Part IX. PTTHAGORAS.

CHAP. I.
The great Authority and Efieem of Pythagoras amongft his Vifciples,
PTTHAGORAS, to render his Dif- ciples capable of Philofophy, per- par’d them by a Dilcipline lo ftri£l: and levere, as might feem incredible to have been tandergone by free perfbns, were it not founded upon the- great Authority and Reputation which he had amongft them.
(a) 7amb.c^2, Credit of their Opinions they concei-
jp.i3c. ' * ved to be this, That he whofirft communicated
themv^as no ordinary Perlbn, but a God; and one of thele Acoufinata is, Who Pyjha^orofwsis: 0>) Pag. 132.^^ Viovidi^ Hyperborean Apollo., (b) In
' ^ ' confirmation hereof, they inftance thofe Wonders related in his Life, and the like, which being acknowledged to be true, and it being impoffible they (hould all be' performed by one Man, they conceive it manifeft, that thele Relati¬ ons are to be afcribed, not to a Humane Per¬ lbn, but to Ibmething above Mankind. This they acknowledge *, for amongft them there is a faying, That,
f
!r«f. Sec Ety- anothet i bird,
wqIo§, magni.
by which Third they meant And
( tf. p.44. * phy, relates. That fuch a Divifion as this was prelerVed by the Pythagoreans, amongft their inef&ble Secrets. Of Rational Animals, one kind is God another, Man •, a third between both thefe, Pythagoroi.
{t)Jamb.c.6. (^) They efteemed Pythagoras in the next p gent to Mankind : fome affirming, that he was i others. Hyperborean Apollo-, Ibme, one of thole Genu which dwell in the Moon ^ others, one of the Celeftial Deities, appearing at that time in a humane lhape, for the benefit and dire- tfion of Mortal Life, that he might communi¬ cate the whollbme Illumination of Beatitude and Philolbphy to Mortal Nature-, than which, a
greater good can never come, nor ftiall ever come, which is given by the Gods through the means of this Pythagoras . Whence to this day the Proverb oftheFair-hair’d*$'^-w/a>!zis ufedfora moft reve¬ rend perfon. ,
if) Porphyrim faith, They reckon’d him a-.^v p • mongft the Godsv and therefore whenfoever ^ they went to deliver to others any excellent thing, out of the Secrets of his Philolbphy, whence many Phyfical Conclulions might be deduced, then they fwore by the Tetrablys, and calling Pythagoras, as lome God, to wknefe, laid,
T0JO the TetraQys to ottr Souls expreji,
Eternal Nature’s Fountain latteji.
(g) Which Oath', they ufed, as foffiearing, through Reverence, to name him; for they pag. 138. were very Iparing in ufing the Name of any God.
So great indeed was the refpeft they bare him. That (h) it was not lawful for any (h) Aiian.
one to doubt of what he faid, nor to queftion him 4-27*
further concerning it ; but they did acquiefce in all things that he deliver’d, as if they were Oracles. And when he went abroad to Cities, it was reported, He went not to teach, but to cure.
Hence it came to pals. That ( i) when they af (() citi tiar; ferted any thing in dilpute, if they werequefti- deon lib. i oned why it was fo, they ufed to anfwer, Ipje - />, He faid it, which iftf was This
(/^) was amongft them the firft and(i^)Grf^./V.i:^.-
greatett of Do8:rines, his Judgment being a Rea- Qrau 3*
Ibn free from, and above all Examination and Genfure. .
■ , 6
Bbba CHAP.
P T T H j4 G Q R a S.
-Part IX.
•' 37:
CHAP. II.
The itvo forts of Auditors : and firji of the Exote- rick, how he explored them. ,
T
■'‘HE Auditors oi ■Pythagoras mean^s
belonged- to theTamily) were of two -Ibrts, Exoter 'ick and Efoterick : the Exotericks were thole who were under probation, which if they well performed, they were admitted to be Efo- tericks. For, ofthofewho came to Fytha^orOi he admitted not every one, but only thole whom he likM: fiitt, upon, choice y ahd next,f By tlyal.
{‘yfhagoreans to hqyg, been
averfe from ihofe who fell learnin^^ and often their fouls like the gates of anlnnyo every one that comes to them j and if they find not a vent or fale in this Manner.^ th&n-they- run into Cities., and ranjack the Gymnalia, and exabi a reward from difhonour- able perfons : Whereat Fythagons hidmuch f his fpeeches-.,fo as they who were purely initiated might plainly underfiand them, hut the reji^ as Homer faid ^7/'Eantalus, grieve^ for that being in the midfi of learning., they cannot tafle of it. Moreover^ they faid^ That they who for hire teach fuch as come to them., are. meaner than Statuaries and Chariot-
(b) Apul. in A.- makers ■, for, a Statuary., when he (b) would
polog. lib. I. make a Mercury, feeks okt fame piece of tpood fit ^tence^otpythaJ'’ t'eceive that form but thefe., of every difpofition gar as. endeavour to make that of Virtue.
(c) famb.c.iy. (c)When (therefore) any friends came to him^
and defir ed to learn of him., he admitted' them not., tillhe had made try al and judgment of them. Firft.,
■ he enquired how they did heretofore converfe with their parents and friends’, next, he obferved their unfeafonable laughters, and unneceffary filence or difcourfe. Moreover, what their inclinations were,
{d)famb.c.2o. 'i (d) whether poffefs’d with paflion and intem¬ perance, whether prone to anger or unchafte de- fires, or contentious, or -ambitious, and how they behaved themfelves in contention and friendfhip.d Jamb. c. 17. As likewife what friends thofe were, with whom they were, intimate., and their, converfation with them, vand in whofe fociety' tVey f pent the great eft ' part bfthe day likewife upon what occafions they joyed and grieved. '
{f)Jamb.c.2o. Moreover he confidere^d their prefence and
' their gaiiepand the whole ^ ntotion of ihgir body : and, phyftognomizing them by the fymptonis,he dif covered by rnaniffi figns the occult difpojitions (i) Porph. pag. of their fouls. For,, ig) I/e firft ftudied thdt Science conccrningmcn, thereby -df covering of what dif pofitionevery one was neither did he admit any in- ' to his friend fhip and acquaintance, before he', had phyfiognomized the man .what he voere. .This word (/;) Lib»i,;c,4. (faith [bf Age Hi US, iipori^ tire’ fame occafibrt) lig-
- - nifieth to make enquiry ahtp the manners’ of Ibme,
• by fome kind pf conjeffure'ofthe v/it .b^ th^'face
■ arid cotfntenahce, and by the air and hahit of ;the
whole body. - '
(;).Jiimb.c.io.- (ijffupon exabl obfervation of all tl/ejfptifticu- lars, he found them to be of good difpofitions, then, he examined whether they had good manner s^and were docile frft, whether they could readily andingeni- oufly follow that which he told them ■, next, whether they had any love to thofe things which they heard. For be qonfidered what difpofition they were of as' to being made gentle, this he called Ka-Mpus/v i for he account e d rougfinefs an enemy to hh way of teaching,
becaufe it is attended by impatience, intemperance, anger, obtufenefs,confufion, difhonour,and the like •, buimildnefs and gent lencfs by their contraries.
Likewife {k) in making the firft tryal of them, (k) J^rrb. cap, he confidered, whether they could ( for P^S* 95*
that was the word he ifeff and exarnined, whether if they coUld leant that which they heard, they were able to be filent, and to keep it to them- felves.
* 1
CHAP. III.
Furificativedbtf^tutionbyfufferjngs.i *
The chief eft fcopewhichFyihzgonsprppos'd (f) Porpb. wds to ddiver and free the mind from the Ingagements and fetters fin which it is con fin d from her firft infancy •, without which freedmn; none can learn any thing found or trite, /tor can perceive by what that which is unfound infenfe operates. For, the mind (according to him) feeth all, and heareth ail, the reft are deaf and blind. *
This ho performed by many exercifes which he appointed for purification of the rhind, and for the probation of fuch as came to him, which endured five years before they j?e^ ad¬ mitted. ^
(b) If upon this examination ( wMch v^e:de-(^)7 dared (fie judged any perfon capable, BeThen re- 11’ mitted him three years to be defpifed, making a teft of his conftancy and true tove to learning, and ' whe¬ ther he were Jufiiciently inftruUedas to defpife glo¬ ry, to contemn honour, and the like.
. {c ) He conceived it in general requifite, that ^
they fhould take much labour and pains, for the acquifition of Arts and Sciences’, and to that end he eppointedfor them fome torments of cauierijing and incifion to be performed by fire and ft eel, wh'id) none that were of an ill inclination would undergo. b)
CHAP. IV.
Silence.
{a)~^ rrOreover, heenjoyned thofe that came to (a) Jamb.
IVx himSflence for five years, making uyal how fii'mly they would behave themfelves ifithemoft difficult of a ft cont'inenc'ics •, for fuch is the govern¬ ment of the tongue, hs is manifeft from thofe who v
have divulged myfteries.
This Tnv^.rrw ffiuTrSi, d. quinquepnial Alence, was called i./juvkta', ( and; Ibmetime^, W lefs , , ,
frequently ( b) iv Ixuv ii> ioMift (i)
T from keeping, our fpeech rwithih our
felves. . ' ' ' .
Thereafon of this ‘ filence was, ( c ) ffial the (^c) simplk.ifi foul might be converted intoher felf from external Epiftec. things^. and from the irrational pajfions.iif her, and from' the body even unto ffir own life, wl/icJ/ is to ' ‘ ,
livc f^ffiffir. Or, as. {d) Clemens Alexd^rinus (0 smk *5. exprefieiji It, T7?^7? his difciples, being diyerteaffoh fenfible things, might feek God wiftj a pure mind.
Hence {ej.Lucian to the;4.enaand, how V.ythagoras (e) In vie. aft. could reduce men .f6.“t^ remembrance oF the things.‘.)y.hich' they liad formerly known,^ ( for he held S.ejence to be only Keminifcenee) ipakes hipi ' anlw^r,' Fiifi, by lon^qujet. and filence, ffeaking nothing for five whole years. ' '
Yet
BCv=rt.i IX
P TT H A G 0 R A S.
373
(/■)Lib.i.c.4. AgelU^ affirms. That he appointed
not the lame length oflilence to all, but feveral toieveral perfbns, according to their particular capacities. And Apuleius, That for the graver . Ibrt ofperfons, this taciturnity was moderated by a fhprter fpabe •, but the more talkative were hLo; _ punilliedjas it were, by exile from fpeech five years.
^gj 'a^H. ihiH. * who kept filence, heard what wasfaid
by others, but was not allowed either to queftion, if be underftood not, or to write down what he heard. None kept filence left than two years. ■Agellilfs adds, That thefe within thetime oflilence and hearing, were called But when they
had teamed thefe things the molt difficult of all, to hold their peac^ apd to hear, and were now grown learned in filence, which they called jSlrtj', then they were allowed tofpeak, andtoque- ftiop, and to write what; they heard, and what they conceived. At this time they were called Mathe- hatici\ from thole Arts which they then began to learn and tonjeditate. Thus AgeiA/s^ how rightly, I queftion-, for Matkematic'i and Acoufmatici were diftinflive appellations of the Pythagoreans ijot in probation, but after admiffion, as we lhall lee bereafter.
{h) Fknd. y Thus, Q)) A puleius laith. He taught nothing to his dilciple before filence ^ and with him, thefirft ^ditation, for one that meant to be a wife man, was, wholly to reftrain the tongue of words, thole words which the Poets call Winged,, to pluck oft' fears, and to confine them within the walls of Qur teeth. This, I lay, was the firft rudiment of wift domj . to learn to meditate, and to unlearn to talk.
'to the fervantsj th^y themfelves going away without dining ^ (this they ^A^i'AiliJafnblichits) to punilh their appetite.
CHAP. VI.
Community ofEjiittes.
IN this time, all that they had(that is their whole eftate) was made common fi (a) put together and made one.q' They brought foph, laith (h)Agel-^^^ lius^ whatfoever they had«)f ftdck or money, and conftituted ah infeparable Society, as being that ancient way of alTociation, which truly is termed Ka/i/o^/ov. ( c) Tiiis was given up to fuch of the d if, ciples, as were appointed for that puipole, and were called PoliticiCf Occonomici^ as being pet Ions fit to govern a family, and to give Laws.
This w'as conformable to the , precepts of P>’- thagoras (as {d) Ttmeus aWums) firft to Jmh\
HVcu, All common amongft friends and, icroT«?,friendlhip, equality ; (e yahd,efteem nothing f) your own. By this means (f) he exterminated all (/) propriety, and increafed community even to their laft pofleHions, as being caufes of dilTention and trouble i for all things were common amongft them, no man had a propriety .to, any thing..
. Bu,t; what an'infeparakle Society,
is to be underftood only conditionally, provided that they mifliked not at any time this commurti- ty : for, wholbever did lb, (g) took again his own ft) ejiate, and more than that which he • brought into the com?nunity, and departed. • .
br:,.
Mir;
-d ■ C H A P. V.
Abjiinence, Tiemperance, and other ways of Purification,
{d)jamh.c.i6. C«)A /TOreover, he commanded themtoabftain P-74. JVl from ail things that had life, and from
certain other meats allb which obftruct the clear- .(h)Jmb.Mdi. neft of the underftanding,(5) and for the lame end ' , r \ i^o^dertotheinquifition andtheapprehen- .-.-D . ^ I moft difficult Theorems). he likewile
r',:;;;:, cc^ffianded them to abftain from wine, to eat lit- • :> tie,, tpfleep little fa careleft contempt of honour, ' ; f tehes, and the like y an unfeigned re^efl towards
kindred, fincere equality and kindneft towards fu.cb'as were of the' lame age, and a propenfity to ^rther the younger without envy.
(c) jambMA. Hn fine,he procured to his Difciples a conver- fajdon with the, gods by vifions and dreams, which happen difturbed witfi anger or
jfte, Qt anj pi^^f Aibbefitting tf^'^ortation, pr impurity .d^d a, rigid ignoraie,cd all thefe. He d^nfed, apdpurmed fouT toiinely froni auffiefe, and mlgndied.the divine part in her, and prelefved her, and aireQed in her thatlntelleflual ,( reading «V ^oufand eye^ of .flelh, for by the help .of this
procured punficatioa of the rntefte,^.:; And fueft wa^'nts form of tnftlfuflPn as tPfhble'' things. ' ’ (e) Excerpt. . {efi).piodprf^ fajth, they had .an exercile of tem-
Vaief. p. 245. ^dmhee after thi'sr.mdhner ^ there b?i,ng prepared {Jhq.lltbefbrb th^dll forts of delicate food, they l^Ked up6n itra'..d90jd; while, and.j^ffor that their appetites; were fu.ri;y,.pfoyoked by th&'bght thereof, (/) Jmbl commanded; it Xq be taken oft/ and given,
C H A P. VII. :
Admiffion or RejeSion,
( ^)'‘^Hey who' appeared, worthy to participate (g) Jmb.c.ifj^ X of his- do&ines, judging by their lives and moderation, alter their five, years filence, were made Ej'ot.erich, \\A ' Were, admitted to hear Py- iha^oras withjh the Screen, and to lee him blip be¬ fore that time they heard him qifeourfe, beingon the outfidfe of theScreenjand not leeinghim,giving a long time experiment of their proper manners by Hearing only. But if they wepe reie^fed, they received their eftate double, and., a tpmb was made ' by the Difciples, 'as if they hadibeen dead ^ for fo' all that were about fpokeofthem, and
when they met them.behaved themlelves towards them, as if they had been Ibme other perlbns, but' the- men thenpfelves they faid were dead.
G^HAP. VIIL ' ^
. , 'DiffMioTii. . . \ .
(‘^)X'T7Hatfoever he dilcourfed to thefe Axii (d)Poirph.pfi^ ' V V came to him, he declared either plain- 24- ly.'or lymbolically. (fax he had a twofold form of te;iqhing:) and of thole who came to him, feme, vvefe.called Alathemat/ci, othQtsAcoiffmatici.ThQ A^jtfiemat/ei wcri^.thofe who learnt the fuller and more exaHly elaborate realbn of Science. The AcQufmaticiihs.y^ ..who heard only the chief heads of learning, without more exact explication.
/
374
(h) Jamb. c. Xhus {h) as there were two kinds of Philo- ! e. p. 5^. fophy, fo were there two forts of thofe who ttudied
Philojfbphy. The Acoiijmatici did confefs that the Mathematici were 'Pythagoreans ^ but the Mathe- mat 'ici did not acknowledge that the Acoujmatici vtQXQ Pythagoreans-., for they had their learning, not from Pythagoras., but Irom Uippafus •, who, Ibme fiy, was of Crotona., others oPMetapontium.
The Philo Ibphy of the Acoufmatici conlifts of Doftrines without demonilrations and reafons, but that. So it muft be done, and the like, which they were to obferve as lb manyDivineDoftrines, dnd they did efteem ^hofe amongft them the wifeft, who had moft of thefe Acoufmata. Now all thele Acoufmata were divided into three kinds ^ Ibme tell, what fcmeth'ing w, others tell, what is mofi fuch a thing • the third fort tell, what is to be done, and what not. Thofe that tell zvhat a thing is, are of this kind, as What is the Ifland of the Blefled ? The Sun? the Moon? What is the Oracle at Delphi? the TetraQys? What is the Mufick of the Syrens?
Thole which tell what is moft., aS, What is moji jujl? To Jacrifice. What is the vcij'efi? Number-., and in the next place that which gave names to things. What is the wifeft amongft its ? Aiedicine. What the moft beautiful ? Harmony. What the moft powerful ? Reafon. What the beft ? Beatitude. What the trueft ? That men are wicked. For which (they fay) he commended HIppodamas, a Poet of Salamis, who faid,
0 Gods ! whence are you ? Hopb fo good? fobleft ?
0 Ale n I whence are you? How with ill pcfj'eft?
Thefe and fuch like are the Acoufmata of this kind^ for every one of thefe telleth, What is moft. The fame it is with that which is called the wif dom of the Seven Sages, for they enquired not what is good,.but What is moft good ^ not what is • difficult, but what is moft difficult, which is to know our felyes i not what is facile, but what is ■ moft facile, which is the cuftom of Nations. Thofe Acoufmata feem to follow this kind ofwif- dom, for thofe Sages were before Pythagoras. The Acoufmata which tell what is to be done^or what is not to be done, are thus, As that we ought to beget children,forwemuft leave behind us fuch as may ferve the Gods in our room ^ or., that we ought to put off the right fhooe firft ; or, that We ought not to go in the common Road, and the like. Such were the Acoufmata but thofe which have moft laid upon them, ttiQconderning facrifices^^\ti\izX times, and after what manner they are td be performed, and concerning removal from our place of habitation, ^iconceining. &X^/r^/'^, how we muft bury the Deadjforfome whereof there is a reafon given. As, that we ought to get children, ihatwemay leave in our room anotherfervant of theGods.ButoPothQis there is no reafon : and, in tome, that which follows the precept feems to be allied to the words, but f in others is wholly diftant, as, that we ought not to
break bread, becaufeit conduceth to judgment in Hell. But the reafons that are applied to thefe, are not Pythagorean, but given by feme other who ftudied Pythagorean Learning, endeavouring to. apply Ibme probable conjeftureto them ; As of the laft mentioned, That Bread is not to be broken •, feme lay, He who gathers together, ought not to dilTolve. For anciently all Friends ufed after