Pythagoras: His Life and Teaching, a Compendium of Classical Sources
Page 34
In speaking of the corresponding Christian admonition “Believe,” Reuchlin was in turn quoting Gregory of Nazienzus' First Invective Against Julian, Chapter 102, where Gregory says of Julian:
“Ours,” says he, “are the words and speaking of Greek, whose right it is to worship the gods; yours are the want of words, and clownishness, and nothing beyond the faith in your own doctrine.” At this, those I fancy will not laugh, who follow the sect of Pythagoras amongst you, with whom the “ is the first and greatest of articles of faith; and preferable to the “Golden (perhaps Leaden) Words.” For after that preliminary and much celebrated training of Silence of such as were initiated into his doctrine (in order that they might be trained in bridling speech by dint of holding their tongues), it was the rule, ‘tis said, that when questioned about any one of his tenets, they replied in explanation, when the reason was asked, that it had been so decreed by Pythagoras himself: and that the reason of the doctrine was what had come into that sage's head, without proof, and unquestioned. Thus your “He said so” comes to the same thing with our “Believe,” but in other syllables and terms, although you never give over ridiculing and abusing the latter. For our saying means that it is not allowable to disbelieve things said by divinely-inspired persons, but that the proof of the Word is their trustworthiness, a thing more convincing than any logical argument or defense.”
(Goodman, Johann Reuchlin On the Art of the Kabbalah, pp. 144-147, King, C.W. Julian the Emperor containing Gregory Nazianzen's Two Invectives and Libanius' Monody, pp. 68-69)
p. 317. That is the IDEA (from ), [“seeing, meaning understanding”]
Stanley is paraphrasing Reuchlin's De Arte Cabalistica here, but the Greek as he gives it is problematical. The Reuchlin text has “ from seeing (), meaning understanding ().” Stanley has structured his parenthetical note in such a way that appears only as a gloss on , apparently intending to emphasize that IDEA is derived from , adding as an explanation or definition of It is unclear why Stanley did not simply quote Reuchlin verbatum. (Cf. Goodman, Johann Reuchlin, On the Art of the Kabbalah. De Arte Cabalistica, p. 152-153.)
p. 318 Empedocles “strife”
Stanley is closely paraphrasing Reuchlin here, but he supplies the Greek term where Reuchlin remains in Latin. The doctrine of Empedocles asserted that creation and destruction were impossible, but that which appeared to be either of these arises from the union or separation of the four eternal elements of Air, Earth, Fire and Water. The unifying principle was signifed by “love,” while the separative principle was its opposite , “strife” or “contention,” the latter being a synonym of .
“O mortal kind! O ye poor sons of grief! From such contentions and such sighings sprung!”—Empedocles, 124.2.
(Leonard, The Fragments of Empedocles, p. 57)
p. 322 Having overcome these things (says Pythagoras) thou shalt know the cohabitation of the immortal gods, and mortal men.
This quote is a short paraphrase of Reuchlin, whose longer version closely follows the Golden Verses: “from Pythagoras, who wrote in the the Golden Verses: ‘When you cast aside the body you come to the free aether, you will be a god and immortal. When the things of this life are overcome, you will know the dwelling together (which he elegantly termed because they ‘stand together’) of immortal gods and mortal men.”
Reuchlin was quoting from two different places within the Golden Verses. The first portion of the quote is the last two lines of the Golden Verses: “Then should you be separated from the body, and soar in the aethyr. You will be imperishable, a divinity, a mortal no more.” (Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook, p. 165). The second portion of the quote is lines 49-51: “If this you hold fast, soon will you recognize of Gods and mortal men.” (Ibid, p. 164.) For the Greek text, see Gaisford, Poetæ Minories Gracæ Vol. 3, pp.282-283. Cf. Goodman, Johann Reuchlin, On the Art of the Kabbalah. De Arte Cabalistica, pp. 196-197.
p. 322 styled by Homer , inextinguishable laughter.
From the Iliad, I:595-600: “the white-armed goddess Hera smiled, and smiling took the cup at her son's hand. Then he poured wine to all the other gods from right to left, ladling the sweet nectar from the bowl. And laughter unquenchable arose amid the blessed gods to see Hephaistos bustling through the palace.” (Lang, Leaf & Meyers. Homer's Iliad done into English Prose, p. 20) For the Greek text, see Monro, Homer, Iliad, Books I-XII, p. 20. Cf. Goodman, Johann Reuchlin, On the Art of the Kabbalah. De Arte Cabalistica, pp. 198-199.
p. 327 For men often straying from the rule of right reason precipitate themselves into misery, , in Pythagoras's word, incurring ills voluntary.
From the Golden Verses, “Men shall you find whose sorrows they themselves have created.” (Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook, p. 164. Greek text in Gainsford, Poetæ Minories Gracæ. Vol. 3, p. 283.)
p. 327 Thus is man placed between Virtue and Vice, like the stalk between the two branches in the Pythagorical Y.
“In this way, man seems poised between virtue and vice. This brings to mind the Pythagorean letter “Y,” with its upright split into two branches.” (Goodman, Johann Reuchlin, On the Art of the Kabbalah. De Arte Cabalistica, p. 167)
p. 327 Tartarus, by those who endure infinite torments, (as Plato, imitating Pythagoras, says) whence they never come out.
From Plato's Phaedra: “But those who appear to be incurable, on account of the greatness of their wrong-doings, because they have committed many great deeds of sacrilege, or wicked and abominable murders, or any other such crimes, are cast by their fitting destiny into Tartarus, whence they never emerge ().
(Fowler, Plato, Vol. 1, Phaedo,62, p. 388-389) Reuchlin believed this passage from Phaedo was a direct quote from Pythagoras. (Goodman, Johann Reuchlin, On the Art of the Kabbalah. De Arte Cabalistica, p. 168-169.) Eduard Zeller discussed the influence of Pythagorean ideas of the soul on later writers such as Plato in his History of Greek Philosophy from the earliest period to the time of Socrates (See pp. 481-496.)
p. 330 Look on him as my Progenitor, or progeniting body;
From Philostratus' The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Cap. XIX. Conybeare translated as “ancestral body.” (Conybeare, Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Vol. 1, pp. 270-271)
p. 337 note 15. [“instead of Same”].
According to Iamblicus, Ancaeus of Cephallenia was informed of his task by the Pythian Oracle in the words:
“I order you Ancaeus, to colonize the marine island Samos instead of Same, and to call it Phyllas.” (Kiessling, Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex Coele-Suria De Vita Pythagorica, Vol. 1, p.18 & Guthrie, The Pythagorean Source-book and Library, p. 58)
p. 337 note 20. Adding
“and got her with child” [i.e. “caused her to become pregnant”]
The text is added from Iamblicus, De Vita Pythagorica, Cap. 2. (Kiessling, Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex Coele-Suria De Vita Pythagorica, Vol. 1, p.24)
p. 337 note 25. The manuscript of Porphyry's Life of Pythagoras gives the name Cleanthes () as the source of these accounts, and Stanley is quoting it correctly. However, scholars now affirm that the word is a misspelling for Neanthes (). Edouard Zeller, in A History of Greek Philosophy from the earliest period to the time of Socrates, Vol. 1, p. 329: “The Cleanthes of Porphyry is certainly not the Stoic but most likely a misspelling for Neanthes (of Cyzicus).” Guthrie likewise modifies Cleanthes to Neanthes (The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p. 123). For the Greek text, see Nauck, Porphryii Philosophi Platonici Opuscula Tria, p. 14. Cf. Pearson, The Fragments of Zeno and Cleanthes, p. 294)
p. 338 note 44. Reading [“principal”].
From Iamblicus, De Vita Pythagorica, Cap. 3 (Kiessling, Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex Coele-Suria De Vita Pythagorica, Vol. 1, p.38)
p. 338 note 46. For reading etc.
Stanley offered an emendation to Iamblicus' Life of Pythagoras, Cap. 3 which reads: Thomas Taylor translated the original text, “he said nothing more than, ‘Are you bound for Egypt?’” (Kiessling, Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex C
oele-Suria De Vita Pythagorica, Vol. 1, p.44. Taylor, Iamblicus' Life of Pythagoras, p. 8. Cf. Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p. 60)
p. 340 note 98. . Hesych. .
The earliest edition of Porphyry's Life of Pythagoras that was available to consult, the 1630 edition by Cardinal Barberinus, does not concur with Stanley, but gives the reading . Likewise, the 1731 Latin edition of Stanley's History of Philosophy notes that Stanley wrote instead of which is in the published text of Porphyry. “The later editions of Kiessling and Nauck likewise read , “in the place called Tripod.” Guthrie follows Kiessling and Nauck, translating the entire passage quoted by Stanley:
“At Delphi he inscribed an elegy on the tomb of Apollo, declaring that Apollo was the son of Silenus, but was slain by Pytho, and buried in the place called “Tripod,” so named from the local mourning for Apollo by the three daughters of Triopas.”
Stanley's reference “Hesychius’, .” refers to the Lexicon of Hesychius of Alexandria, where it is said that Triops for the Pythagoreans signified the Tripod of Delphi.
(Barberinus, Porphyrii Philosophi Liber De Vita Pythagoræ, pp. 10-11, Kiessling, Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex Coele-Suria De Vita Pythagorica, Vol. 2, p. 30, Nauck, Porphryii Philosophi Platonici Opuscula Tria, p. 20, Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p. 126. Cf. Schmidt, Hesychii Alexandrini Lexicon, Editionem Minorem, p. 1472)
p. 340 note 122. Cicero's reference to this event in his Tusculan Disputations, Book I, Chapter 4, is quite brief: “Pythagoras…came into Italy in the reign of Tarquin the proud.”
Cicero referred to Pythagoras' arrival in Italy with more detail in his treatise, On the Commonwealth, Book 2, Chapter 15: “For it was not till the fourth year of the reign of Tarquinius Superbus that Pythagoras is ascertained to have come to Sybaris, Crotona, and this part of Italy.” (Yonge, Cicero's Tusculan Disputations; also treatises on the nature of the gods and on the Commonwealth, pp. 25 & 406.)
p. 340 note 127. Eusebius, Chronicon
Stanley's footnote to the English edition does not identify the specific source, but merely indicates that it is from a work by Eusebius. The Latin edition of The History of Philosophy clearly identifies the source as the Chronicon or “Chronicle” of Eusebius. The original Greek for the Eusebius' Chronicon is lost and it is known only through an early Latin translation by Justin. However, in the year 1616 the scholar Joseph Justus Scaliger published an edition of the Chronicon under the title Thesaurus Temporum: Eusebii Pamphili Caesareae Palaestinae Episcopi, Chronicorum Canonum Omnimodae Historiae, in which he attempted to restore the Greek of Eusebius, relying heavily upon the Latin translation of Justin. In Stanley's time, this work was acknowledged as a very important work, and was widely read. It is probable that this was the work untilized by Thomas Stanley for referencing the Greek Olympiads.
p. 341 note 146. quasi , [‘Muse’, practically the same as ‘Music'] Synessius in Dion, Chap. 5 & Cassiodorus, Variarum, Liber II, 40.
Synessius, the Neo-Platonic philosopher who became the Bishop of Kyrenaica, in his work Dion, writes about Dio Cocceianus of Prusa, also known as Chrysostom, “goldvoice.” Dio was a Greek philosopher and politician, considered by many to be one of the first representatives of the Second Sophistic movement of Greece. Synessius argues that Dio converted from sophism to philosophy. In Chapter 5 of Dion, Synessius extols the usefulness of the arts of the Muses, suggesting that while the Muses inspire a variety of arts, the philosopher harmonizes them into one. The passage in full reads:
“Now this speech would define as an artist and an expert the man who cuts off for himself any one branch of knowledge, one such man belonging to one divinity (daimon), another to another; but it would call philosopher that one who has been fitted together from the harmony of all, and has made the multitude of arts into one. Or rather he has not attained this yet, for this must be added to him also, namely, that he have a task of his own superior to that of his company. Thus the story goes that Apollo sings at one time with the Muses, leading off himself, and giving the time to the band, and at another sings by himself; but the first would be the sacred and ineffable melody. So our philosopher will commune, now with himself, and now with the god through philosophy, but he will commune with men by the subordinate powers of speech. He will possess knowledge indeed as a lover of literature, whereas he will pass judgment upon each and everything as a philosopher. But these immovable men who despise rhetoric and poetry do not seem to me to be what they are of their own free will, and owing to the poverty of their natural gifts they are incapable of even small achievements. You may more easily see such men than see anything in their minds, and their tongues are unable to interpret any thought.”
(Migne, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, Series Græca. Vol. 66. , p. 1125-1128, and Fitzgerald, The Letters of Synesius of Cyrene: Translated into English with introduction and notes)
Cassiodorus in Liber II, Letter 40 of his Variarum wrote concerning music:
“Reflections on the nature of music. She is the Queen of the senses; when she comes forth from her secret abiding place all other thoughts are cast out. Her curatiave influence on the soul. The five tones: the Dorian, influencing to modesty and purity; the Phrygian to fierce combat; the Aeolian to tranquility and slumber; the Ionian (Jastius) , which sharpens the intellect of the dull and kindles the desire of heavenly things; the Lydian, which soothes the soul oppressed with too many cares. We distinguish the highest, middle and lowest in each tone, obtaining thus in all fifteen tones of artificial music. The diapason is collected from all, and unites all their virtues.
Classical instances of music: Orpheus. Amphion. Musaeus.
The human voice was an instrument of music. Oratory and Poesy as branches of the art.
The power of song: Ulysses and the Sirens. David, the author of the Psalter, who by his melody three times drove away the evil spirit from Saul. The lyre is called ‘Chorda' because it so easily moves the hearts (corda) of men. As the diadem dazzles by the variegated luster of its gems, so the lyre with its diverse sounds. The lyre, the loom of the Muses. Mercury, the inventor of the lyre, is said to have derived the idea of it from the harmony of the spheres. This astral music, apprehended by reason alone, is said to form one of the delights of heaven.”
(Cf. Migne, Jaques Paul. Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, Series Latinae, Vol. 69, Cassiodori, and Hodgkin, The Letters of Cassiodorus being a condensed translation of the Variae Epistolae of Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus Senator, pp.193-194).
p. 341 note 147. Aristotle, Analytica Priora et Posteriora, Posterior Analytics Chap. 11. Cicero, Oratio Pro Licinio Archia, Oratio IX, “Quasi cognatione quadam” etc.
The translation of is, “All sciences communicate with each other according to common (principles)” “Quasi cognatione quadam” etc.” refers to a quote from Cicero's Oratio Pro Licinio Archia: “Etenim omnes artes, quae ad humanitatem pertinent, habent quoddam commune vinculum, et quasi cognatione quadam inter se continentur”.
“all the liberal arts are nearly allied to each other, and have, as it were, one common bond of union.”
(Cf. Bekker, Aristoteles Opera, Vol. 1, p. 198, and Owen, The Organon, or Logical Treatises of Aristotle, p. 270 & Duncan, Cicero's Select Orations Translated Into English, p. 287)
p. 341 note 152. The missing text from Laertius is as follows:
.
“Timaeus, in the tenth book of his Histories, tells us, that he used to say that women who were married to men had the names of the Gods, being successively called Virgins, then Nymphs, and subsequently Mothers.” (Hicks, Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Vol. 2, p. 330 and Yonge, Diogenes Laertius, The Lives And Opinions of Eminent Philosophers p. 342.)
p. 341 note 157. Iamblichus, De Vita Pythagorica, Chap 6.
'Acousmatics' from , “eager to hear.” (Liddell-Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 53b.)
p. 341 note 159. Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis, Liber I, Chap. 15.
Homacoeion from , “school
,” in turn derived from “fellow hearers,” or “fellow students” in the school of Pythagoras. (Liddell-Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 1220a. Cf. Taylor, Iamblicus' Life of Pythagoras, pp. 38-41.)
page 342 note 190. So read, [Pyrrhus], not Pythius.
The Scholiast of Sophocles incorrectly rendered the name , thus Stanley's note.
(Cf. Mobeim, Marcus. Diogenes Laertii De Vitis, Dogmatibus et Apophthegmatibus Clarorum Philosophorum, p. 491)
p. 343 note 194. , ill rendered, amicorum inopia [“lack of friends”.]
Stanley's note means that the Greek text of Porphyry's Life of Pythagoras, , should be rendered as “want of necessities” rather than the Latin translation amicorum inopia, “lack of friends.” The 1630 edition of Cardinal Barberinus', Porphyrii Philosophi Liber De Vita Pythagoræ p. 39 translates the Greek by the Latin amicorum inopia, the phrase Stanley finds faulty. Likewise, the Eighteenth century translation of Kiessling, Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex Coele-Suria De Vita Pythagorica, Vol. 2, p. 93, retains the reading amicorum inopia. The Greek text reads:
Guthrie's version has, “Pythagoras fled to the temple of the Muses, in Metapontum. There he abode forty days, and starving, died.” (Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p. 134)
p. 343 note 198. Ibid, Chap. 2
“fair-haired Samian,” , was correctly translated “long-haired Samian” by Taylor and Guthrie. (Cf. Taylor, Iamblicus' Life of Pythagoras or Pythagoric Life, p. 5, Guthrie, The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library, p.59. Cf. Liddell-Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 975a., Kiessling, Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex Coele-Suria De Vita Pythagorica, p. 30.)
p. 343 note 225. Perhaps , etc.