The notion is that the Triad (Hecate) is hurled forth and joined with another Triad to form the Hexad. Cf. Thomas Taylor, Theoretic Arithmetic p. 198.
p. 163 “The Unwearied.”
An epithet of Pallas Athena. Cf. Liddell Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 273b,
p. 164 Tritogenia
Literally, “daughter of a mighty father,” an epithet of Athena. Thus also “Tritogenia” (Greek ), “Trito-born,” explained in antiquity as either the lake Tritonis () in Libya from which Athena was said to have been born. Another explanation is from Triton, a spring in Arcadia. Yet another is from the word an Aeolic word for “head,” thus “head-born.” Cf. Liddell Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 1823b.
p. 164 [“Blue-eyed”].
Another epithet of Athena. From Pausanias' Description of Greece (1.14.6), “I was not surprised that an image of Athena stood beside Hephaestus; but observing that Athena's image had blue eyes, I recognized the Libyan version of the myth. For the Libyans say that she is a daughter of Poseidon and the Tritonian lake, and that she, like Poseidon, has blue eyes.” (Frazer, Pausanias's Description of Greece, Vol. 1, p. 21). The belief that the Greeks understood the epithet to mean “blue-eyed” is strengthened by this passage in Pausanias. Cf. Frazer, Pausanias's Description of Greece, Vol. 2, p. 128 for his commentary on Pausanias' 1.14.6.
p. 164 ‘ [“Protectress”].
An epithet of Athena mentioned by Homer in The Iliad, IV,8 ( ). Also mentioned by Pausanias, Book 9, Chapter 33, who says it was a villiage of no great size, which got its name from Alalkomenes, a native (), who is said to have reared Athena, or alternately, Alalkomenia was one of the daughters of Ogyges. (Cf. Sibelis, Pausaniae Graeciae Descripto, Vol. 4 pp. 222-223) In his commentary on The Iliad, Leaf writes, “It is hard to say whether the local or attributive sense prevails in this title. Pausanias testifies to a cultus of Athene at Alalkomenai, near the Tritonian lake Boiotia, down to the time of Sulla; but the word is evidently also significant, ‘the guardian’. (We hear also of in the Et. Mag. (i.e. Etymologia Magnum)) Probably the name of the town was taken was either taken from the title of the goddess or adapted to it from an older form, or was itself the cause of the adoption of the cultus; a local adjective being then formed with a distinct consciousness of its original significance.” (Leaf, The Iliad, Vol. 1, p. 116)
p. 164 [“worker”].
An epithet of Athena mentioned in Pausanias' Book I, Cap. 24. Cf. Shilleto, Pausanias' Description of Greece, Vol. 1, p. 45)
p. 164 [“sound of limbs”].
Or, “wholeness of limbs,” implying the general nature of a thing.
p. 164 “leading to the end”.
In simpler terms, to “be brought to completion.”
p. 165 [“making weak”].
From Nicomachus' as quoted by Photius, Bibliotheca p.144B. In the sense of “feminine.” Cf. Liddell Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 798a under Thomas Taylor translated this as “the producing cause of females.” (Cf. Taylor, Theoretic Arithmetic, p. 204)
p. 165 [“guardian of the city”].
An epithet of the guardian diety of a city. Cf. in Aristophanes, Equites, 581 (Leeuwen, Aristophanes Equites cum prolegomenis et commentariis, p. 110).
p. 165 [“untimely born”].
That is, born at the wrong time of the month, or “immature.” Cf. Liddell Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon p. 769b under
p. 165 [“stability”].
Literally, “security against stumbling or falling.” Used as an epithet of Poseidon as “The Securer,” who was also associated with the ogdoad. Cf. Plutarch, Theseus, 36: “they pay honors to Poseidon on the eighth day of every month. The number eight, as the first cube of an even number and the double of the first square, fitly represents the steadfast and immovable power of this god, to whom we give the epithets of Securer () and Earth-stayer.” (Perrin, Plutarch's Lives, Vol. 1 pp. 84-86)
p. 165 [“placing in position”].
Used with the sense of ‘establishing' and ‘making stable’, being in the proper place.
p. 166 [“reconciliation”].
Note that this same term is used for the Pentad. (cf. page 159, “ ‘ Reconciliation, because the fifth element, Aether, is free from the disturbances of the other four.”
p. 166 [“far-darting”], because there is no shooting beyond it.
The meaning intended is that it prevents the further progression of number ( Theol. Ar. 58-59.) Cf. Ast, Theologumena Arithmeticae, p. 58)
p. 166 [“bringing to the end”].
Note that this term is also used of the Heptad. See page 164.
p. 182 [“preparations”] and [“contact, touch”].
'Preparations' in the sense of “musical arrangement.” (Cf. Liddell Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 587b) Likewise, in this case indicates the touch of a hand upon a musical instrument. (Cf. Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p. 85. Guthrie translated as “readiness.”)
p. 184 “work”.
Hesiod's poem is fully titled' “Works and Days.”
p. 185 “preparedness,” and “musical combination,” and “contact”.
Note that is the same word that was discussed in note 182 above. Hence, “preparedness” in the sense of musical preparation. So also “musical combination.” (Cf. Liddell Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p.1699a). is also discussed in note 201 above, here rendered “contact.
This entire section is a quotation taken from Chapter 25 of Iamblicus' Life of Pythagoras: “The Pythagoreans distinguished three states of mind, called exartysis, or readiness: synarmoge, or fitness, and epaphe, or contact…” (Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p. 85)
Thomas Taylor's translation, with the exception of his reading of the word is not only florid, but curiously obtuse: “The whole Pythagorean school produced appropriate songs, which they called exartysis or adaptions, synarmoge or elegance of manners, and apaphe or contact…” (Taylor, Iamblicus' Life of Pythagoras, p. 61)
For the Greek text, see Kiessling, Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex Coele-Suria De Vita Pythagorica, Vol. 1, p. 242.
p. 185 by charming them.
See Liddell Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon p. 603a,
p. 193
The original text erroneously had “eclipse” instead of “fall short” (in application of areas). Cf. Heath, The Thirteen Books of Euclid's Elements, Vol. 2, p. 262 and 427.
p. 197 the custody of Jupiter.
was a Pythagorean term for the center of the Universe. (Cf. Liddell Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 1960a, 3.)
See Aristotle's “On the heavens” ( or De Cxlo) Book 2:
“They think (i.e. the Pythagoreans) that the most honourable place belongs to the most honourable body, and that Fire is more honourable than Earth; that the two extremes, centre and circumference, are more honourable than the parts intermediate between them. Upon these grounds, they consider that Fire, and not Earth, is at the centre of the Universal Sphere; and they have another reason, peculier to themselves, for this conclusion: they hold that the centre is the most important place in the universe, and that it ought as such to be the most carefully guarded; wherefore they call it the watch of Jupiter (), and regard it as occupied by Fire.” (George Grote, Aristotle, Vol 2, De Cœlo II, Cap. 13, p. 423) For the Greek text of Aristotle, see Bekker, Aristotelis Graece, Vol. 1, p. 293b, 3.
p. 200 “ [“their oppositions, their eclipses, inequalities, eccentricities and epicycles.”] is the anticipation of any planet, either in respect to some other planet, or to the fixed Stars.”
This is a difficult passage to translate, as and may both be used in the sense of “eclipse” or “occultation.” Thomas Taylor translated as “oppositions” which was likewise followed by Guthrie. (See Liddell Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 633a) The text is from Iamblicus' Life of Pythagoras, Chapter 6. Cf. Kiessling, Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex Coele-Suria De Vita Vol. 1, p. 70. See also Thomas Taylor, Iamblicus' Life of Pythagoras, p. 15 and Guthrie, The P
ythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p. 64.
p. 200 Inequality.
Astronomically, the word signifies “irregular motion,” hence the etymology of the English word “anomaly.” Cf. Liddell Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 170a.
p. 215 precocious.
From Stobaeus' Florilegium, 99.
Stanley read, “principally observe that which is called precocious.” It probably should be understood as “guard against that which is called precocious.” (Cf. Liddell Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 1961a, ). Cf. also Iamblicus' Life of Pythagoras, Cap. 31, where this same account also occurs. Thomas Taylor read, “In the first place, they thought it necessary to guard against what is called untimely [offspring].” (Taylor, Iamblicus' Life of Pythagoras, p. 108) Guthrie (The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p.107), renders the translation, “First, they prevented untimely birth.”
p. 222 [“admonitions”]
This is a Pythagorean word for (See Liddell Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 1351b ) From Iamblicus' Life of Pythagoras, Cap. 22. (Cf. Kiessling, Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex Coele-Suria De Vita Pythagorica, Vol. 1, p. 218, and Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p.82)
p. 223 [“friends share in common”]
Read From Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, VIII, 10.
Hicks translated it “friends have all things in common,” while Guthrie read “the property of friends is common” (Cf. Hicks, Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Vol. 2, p. pp. 328-329, and Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p. 144.)
p. 223 [“friendship is equality”]
From Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, VIII, 10. (Cf. Hicks, Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Vol. 2, p. pp. 328-329, and Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p. 144.)
p. 225 [“Rites of Fulfillment”]
The exact meaning of as understood by the ancient Greeks remains something of a mystery. We might also read, “rituals of Perfection.” See Kevin Clinton's essay, Stages of Initiation in the Eleusinian and Samothracian Mysteries (pp. 50-78 in Greek Mysteries, The Archaeology and Ritual of Ancient Greek Secret Cults (London, 2003)
p. 226 [“of oaths”].
Cf. Hicks, Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Vol. 2, pp. 348-349:
“Right has the force of an oath, and that is why Zeus (i.e. Jupiter) is called the God of Oaths.”
p. 234 the Decree of God.
Read the Decree of God.” The word means “decree.” Stanley translated the entire phrase, but the last two Greek words were omitted from the original book. From an Anonymous Life of Pythagoras which Photius preserved in his Codex CCXLIX of his Bibliotheca. (Cf. Migne, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, Series Græca. Vol. 103, p. 1581, and Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p. 138)
p. 234 a Fate of all things in general and in particular, the cause of their administration.
Cf. Hicks, Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Vol. 2, pp. 342-343.
p. 236 reading (perhaps)
Stanley means to read the phrase “enclosed in the brass.” Thus also all the authorities. For the Greek, see Kiessling, Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex Coele-Suria De Vita Pythagorica, Vol. 2, p. 72 and for the Greek with Latin translation, see Nauck, Porphryii Philosophi Platonici Opuscula Tria, p. 30. The latter renders the Greek by the Latin includo, which is more in keeping with the sense of the word, implying that the voice of the daimon was “confined” or “imprisoned” in the brass. For an English translation, see Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p. 131.
p. 246 [“order”].
See Anonymous: Life of Pythagoras Preserved by Photius in Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p. 139, “It was Pythagoras who first called heaven kosmos because it is perfect, and “adorned” with infinite beauty and living beings. In addition to “order,” may also have the meaning “ornament” or “decoration,” hence the last portion of the sentence in the quotation.
p. 254 by divine participation,
Read . The quote is from Clement of Alexandria, Stromata V. It is found in Chapter 13. The Greek text reads:
“Thus, the Pythagoreans say that the mind () comes to man by divine providence, as Plato and Aristotle affirm.” The common and accepted translation of is “divine providence.” Thus also Xenophon, Memorabilia Book 2, Chapter 3, line 18. (Dindorf, Clementis Alexandrini Opera, Vol. 3, p. 68., Liddell Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 1141a, III., Schneider, Xenophontes Quae Extant, Vol. 4, p. 95)
p. 266 and Pindar, speaking of Aesculapius, [“tending them”] with soft charms.
Aesculapius (Latin) is better known to the modern reader by his Greek name Asclepius, the god of medicine and healing, described in Pindar's Pythian Ode III:
“Them therefore, whoso came unto him,
having self-caused sores
or marred in limbs by the polished steel,
or far-hurled stone;
or wasted in body by summer's fire or winter's cold,
he cured, freeing various from various pains;
some he fixed healthful,
tending them with gentle spells…”
(Fennell, Pindar: The Olypian and Pythian Odes, p. 179, Laurent, The Odes of Pindar in English Prose, Vol. 1, p. 155)
p. 267
Unfortunately, it is unclear what Stanley understood this phrase to mean, since all the authorities declare it to be a corruption. The Greek text given by Kiessling is as follows:
Kiessling notes that is monstra verborum (an “ill-formed word”), and would restore the passage to: translated as “in euesto aut et aeiesto, id est, tranquillo et constanti animo.” (in euesto (happiness) and aeiesto (everlastingness,) which is, peace and continual life”)
The critical edition of Ludwig Deubner marks the passage but omits the two words.
The popular editions of Thomas Taylor and Kenneth Guthrie likewise ignore them.
(Kiessling, Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex Coele-Suria De Vita Pythagorica, pp. 342-344, Taylor, Iamblicus' Life of Pythagoras, p. xxx, Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p.97)
pp. 278, who named the more honorable hand the right, not only , from receiving; but likewise, from being ready to receive in communicating.
From the Protrepticus of Iamblicus, Chapter 21. Johnson translated this, “who called the right hand more excellent than the left, not only because it receives, but also because it is able to impart.” (Cf. Pistelli, Iamblichi Protrepticus Ad Fidem Codicis Florentini, p. 117, Johnson, Iamblicus: The Exhortation to Philosophy, p. 104.)
p. 288. In the Twenty eighth, Lay not hold on every one readily with your right hand. Plutarch omits , Suidus
From the Protrepticus of Iamblicus, Cap. XXI. The Greek reads, which Stanley translates as, “Lay not hold on everyone readily with your right hand.” (i.e. “Do not hasten to offer everyone your right hand.”)
In Suidas' Lexicon, the entry describing this Symbol omits the word and reads:
“Do not hasten to offer the right hand.” In Plutarch's Morals, “On Education,” Chapter 17, it is written as: “Do not offer everyone your right hand,” omitting the word from the account of Pythagoras' Symbol. This Symbol is recounted in full by Diogenes Laertius in his Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Chapter VIII, 17, which Hicks translated liberally, “don't shake hands too eagerly,” but which effectively sums up the actual meaning of the sentence. (Cf. Pistelli, Iamblichi Protrepticus Ad Fidem Codicis Florentini, p. 108, Bekker, Suidae Lexicon, p. 910a., Vernardakis, Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol. 1, p. 28, Shilleto, Plutarch's Morals, Ethical Essays, p. 18., and Hicks, Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Vol. 2, p. 337.)
p. 289 This last reason is confirmed by Plutarch, who explains this Symbol: Abstain from Suffrages; which of old were given by Beans.
In Liberis Educandis (On the training of children), Plutarch wrote, “Abstain from beans”; means that a man should keep out of politics, for beans were used in earlie
r times for voting upon the removal of magistrates from office.” (Babbitt, Plutarch, Moralia, Vol. 1., Chap. 17) This process is described by Robert Bateman Paul as follows:
“when [the assembly] deprived the magistrates of their power for maladministration, they gave their votes in private. The manner of voting privately was by casting pebbles () into vessels, () which the prytanes [i.e. officers in the Senate] were obliged to place in the assembly for this purpose. Before the use of pebbles, they voted with beans () As soon as the people had done voting, the proëdri [i.e. other officers of the Senate], having carefully examined the number of suffrages, pronounced the decree ratified or thrown out, according as the majority part approved or rejected it.” (R.B. Paul, The Antiquities of Greece, p.228.) Beans were also used in this manner for casting judgments against defendants on trial, as well as voting for Senators.
“The Senators were elected by lots in the following manner: on a certain day, before the beginning of the month Hecatombæon, the president of every tribe gave in the names of all the persons within his district who were capable of this dignity, and chose to be candidates for it. These were engraven on tables of brass, called and cast into a vessel set there for that purpose. Into another vessel were cast the same number of beans, fifty of which were white, and all the rest black. Then the names of the candidates and the beans were drawn out one by one; and those whose names were drawn out together with the white beans were elected for that tribe.” (Ibid, p. 229)
p. 291. [“testicles (and) genitals”]
Read, From Porphyry's Life of Pythagoras, Chapter 43. (Cf. Kiessling, Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex Coele-Suria De Vita Pythagorica, Vol. 2, p. 76, and Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p. 132.)
p. 291 Generation
Stanley translates as “Generation,” instead of the literal “testicles and genitals”.
p. 312. He said.
See page 373 above, note to page 99.
p. 312. Thus the Cabalists answer The wise said; and Christians, Believe.
The phrase, (ameru hakamim) “the sages say,” was translated by Reuchlin in Latin as dixerunt sapientes, read by Stanley as “the wise said.” The phrase is found, for example, in some of the Midrashim, such as the Midrash ‘Aseret Ha-Dibrot, and the Midrash Vayosha where the authors introduced subject matter without feeling the necessity to quote their sources, intitiating significant sections with, ameru hakamim, “the sages say…”
Pythagoras: His Life and Teaching, a Compendium of Classical Sources Page 33
