An Anthology of Ancient Writings Which Relate to Pythagoras and Pythagorean Philosophy

Compiled and Translated by Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie, with additional translations by Thomas Taylor and Arthur Fairbanks, Jr.
Edited and Introduced by David Fideler
With a foreword by Joscelyn Godwin
© 1987, 1988 by Phanes Press

 

Table of Contents:

• Foreword by Joscelyn Godwin

• Preface to the Original Edition by Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie

• Preface to the New Edition

• Introduction by David Fideler

  • Introductory Remarks

  • Pythagoras

  • Number, Kosmos, Harmonia

  • The Monochord: The Mathematics of Harmonic Mediation

  • The Tetraktys: Number as Paradigm

  • The Way of Philosophy and the Three Lives

  • The Soul, its Nature and Care

  • Pythagorean Educational Theory

  • Pythagorean Political and Ethical Theory

  • The Pythagorean Tradition and its Development

  • A Philosophy of Whole Systems

  • Notes to the Introduction

• PART I: THE PYTHAGORAS SOURCEBOOK

• The Life of Pythagoras by Iamblichus of Chalcis

  • 1. The Importance of the Subject

  • 2. His Youth, Education and Travels

  • 3. His Journey to Egypt

  • 4. His Studies in Egypt and Babylonia

  • 5. Travels in Greece; Settlement at Croton

  • 6. The Pythagorean Community

  • 7. Italian Political Achievements

  • 8. His Intuition, Reverence, Temperance and Studiousness

  • 9. Community and Chastity

  • 10. His Advice to youths

  • 11. His Advice to Women

  • 12. Why he Called himself a Philosopher

  • 13. How he Shared Orpheus' Control over Animals

  • 14. On Pythagoras' Preexistence

  • 15. How Pythagoras Cured by Medicine and Music

  • 16. Pythagorean Asceticism

  • 17. The Tests of Pythagorean Initiation

  • 18. The Organization of the Pythagorean School

  • 19. His Relations with Abaris the Hyperborean

  • 20. Psychological Requirements

  • 21. The Pythagorean Daily Program

  • 22. On Pythagorean Friendship

  • 23. The Use of Parables in Instruction

  • 24. His Dietary Suggestions

  • 25. The Pythagorean Use of Music and Poetry

  • 26. His Study of Musical Harmonics

  • 27. Political and Social Achievements of the Pythagoreans

  • 28. Concerning the Divinity of Pythagoras

  • 29. Pythagorean Sciences and Maxims

  • 30. His Theory of Justice and Political Philosophy

  • 31. Pythagorean Temperance and Self-Control

  • 32. Courage or Fortitude

  • 33. Universal Friendship

  • 34. Miscellaneous Topics

  • 35. The Attack on Pythagoreanism

  • 36. The Pythagorean Succession

• The Life of Pythagoras by Porphyry of Tyre

• The Anonymous Life of Pythagoras Preserved by Photius

• The Life of Pythagoras by Diogenes Laertius

  • 1. Early Life

  • 2. Studies

  • 3. Initiations

  • 4. Transmigration

  • 5. Works of Pythagoras

  • 6. General Views of Life

  • 7. Ages of Life

  • 8. Social Customs

  • 9. Distinguished Appearance

  • 10. Women Deified by Marriage

  • 11. Scientific Culture

  • 12. Diet and Sacrifices

  • 13. Measures and Weights

  • 14. Hesperus as Phosphorus

  • 15. Students and Reputation

  • 16. Friendship Founded on Symbols

  • 17. Symbols or Maxims

  • 18. Personal Habits

  • 19. Various Teachings

  • 20. Poetic Testimonies

  • 21. Death of Pythagoras

  • 22. Pythagoras' Family

  • 23. Jesting Epigrams

  • 24. The Last Pythagoreans

  • 25. Various Pythagorases

  • 26. Pythagoras' Letter

  • 27. Empedocles a Pythagorean

• PART II: THE PYTHAGOREAN LIBRARY

• The Pythagorean Symbols or Maxims

• The Golden Verses of Pythagoras

• The Fragments of Philolaus

• The Fragments of Archytas

• Ocellus Lucanus: On the Nature of the Universe

  • A Fragment on Laws

• Hippodamus the Thurian: On Felicity

  • On a Republic

• Diotogenes: On Sanctity

  • Concerning a Kingdom

• Theages: On the Virtues

• The Preface to the Laws of Zaleucus the Locrian

• The Preface to the Laws of Charondas the Catanean

• Callicratidas: On the Felicity of Families

• Perictyone: On the Duties and Harmony of a Woman

• Aristoxenus of Tarentum: Apothegms

• Euryphamus: Concerning Human Life

• Hipparchus: On Tranquility

• Metopus: Concerning Virtue

• Crito: On Prudence and Prosperity

• Polus: On Justice

• Sthenidas the Locrian: On a Kingdom

• Ecphantus the Crotonian: On Kings

• Pempelus: On Parents

• Phyntis, Daughter of Callicrates: On Woman's Temperance

• A Fragment of Clinias

• Select Sentences of Sextus the Pythagorean

• Select Pythagorean Sentences

  1. From The Exhortation to Philosophy of lamblichus

  2. From Stobaeus

  3. From Clement of Alexandria

• The Ethical Fragments of Hierocles

  1. On Conduct Towards the Gods

  2. On Conduct Towards our Country

  3. On Conduct Towards the Parents

  4. On Fraternal Love

  5. On Marriage

  6. On Conduct Towards our Relatives

  7. On Economics

• Timaeus of Locri: On the World and the Soul

• Passages from the Church Fathers

• Passages from Plato and Aristotle

• Passages from the Doxographers

• Appendix I: How Many Tetraktys are There?

• Appendix II: Pythagorean Titles of the First Ten Numbers

• Appendix III: The Formation and Ratios of the Pythagorean Scale

• Appendix IV: Pythagorean Mathematical Discoveries

• Glossary of Select Pythagorean Terms

• Bibliography

• Index of Proper Names

• Index of Select Topics

• LIST OF FIGURES

  • Frontispiece. PYTHAGORAS (From Stanley's History of Philosophy, 1687)

  • 1. UNITY. DUALITY AND HARMONY

  • 2. THE PYTHAGOREAN TABLE OF OPPOSITES

  • 3. SQUARE NUMBER. WITH GNOMONS

  • 4. OBLONG NUMBER. WITH GNOMONS

  • 5. THE MONOCHORD

  • 6. THE HARMONIC NODAL POINTS ON THE MONOCHORD

  • 7. THE HARMONIC PROPORTION

  • 8. THE TETRAKTYS

  • 9. THE THREE LIVES

  • 10. IAMBLICHUS (From Taylor's Life of Pythagoras, 1818)

  • 11. COIN FROM CROTON (From Stanley's History of Philosophy, 1687)

  • 12. THE PYTHAGOREAN Y (From Geoffroy Tory's Champfleury, 1529)

  • 13. THE MUSIC OF THE SPHERES (From Stanley's History of Philosophy, 1687)

  • 14. THE MUSIC OF THE SPHERES (From Gafurius' Practica musice, 1496)

  • 15. A TABLE OF TONE NUMBERS

  • 16. THE REGULAR SOLIDS

  • 17. THE PLATONIC LAMBDA

  • 18. THE DIVINE MONOCHORD (From Robert Fludd's History of the Macrocosm and Microcosm, 1617)

  • 19. THE RATIOS OF THE PYTHAGOREAN SCALE

  • 20. MAP OF THE ANCIENT WORLD