ὁσιότητος αὐτῶν διελθεῖν, ἣν οὔτε μόνος οὔτε πρῶτος ἐγὼ τυγχάνω καθεωρακώς, ἀλλὰ πολλοὶ καὶ τῶν ὄντων καὶ τῶν προγεγενημένων, ὧν καὶ Πυθαγόρας ὁ Σάμιός ἐστιν· ὃς ἀφικόμενος εἰς Αἴγυπτον καὶ μαθητὴς ἐκείνων γενόμενος τήν τʼ ἄλλην φιλοσοφίαν πρῶτος εἰς τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἐκόμισε, καὶ τὰ περὶ τὰς θυσίας καὶ τὰς ἁγ
ἀμαχεὶ τοῖς Δωριεῦσιν ἀφίστασθαι. προσεμένου δὲ τοῦ δήμου τὴν ἐναντίαν ταύτην γνώμην, οὕτως Ἵππασος σὺν τοῖς ἐθέλουσιν ἐς Σάμον φεύγει. Ἱππάσου δὲ τούτου τέταρτος ἦν ἀπόγονος Πυθαγόρας ὁ λεγόμενος γενέσθαι σοφός· Μνησάρχου γὰρ Πυθαγόρας ἦν τοῦ Εὔφρονος τοῦ Ἱππάσου. ταῦτα μὲν Φλιάσιοι λέγουσι περὶ αὑτῶν, ὁμολογοῦσι δέ σφισι τὰ πολλὰ καὶ Σικυώνιοι.
τοῦ δήμου τὴν ἐναντίαν ταύτην γνώμην, οὕτως Ἵππασος σὺν τοῖς ἐθέλουσιν ἐς Σάμον φεύγει. Ἱππάσου δὲ τούτου τέταρτος ἦν ἀπόγονος Πυθαγόρας ὁ λεγόμενος γενέσθαι σοφός· Μνησάρχου γὰρ Πυθαγόρας ἦν τοῦ Εὔφρονος τοῦ Ἱππάσου. ταῦτα μὲν Φλιάσιοι λέγουσι περὶ αὑτῶν, ὁμολογοῦσι δέ σφισι τὰ πολλὰ καὶ Σικυώνιοι. προσέσται δὲ ἤδη καὶ τῶν ἐς ἐπίδειξιν
πρῶτος πὺξ ἐκράτησεν ἐν παισίν, ἔστιν ἔργον Σικυωνίου Κανάχου παρὰ τῷ Ἀργείῳ Πολυκλείτῳ διδαχθέντος. παρὰ δὲ τὸν Βύκελον ὁπλίτης ἀνὴρ ἐπίκλησιν Λίβυς Μνασέας Κυρηναῖος ἕστηκε· Πυθαγόρας δὲ ὁ Ῥηγῖνος ἐποίησε τὴν εἰκόνα. Κυζικηνῷ δὲ Ἀγεμάχῳ τῶν ἐκ τῆς Ἀσιανῆς ἠπείρου γενέσθαι ἐν Ἄργει τὸ ἐπίγραμμα τὸ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ μηνύει. Νάξου δὲ οἰκισθείσης
δὲ καὶ μὴ ὁμολογοῦντας τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν καὶ τὰς Μούσας καὶ θεοὺς ἑτέρους, ὧν τὰ εἴδη καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα οὔπω τοὺς ἀνθρώπους γιγνώσκειν. καὶ ὅ τι ἀποφήναιτο ὁ Πυθαγόρας, νόμον τοῦτο οἱ ὁμιληταὶ ἡγοῦντο καὶ ἐτίμων αὐτὸν ὡς ἐκ Διὸς ἥκοντα, καὶ ἡ σιωπὴ δὲ ὑπὲρ τοῦ θείου σφίσιν ἐπήσκητο· πολλὰ γὰρ θεῖά τε καὶ ἀπόρρητα ἤκουον,
γὰρ τούτοις ἐπιτηδεύσαντα Ἀπολλώνιον καὶ θειότερον ἢ ὁ Πυθαγόρας τῇ σοφίᾳ προσελθόντα τυραννίδων τε ὑπεράραντα καὶ γενόμενον
, ἐπειδὴ μάγοις Βαβυλωνίων καὶ Ἰνδῶν Βραχμᾶσι καὶ τοῖς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ Γυμνοῖς συνεγένετο, μάγον ἡγοῦνται αὐτὸν καὶ διαβάλλουσιν ὡς βιαίως σοφόν, κακῶς γιγνώσκοντες· Ἐμπεδοκλῆς τε γὰρ καὶ Πυθαγόρας αὐτὸς καὶ Δημόκριτος ὁμιλήσαντες μάγοις καὶ πολλὰ δαιμόνια εἰπόντες οὔπω ὑπήχθησαν τῇ τέχνῃ, Πλάτων τε βαδίσας ἐς Αἴγυπτον καὶ πολλὰ τῶν ἐκεῖ προφητῶν τε καὶ ἱερέων ἐγκαταμ
αὐτὸ καὶ πρὸς Δομετιανὸν ὕστερον ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ λόγοις. ἀναλαβὼν οὖν τὴν ἐρώτησιν περὶ ψυχῆς δὲ εἶπε πῶς φρονεῖτε; ὥς γε εἶπε Πυθαγόρας μὲν ὑμῖν, ἡμεῖς δὲ Αἰγυπτίοις παρεδώκαμεν. εἴποις ἂν οὖν, ἔφη καθάπερ ὁ Πυθαγόρας Εὔφορβον ἑαυτὸν ἀπέφηνεν, ὅτι καὶ σύ, πρὶν ἐς τοῦθʼ ἥκειν τὸ σῶμα, Τρώων
περὶ ψυχῆς δὲ εἶπε πῶς φρονεῖτε; ὥς γε εἶπε Πυθαγόρας μὲν ὑμῖν, ἡμεῖς δὲ Αἰγυπτίοις παρεδώκαμεν. εἴποις ἂν οὖν, ἔφη καθάπερ ὁ Πυθαγόρας Εὔφορβον ἑαυτὸν ἀπέφηνεν, ὅτι καὶ σύ, πρὶν ἐς τοῦθʼ ἥκειν τὸ σῶμα, Τρώων τις ἢ Ἀχαιῶν ἦσθα ἢ ὁ δεῖνα; ὁ δὲ Ἰνδὸς Τροία μὲν ἀπώλετο εἶπεν
μετʼ ἐκεῖνον καλοί τε αὐτῷ καὶ γενναῖοι ᾄδονται. πρὸς τοῦτον, ἔφη Ἀπολλώνιε, καὶ τὸν πρόγονον θεώρει τὸν ἐμόν, μᾶλλον δὲ τὸ πρόγονον σῶμα, τουτὶ γὰρ καὶ Πυθαγόρας Εὔφορβον ἡγεῖτο. ἦν τοίνυν ἔφη χρόνος, ὅτʼ Αἰθίοπες μὲν ᾤκουν ἐνταῦθα, γένος Ἰνδικόν, Αἰθιοπία δʼ οὔπω ἦν, ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ Μερόην τε καὶ Καταδούπους ὥριστο
, ἀλλʼ εὐξάμενος, ὁπόσα τοῖς ἥρωσιν Ἰνδοί φασιν εὔχεσθαι, ὦ Ἀχιλλεῦ, ἔφην τεθνάναι σε οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων φασίν, ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ ξυγχωρῶ τῷ λόγῳ, οὐδὲ Πυθαγόρας σοφίας ἐμῆς πρόγονος. εἰ δὴ ἀληθεύομεν, δεῖξον ἡμῖν τὸ σεαυτοῦ εἶδος, καὶ γὰρ ἂν ὄναιο ἄγαν τῶν ἐμῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, εἰ μάρτυσιν αὐτοῖς τοῦ εἶναι χρήσαιο. ἐπὶ τούτοις
ὅσιον προσφθέγξασθαι τὸν ἐν τῷ αἵματι, κέλευσον αὐτόν, ὦ μειράκιον, θαρρεῖν, ὡς αὐτίκα δὴ καθαρεύσοντα, εἰ βαδίσειεν οὗ καταλύω. ἀφικομένῳ δὲ ἐπιδράσας ὅσα Ἐμπεδοκλῆς τε καὶ Πυθαγόρας ὑπὲρ καθαρσίων νομίζουσιν, ἐκέλευσεν ἐς ἤθη στείχειν ὡς καθαρὸν ἤδη τῆς αἰτίας. ἐντεῦθεν ἐξελάσαντες ἡλίου ἀνίσχοντος ἀφίκοντο πρὸ μεσημβρίας ἐς τὸ τῶν Γυμνῶν φροντιστήριον.
καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα πάθη ξυνεχωρεῖτο, μία δὲ αὐτῶν ἴσχειν μὲν τῶν τοιούτων ἐκόμπαζε, θρασεῖα δὲ ἦν καὶ φιλολοίδορος καὶ ἀπηγκωνισμένη πάντα, εἶδον σοφίας εἶδος ἄρρητον, οὗ καὶ Πυθαγόρας ποτὲ ἡττήθη, καὶ εἱστήκει δὲ ἄρα οὐκ ἐν ταῖς πολλαῖς, ἀλλʼ ἀπετέτακτο αὐτῶν καὶ ἐσιώπα, ξυνεῖσα δέ, ὡς ταῖς μὲν ἄλλαις οὐ ξυντίθεμαι, τὰ δὲ ἐκείνης οὔπω οἶδα
καὶ ἐνίκα ἐκ καινῆς· καίτοι τραγῳδίας μὲν εὖ κεκοσμημένης ὀλίγη χάρις, εὐφραίνει γὰρ ἐν σμικρῷ τῆς ἡμέρας, ὥσπερ ἡ τῶν Διονυσίων ὥρα, φιλοσοφίας δὲ ξυγκειμένης μέν, ὡς Πυθαγόρας ἐδικαίωσεν, ὑποθειαζούσης δέ, ὡς πρὸ Πυθαγόρου Ἰνδοί, οὐκ ἐς βραχὺν χρόνον ἡ χάρις, ἀλλʼ ἐς ἄπειρόν τε καὶ ἀριθμοῦ πλείω. οὐ δὴ ἀπεικός τι παθεῖν μοι δοκῶ φιλοσοφίας
αὐτὰ ἔθηξαν ὑπὲρ ἐσθῆτός τε καὶ βρώσεως. Ἰνδοὶ τοίνυν Βραχμᾶνες αὐτοί τε οὐκ ἐπῄνουν ταῦτα καὶ τοὺς Γυμνοὺς Αἰγυπτίων ἐδίδασκον μὴ ἐπαινεῖν αὐτά· ἔνθεν Πυθαγόρας ἑλών, Ἑλλήνων δὲ πρῶτος ἐπέμιξεν Αἰγυπτίοις, τὰ μὲν ἔμψυχα τῇ γῇ ἀνῆκεν, ἃ δʼ αὐτὴ φύει, ἀκήρατα εἶναι φάσκων ἐσιτεῖτο, ἐπιτήδεια γὰρ σῶμα καὶ νοῦν τρέφειν, ἐσθῆτά
τῶν Ἀρκάδων ἀφερμηνεύων ἤθη καὶ παριὼν ἐς Πελοπόννησον τῷ λόγῳ. ἡ γὰρ ἐμοὶ προσήκουσα ἀπολογία τίς; οὐκ ἔθυσα οὐ θύω οὐ θιγγάνω αἵματος, οὐδʼ εἰ βώμιον αὐτὸ εἴη, Πυθαγόρας τε γὰρ ὧδε ἐγίγνωσκεν οἵ τε ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ παραπλησίως, καὶ κατʼ Αἴγυπτον δὲ οἱ Γυμνοὶ καὶ Ἰνδῶν οἱ σοφοί, παρʼ ὧν καὶ τοῖς ἀμφὶ Πυθαγόραν αἱ τῆς σοφίας ἀρχαὶ
μὴ δημοσίᾳ, ἰδίᾳ τισὶν ἡγεμὼν παιδείας αὐτὸς ζῶν λέγεται Ὅμηρος γενέσθαι, οἳ ἐκεῖνον ἠγάπων ἐπὶ συνουσίᾳ καὶ τοῖς ὑστέροις ὁδόν τινα παρέδοσαν βίου Ὁμηρικήν, ὥσπερ Πυθαγόρας αὐτός τε διαφερόντως ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἠγαπήθη, καὶ οἱ ὕστεροι ἔτι καὶ νῦν Πυθαγόρειον τρόπον ἐπονομάζοντες τοῦ βίου διαφανεῖς πῃ δοκοῦσιν εἶναι ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις; οὐδʼ αὖ,
In Greek Pythagoras appears as Πυθαγόρας in Ancient Greek and Πυθαγόρης in Ionic Greek. So double click on Πυθαγόρας to highlight the word. Then use ‘Ctrl c’ to copy the text into your clipboard. Then use ‘Ctrl f’ to bring up the search box. Then use ‘Ctrl v’ to paste the term into the search box. Hit enter and you will find many references to Pythagoras within the text. The material below is sourced from: https://artflsrv03.uchicago.edu/philologic4/Greek/
Ancient Ionic Primary Source References to Pythagoras
γῆν· οὐ ψεύδομαι ὧδʼ ἀγορεύων. Ἴων δʼ ὁ Χῖός φησιν περὶ αὐτοῦ. ὣς ὁ μὲν ἠνορέῃ τε κεκασμένος ἠδὲ καὶ αἰδοῖ καὶ φθίμενος ψυχῇ τερπνὸν ἔχει βίοτον, εἴπερ Πυθαγόρης ἐτύμως ὁ σοφὸς περὶ πάντων ἀνθρώπων γνώμας ᾔδεε κἀξέμαθεν. Ἔστι καὶ ἡμῶν οὕτως ἔχον τῷ μέτρῳ τῷ Φερεκρατείῳ· τὸν κλεινὸν Φερεκύδην, ὃν τίκτει ποτὲ Σῦρος,
Πυθαγόραν καὶ πάντων τῶν εἰρημένων μεμνῆσθαι. Ἔνιοι μὲν οὖν Πυθαγόραν μηδὲ ἓν καταλιπεῖν σύγγραμμά φασιν παίζοντες. Ἡράκλειτος γοῦν ὁ φυσικὸς μονονουχὶ κέκραγε καί φησι· Πυθαγόρης Μνησάρχου ἱστορίην ἤσκησεν ἀνθρώπων μάλιστα πάντων καὶ ἐκλεξάμενος ταύτας τὰς συγγραφὰς ἐποιήσατο ἑαυτοῦ σοφίην, πολυμαθείην, κακοτεχνίην. οὕτω δʼ εἶπεν, ἐπειδήπερ ἐναρχόμενος ὁ Πυθαγόρας τοῦ Φυσι
δʼ Ἀπολλόδωρος ὁ λογιστικὸς ἑκατόμβην θῦσαι αὐτόν, εὑρόντα ὅτι τοῦ ὀρθογωνίου τριγώνου ἡ ὑποτείνουσα πλευρὰ ἴσον δύναται ταῖς περιεχούσαις. καὶ ἔστιν ἐπίγραμμα οὕτως ἔχον· ἡνίκα Πυθαγόρης τὸ περικλεὲς εὕρετο γράμμα, κεῖνʼ ἐφʼ ὅτῳ κλεινὴν ἤγαγε βουθυσίην. Λέγεται δὲ καὶ πρῶτος κρέασιν ἀσκῆσαι ἀθλητάς, καὶ πρῶτόν γʼ Εὐρυμένην, καθά φησι Φαβωρῖνος ἐν τρίτῳ τῶ
χέρας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμεῖς· τίς γὰρ ὃς ἐμψύχων ἥψατο, Πυθαγόρα; ἀλλʼ ὅταν ἑψηθῇ τι καὶ ὀπτηθῇ καὶ ἁλισθῇ, δὴ τότε καὶ ψυχὴν οὐκ ἔχον ἐσθίομεν. ἄλλο· ἦν ἄρα Πυθαγόρης τοῖος σοφός, ὥστε μὲν αὐτὸς μὴ ψαύειν κρειῶν καὶ λέγεν ὡς ἄδικον, σιτίζειν δʼ ἄλλους. ἄγαμαι σοφόν· αὐτὸς ἔφα μὲν οὐκ ἀδικεῖν, ἄλλους δʼ αὐτὸς ἔτευχʼ ἀδικεῖν.
βλέψον ἐς ὀμφάλιον. φησὶ γὰρ οὗτος, Ἐγὼν ἦν πρόβροτος· ὃς δʼ ὅτε οὐκ ἦν, φάσκων ὥς τις ἔην, οὔτις ἔην ὅτʼ ἔην. καὶ ἄλλο, ὡς ἐτελεύτα· αἲ, αἴ, Πυθαγόρης τί τόσον κυάμους ἐσεβάσθη; καὶ θάνε φοιτηταῖς ἄμμιγα τοῖς ἰδίοις. χωρίον ἦν κυάμων· ἵνα μὴ τούτους δὲ πατήσῃ, ἐξ Ἀκραγαντίνων κάτθανʼ ἐνὶ τριόδῳ. Ἤκμαζε δὲ καὶ κατὰ
προσβῆναι τοὺς ἄνδρας καὶ νικῆσαι. δηλοῦν δὲ τοῦτο καὶ τοὐπίγραμμα ὅπερ ἐποίησε Θεαίτητος· Πυθαγόρην τινά, Πυθαγόρην, ὦ ξεῖνε, κομήτην, ᾀδόμενον πύκτην εἰ κατέχεις Σάμιον, Πυθαγόρης ἐγώ εἰμι· τὰ δʼ ἔργα μου εἴ τινʼ ἔροιο Ἠλείων, φήσεις αὐτὸν ἄπιστα λέγειν. Τοῦτον ὁ Φαβωρῖνός φησιν ὅροις χρήσασθαι διὰ τῆς μαθηματικῆς ὕλης, ἐπὶ πλέον δὲ Σωκράτ
τούτῳ φασὶν ἀντιπαρατάσσεσθαι Κύλωνα καθάπερ Ἀντίλοχον Σωκράτει. Ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ Πυθαγόρου καὶ τοῦτʼ ἐλέγετο τὸ ἐπίγραμμα· οὗτος πυκτεύσων ἐς Ὀλύμπια παισὶν ἄνηβος ἤλυθε Πυθαγόρης ὁ Κράτεω Σάμιος. ὁ δὲ φιλόσοφος καὶ ὧδε ἐπέστειλε· Πυθαγόρης Ἀναξιμένει. Καὶ σύ, ὦ λῷστε, εἰ μηδὲν ἀμείνων ἦς Πυθαγόρεω γενεήν τε καὶ κλέος, μεταναστὰς ἂν
τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ Πυθαγόρου καὶ τοῦτʼ ἐλέγετο τὸ ἐπίγραμμα· οὗτος πυκτεύσων ἐς Ὀλύμπια παισὶν ἄνηβος ἤλυθε Πυθαγόρης ὁ Κράτεω Σάμιος. ὁ δὲ φιλόσοφος καὶ ὧδε ἐπέστειλε· Πυθαγόρης Ἀναξιμένει. Καὶ σύ, ὦ λῷστε, εἰ μηδὲν ἀμείνων ἦς Πυθαγόρεω γενεήν τε καὶ κλέος, μεταναστὰς ἂν οἴχεο ἐκ Μιλήτου· νῦν δὲ κατερύκει σε ἡ πατρόθεν εὔκλεια, καὶ ἐμὲ
- καὶ ταῦτα μὲν αὐτῷ ἐδόκει. Τὰ δὲ βιβλία αὐτοῦ καὶ Θρασύλος ἀναγέγραφε κατὰ τάξιν οὕτως ὡσπερεὶ καὶ τὰ Πλάτωνος κατὰ τετραλογίαν. Ἔστι δὲ ἤθικα μὲν τάδε· Πυθαγόρης. Περὶ τῆς τοῦ σοφοῦ διαθέσεως. Περὶ τῶν ἐν ᾍδου. Τριτογένεια (τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν, ὅτι τρία γίνεται ἐξ αὐτῆς, ἃ πάντα ἀνθρώπινα συνέχει). Περὶ ἀνδραγαθίας ἢ περὶ ἀρετ
NOTE: There are also early CE Latin references to Pythagoras. However, I omit them here on the grounds mentioned above
Q2. Did Pythagoras have a connection to the triangle theorem that bears his name?
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A2. No! There’s no evidence Pythagoras was a geometer or mathematician.