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Introduction
Pythagoras was born on the Greek island of Samos and lived around the year
500 B.C. He visited Egypt and – it is assumed – Babylon. He founded a
school on Samos and after the Persian occupation he settled in Crotone,
South-Italy where he also founded the school for Pythagoreans.
Pythagoras
was a central figure in the transitional period between Antiquity and the
Classical Period. In the world of the Antiquity, the gods play a central part in
everyday life; there is a strong attachment to the physical world, to birth and
decay, life and death.
In the Classical world view, the gods (or god) are felt to
have a personal, moral involvement with mankind. Divinity can be found
within the soul.
Natural phenomena are explained through the notion of
causality.
Our current view of the world is based on this Classical worldview
itself a product of the philosophies of Pythagoras and other pre-Socratic
thinkers, and still the source of many modern developments. This underlines
the importance of reading and interpreting the original sources in their
appropriate contexts.
These ancient texts should not be read as prose or
poetry; they should be read with the Pythagorean world view in mind.
Ethics
and revere your oath. Pay reverence next to the noble heroes
for as long as you are able to do so. For ability lives near necessity.
following:
But whatever pains mortals suffer through the divine workings of fate,
follows:
Fate does not give very many of these sufferings to the good. 20
every instance:
Deliberate before the deed, lest foolish things result from it.
But bring that to completion which will not distress you afterwards.
Do not do even one thing of what you do not understand, but learn 30
what is necessary, and thus you will lead a most enjoyable life.
but you should practice due measure in drinking, eating, and physical
exercises. By due measure I mean that which will not distress you.
and guard against doing the kind of thing that incurs envy.
Do not spend money at the wrong time like someone ignorant of what is
good,
Do that which will not harm you, and take thought before the deed.
neglected?”
Beginning from the first one go through them in detail, and then,
if you have brought about worthless things, reprimand yourself, but if you
Work hard at this, meditate on this, you should passionately desire this; 45
you will come to know the essence of immortal gods and mortal men, 50
how it pervades each thing and how each thing is ruled [by it].
so that you do not expect what is not to be expected, nor anything escape
your notice.
You will come to know that the miseries men suffer are self-incurred
the wretched people, who do not see the good even though it is near, 55
nor do they hear it. Few understand the deliverance from their troubles.
Such is the fate that harms their minds: like tumbling stones
unawares. This one must not promote, but withdraw and flee from it. 60
Father Zeus, you would surely deliver all from many evils,
If you have any share in this, you will master what I command you by
and in Deliverance of the Soul, with discernment, and consider each thing
Then, if you leave the body behind and go to the free aither, 70
Vegetarianism
The Pythagoreans led ascetic lives.
Respect for life was essential;
vegetarianism was the norm and the sacrifice of animals to the gods was
abolished.
Pythagoras can thus be regarded as the founder of vegetarianism
in Europe.
Until the second half of the 19th century anyone who abstained
from eating meat and animal products was known as a Pythagorean; it was
only later that the word vegetarian was introduced.
Vegetarianism became
more or less synonymous with the Pythagorean way of life, although the
former encompassed much more than a meat-free diet.