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Today, we are pleased to share selected excerpts from ‘The Life of Pythagoras’ by Iamblichus, offering insights into His life, the Pythagorean community, and the Pythagorean Way of Life, including the foundations of His philosophical system. Chapter I – Life of Pythagoras “Since it is usual with all men of sound understandings, to call on Divinity, when entering on any philosophic discussion, it is certainly much more appropriate to do this in the consideration of that philosophy which justly receives its denomination from the Divine Pythagoras. For as it derives its origin from the Gods, it cannot be apprehended without their inspiring aid. To which we may also add, that the beauty and magnitude of it so greatly surpasses human power, that it is impossible to survey it by a sudden view; but then alone can anyone gradually collect some portion of this philosophy, when, the Gods being His leaders, He quietly approaches to it. […] For the will of the Gods is sufficient for us, in conjunction with which it is possible to sustain things still more arduous than these. But after the Gods, we shall unite ourselves as to a leader, to the prince and father of this Divine philosophy; of whose origin and country we must rise a little higher in our investigation.” Chapter III – The Pythagorean Community Pythagoras, therefore, having been benefited by Thales in other respects, and especially having learned from Him to be sparing of His time; for the sake of this He entirely abstained from wine and animal food, and still prior to these from voracity, and confined Himself to such nutriment as was slender and easy of digestion. In consequence of this, His sleep was short, His soul vigilant and pure, and His body confirmed in a state of perfect and invariable health. In possession of such advantages, therefore, He sailed to Sidon, being persuaded that this was His natural country, and also properly conceiving that He might easily pass from thence into Egypt. […]”Chapter IX – The Pythagorean Way of Life And the Foundation of His Philosophical System […] “Pythagoras was also the first that advised them to build a temple to the Muses, in order that they might preserve the existing concord. For He observed that all these divinities were called by one common name, [the Muses,] that they subsisted in conjunction with each other, especially rejoiced in common honors, and in short, that there was always one and the same choir of the Muses. He likewise farther observed, that they comprehended in themselves symphony, harmony, rhythm, and all things which procure concord. They also evince that their power does not alone extend to the most beautiful theorems, but likewise to the symphony and harmony of things. […]”
