Pythagoras Quotes
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Oh, my fellow men, do not defile your bodies with sinful foods. We have corn, we have apples bending down the branches with their weight, and grapes swelling on the vines. There are sweet-flavored herbs, and vegetables which can be cooked and softened over the fire, nor are you denied milk or thyme-scented honey. The earth affords a lavish supply of riches, of innocent foods, and offers you banquets that involve no bloodshed or slaughter; only beasts satisfy their hunger with flesh, and not even all of those, because horses, cattle, and sheep live on grass.
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Silence is better than unmeaning words.
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As soon as you awake, in order Lay the actions to be done the coming day.
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As the sea-crab swimmeth always against the stream, so doth wit always against wisdom.
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Thou shalt likewise know that according to Law, the nature of this universe is in all things a like.
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There is no word or action but has its echo in Eternity.
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It is better to be silent, than to dispute with the Ignorant.
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None can be free who is a slave to, and ruled by, his passions.
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Power is the near neighbour of necessity.
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Disbelieve nothing wonderful concerning the gods, nor concerning divine dogmas.
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Bless us, divine number, who generated gods and men. Number contains the root and source of eternally flowing creation.
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Without Justice, no realm may prosper.
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Every man has been made by God in order to acquire knowledge and contemplate.
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A fool is known by his speech; and a wise man by silence.
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Number is the ruler of forms and ideas, and the cause of gods and demons.
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The stars in the heavens sing a music, if only we had ears to hear.
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Remind yourself that all men assert that wisdom is the greatest good, but that there are few who strenuously seek out that greatest good.
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To cognize the Divine Essence - this is the highest purpose of soul, sent by the Creator to the Earth!
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Do not say a little in many words but a great deal in a few.
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Do not talk a little on many subjects, but much on a few.
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If you're asked: What is the silence? Respond: It is the first stone of the Wisdom's temple.
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There is a good principle which created order, light, and man, and an evil principle which created chaos, darkness, and woman.
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Golden Verses So-called because they are "good as gold." They are by some attributed to Epicarmos, and by others to Empedocles, but always go under the name of Pythagoras, and seem quite in accordance with the excellent precepts of that philosopher. They are as follows: Ne'er suffer sleep thine eyes to close Before thy mind hath run O'er every act, and thought, and word, From dawn to set of sun; For wrong take shame, but grateful feel If just thy course hath been; Such effort day by day renewed Will ward thy soul from sin. E. C. B.
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Truth is to be sought with a mind purified from the passions of the body. Having overcome evil things, thou shalt experience the union of the union mortal divinity with the mortal man.