Next, then, let us celebrate in words [Pythagoras’] virtuous deeds no longer in general, but according to the individual virtues. Let us begin first with the gods, as is the custom, and let us try to exhibit his piety, and display for ourselves his marvelous deeds resulting from it, and adorn them with a suitable account.
Let this, then, be one example of it, which we also mentioned earlier: that he recognized his own soul, who it had been, and from where it had entered his body, and his soul’s former lives, and for these he provided clear proofs.
And then there is also the following example: once when crossing the river Nessos with many of his disciples, he spoke to it, and the river replied loud and clear while all listened: ‘Be well, Pythagoras.’
And practically everyone confirms that on one and the same day he was present in Metapontion in Italy and in Tauromenion in Sicily, and conversed with his disciples in both places, although there is a distance of many stades both by land and sea between the two cities, and the journey takes a great many days.
It is a matter of common knowledge that he showed his golden thigh to Abaris the Hyperborean, who guessed that he was the Hyperborean Apollo, whose priest Abaris was. He did this to confirm the truth of Abaris’ supposition, and to show him he was not deceived.
And ten thousand other incidents more divine and wonderful than these are related regularly and consistently about the man: infallible predictions of earthquakes, speedy preventions of plagues and violent winds, immediate cessations of hailstorms, and calmings of river and sea waves for easy passage of his disciples.
These abilities Empedokles the Akragantine, Epimenides the Cretan, and Abaris the Hyperborean shared in various degrees, and they themselves accomplished similar things. Their poems bear clear witness to this: in particular, Empedokles gained the epithet ‘wind averter’; Epimenides, ‘purifier’; and Abaris, ‘ether-treader,’ because, riding on the arrow given him by Apollo of the Hyperboreans, he crossed over rivers, seas and impassable places, like ‘walking on air’ – something many suspect was the case with Pythagoras at that time when he met his disciples on the same day in Metapontion and Tauromenion.
It is also said that [Pythagoras] foretold there would be an earthquake from a well from which he drank, and that a ship sailing before a fair wind would sink.
Let thοse, then, be proofs of his piety. Now I wish to review the principles of worship of the gods as Pythagoras and his disciples established.
When deciding what is to be done or not done, they always aim for agreement with the divine. And this is a principle, and their whole life has been coordinated towards following god. And this is the reasoning of their philosophy: that people are behaving ridiculously when they seek what is good anywhere else aside from the gods, which would be like if someone in a country with monarchist government paid homage to some subordinate ruler while neglecting the king and ruler of everyone. And that is just how they think people behave. For, since there is a god and he is lord of all, and it is agreed that one needs to ask for good from the lord, and everyone gives good things to those whom they love and who please them, and does the opposite for whom they feel the opposite, it is clear that one must do whatever pleases god.
But it is not easy to know what those things are, unless one is supplied by someone who has heard a god, or by hearing a god oneself, or through the divine arts. Therefore they pay serious attention to divination, for this is the only way to interpret the will of the gods. And likewise their diligence will seem worthwhile to one who believes in the gods, but for those to whom either [belief or divination] seems naive, both will.
And among their prohibitions many have been taken from [mystery cult] initiation rites, because they believe there to be something to such things. They do not consider them to be quackery, but to have their origin from some god.
And indeed all Pythagoreans alike have trust in such things, including for example the mythologizing about Aristeas of Prokonnesos and Abaris the Hyperborean, and whatever other similar stories are told. For they put their trust in all such things, and they even experience such things themselves. They narrate from memory stories that seem mythical, as they disbelieve nothing that could lead up to the divine. […]
And so far as all such things are concerned, they consider not themselves to be foolish, but those who disbelieve. For it cannot be that some things are possible for god, and others impossible, as the sophisticated suppose, but everything is possible.
And this is the beginning of the verses the [Pythagoreans] say are by Linos, but are probably their own:
Everything should be hoped for, since nothing is beyond hope.
Everything is easy for a god to fulfill, and nothing is without end.
And they are led to trust in these things that they have taken up by this: that the first to say them was not just anyone, but the god. And one of their sayings is: ‘Who are you, Pythagoras?’ For they say he is Hyperborean Apollo.
And the proofs of this are that at the games he stood up and showed his golden thigh, and that he hosted Abaris the Hyperborean, and took his arrow from him, with which he was steered.
And they say Abaris came from the Hyperboreans, collecting gold for its temple, and foretelling a plague. He would reside in sacred places, and was never seen drinking or eating. And they say also that among the Lakedaimonians he made preventive sacrifices, and because of them there has never since been another plague in Lakedaimon. [Pythagoras] therefore took away the golden arrow that Abaris had, without which he was not the sort who could find his way, and [Pythagoras] made him a disciple.
And in Metapontion, when some people expressed their wish for the cargo of a ship sailing in to become theirs, [Pythagoras] said: ‘Then you will have a corpse,’ and the ship appeared carrying a corpse.
And in Sybaris he caught the thick, murderous snake and sent it away, and likewise in Tyrrenia with the small snake whose bite was fatal.
And in Kroton, he stroked the white eagle while it remained still for him, so they say.
When someone wanted to hear him speak, he said he would not until some sign appeared, and after that the white bear appeared in Kaulonia.
And he himself foretold the death of his son to one who was about to announce it to him.
Also he reminded Myllias the Krotonian that he had been Midas son of Gordios, and Myllias went to that land in order to perform rites at [Midas’] grave as [Pythagoras] instructed.
They also say that the one who bought and dug up Pythagoras’ house did not dare tell anyone what he saw, and because of this offense he was arrested in Kroton for committing sacrilege and put to death, for he was seen taking the golden beard that had fallen from the god’s statue.
[…]
If someone, then, wants to learn from where these [Pythagoreans] received such a degree of piety, it must be said that a clear model for Pythagorean theology according to number is found in Orpheus. It is certainly no longer doubtful that Pythagoras took his inspiration from Orpheus when he organized his treatise On Gods, which he also entitled The Sacred Discourse, since it sprang from the most mystic part of the Orphic corpus. […]
It is certainly clear from this Sacred Discourse who gave Pythagoras the discourse on gods, for it says: ‘This is what I Pythagoras, son of Mnemarchus, learned on initiation in the Thrakian Libethra, from Aglaophamos the initiator, who communicated to me that Orpheus, son of Kalliope, taught by his mother on Pangaιon, said: The eternal being of number is a most provident principle of the whole heaven, earth, and of the intermediate nature; moreover it is a source of permanence for the divine and gods and daimones.’ From this, then, it is clear that he derived the idea of the essence of the gods as defined by number from the Orphics.
He created also, by means of the same numbers, both a marvelous degree of foreknowledge and a system of worship of the gods according to numbers, as much akin to their nature as possible. One may gather this from the following consideration (for one must also furnish an actual proof as guarantee of one’s statements): since Abaris continued to be engaged in his usual sacrifices, and pursued the type of divination that is most valued by every race of barbarians, divination by means of animal sacrifices, and especially bird sacrifices (for the entrails of such are deemed to yield accurate predictions), Pythagoras, not wishing to deprive him of his zeal for truth, but to provide him with a more trusty means to it, free of blood and butchery (especially since he considered the cock sacred to the sun), produced for him that which is called ‘all-true’ (παναληθές), organized by means of arithmetical knowledge.
Author: Iamblichos of Chalkis
Title of Work: On the Pythagorean Life
Location in Work: 28/134-142 and 145-147
Date of Work: c. 310 CE
Original Language: Greek (Attic)
Original Text:
To δὴ μετὰ τοῦτο μηκέθ’ οὑτωσὶ κοινῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατ᾽ ἰδίαν ἀποτεμόμενοι τὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἔργα αὐτοῦ τῷ λόγῳ κοσμήσωμεν. ἀρξώμεθα δὲ πρῶτον ἀπὸ θεῶν, ὥσπερ καὶ νομίζεται, τήν τε ὁσιότητα αὐτοῦ πειραθῶμεν ἐπιδεῖξαι καὶ τὰ ἀπ’ αὐτῆς θαυμαστὰ ἔργα ἐπιδείξωμεν ἑαυτοῖς καὶ τῷ λόγῳ κοσμήσωμεν.
ἕν μὲν οὖν δεῖγμα αὐτῆς ἐκεῖνο ἔστω, οὗ καὶ πρότερον ἐμνημονεύσαμεν, ὅτι δὴ ἐγίνωσκε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν, τίς ἣν καὶ πόθεν εἰς τὸ σῶμα εἰσεληλύθει, τούς τε προτέρους αὐτῆς βίους, καὶ τούτων πρόδηλα τεκμήρια παρεῖχε.
μετὰ τοῦτο τοίνυν ἐκεῖνο. Νέσσον ποτὲ τὸν ποταμὸν σὺν πολλοῖς τῶν ἑταίρων διαβαίνων προσεῖπε τῇ φωνῇ, καὶ ὁ ποταμὸς γεγωνόν τι καὶ τρανὸν ἀπεφθέγξατο πάντων ἀκουόντων· “χαῖρε, Πυθαγόρα”.
ἔτι μιᾷ καὶ τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἔν τε Μεταποντίῳ τῆς Ἰταλίας καὶ ἐν Ταυρομενίῳ τῆς Σικελίας συγγεγονέναι καὶ διειλέχθαι κοινῇ τοῖς ἑκατέρωθι ἑταίροις αὐτὸν διαβεβαιοῦνται σχεδὸν ἅπαντες, σταδίων ἐν μεσαιχμίῳ παμπόλλων καὶ κατὰ γῆν καὶ κατὰ θάλατταν ὑπαρχόντων, οὐδ᾽ ἡμέραις ἀνυσίμων πάνυ πολλαῖς.
τὸ μὲν γὰρ ὅτι τὸν μηρὸν χρύσεον ἐπέδειξεν Ἀβάριδι τῷ Ὑπερβορέῳ, εἰκάσαντι αὐτὸν Ἀπόλλωνα εἶναι τὸν [ἐν] Ὑπερβορέοις, οὗπερ ἦν ἱερεὺς ὁ Ἄβαρις, βεβαιοῦντα ὡς τοῦτο ἀληθὲς ὑπολαμβάνοι καὶ οὐ διαψεύδοιτο, καὶ πάνυ τεθρύλληται.
καὶ μυρία ἕτερα τούτων θειότερα καὶ θαυμαστότερα περὶ τἀνδρὸς ὁμαλῶς καὶ συμφώνως ἱστορεῖται, προρρήσεις τε σεισμῶν ἀπαράβατοι καὶ λοιμῶν ἀποτροπαὶ σὺν τάχει καὶ ἀνέμων βιαίων χαλαζῶν τε χύσεως παραυτίκα κατευνήσεις καὶ κυμάτων ποταμίων τε καὶ θαλασσίων ἀπευδιασμοὶ πρὸς εὐμαρῆ τῶν ἑταίρων διάβασιν.
ὧν μεταλαβόντας Ἐμπεδοκλέα τε τὸν Ἀκραγαντῖνον καὶ Ἐπιμενίδην τὸν Κρῆτα καὶ Ἄβαριν τὸν Ὕπερβόρειον πολλαχῇ καὶ αὐτοὺς τοιαῦτά τινα ἐπιτετελεκέναι. δῆλα δ᾽ αὐτῶν τὰ ποιήματα ὑπάρχει, ἄλλως τε καὶ ἀλεξανέμας μὲν ὄν τὸ ἐπώνυμον Ἐμπεδοκλέους, καθαρτὴς δὲ τὸ Ἐπιμενίδου, αἰθροβάτης δὲ τὸ Ἀβάριδος, ὅτι ἄρα ὀιστῷ τοῦ ἐν Ὕπερβορέοις Ἀπόλλωνος δωρηθέντι αὐτῷ ἐποχούμενος ποταμούς τε καὶ πελάγη καὶ τὰ ἄβατα διέβαινεν, ἀεροβατῶν τρόπον τινά, ὅπερ ὑπενόησαν καὶ Πυθαγόραν τινὲς πεπονθέναι τότε. ἡνίκα καὶ ἐν Μεταποντίῳ καὶ ἐν Ταυρομενίῳ τοῖς ἑκατέρωθι ἑταίροις ὡμίλησε τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ.
λέγεται δ᾽ ὅτι καὶ σεισμὸν ἐσόμενον ἀπὸ φρέατος, οὗ ἐγεύσατο, προηγόρευσε, καὶ περὶ νεὼς οὐριοδρομούσης, ὅτι καταποντισθήσεται.
καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἔστω τεκμήρια τῆς εὐσεβείας αὐτοῦ. βούλομαι δὲ ἄνωθεν τὰς ἀρχὰς ὑποδεῖξαι τῆς τῶν θεῶν θρησκείας, ἃς προεστήσατο Πυθαγόρας τε καὶ οἱ ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἄνδρες.
ἅπαντα ὅσα περὶ τοῦ πράττειν ἢ μὴ πράττειν διορίζουσιν ἐστόχασται τῆς πρὸς τὸ θεῖον ὁμολογίας, καὶ ἀρχὴ αὕτη ἐστὶ καὶ βίος ἅπας συντέτακται πρὸς τὸ ἀκολουθεῖν τῷ θεῷ, καὶ ὁ λόγος οὗτος ταύτης ἐστὶ τῆς φιλοσοφίας, ὅτι γελοῖον ποιοῦσιν ἄνθρωποι ἄλλοθέν ποθεν ζητοῦντες τὸ εὖ ἢ παρὰ τῶν θεῶν, καὶ ὅμοιον ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις ἐν βασιλευομένῃ χώρᾳ τῶν πολιτῶν τινὰ ὕπαρχον θεραπεύσῃ, ἀμελήσας αὐτοῦ τοῦ πάντων ἄρχοντος καὶ βασιλεύοντος· τοιοῦτον γὰρ οἴονται ποιεῖν καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἔστι τε θεὸς καὶ οὗτος πάντων κύριος, δεῖν δὲ ὡμολόγηται παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου τἀγαθὸν αἰτεῖν, πάντες τε, οὓς μὲν ἂν φιλῶσι καὶ οἷς ἂν χαίρωσι, τούτοις διδόασι τἀγαθά, πρὸς δὲ οὓς ἐναντίως ἔχουσι, τἀναντία, δῆλον ὅτι ταῦτα πρακτέον, οἷς τυγχάνει ὁ θεὸς χαίρων.
ταῦτα δὲ οὐ ῥᾴδιον εἰδέναι, ἂν μή τις ἢ θεοῦ ἀκηκοότος ἢ θεοῦ ἀκούσῃ ἢ διὰ τέχνης θείας πορίζηται. διὸ καὶ περὶ τὴν μαντικὴν σπουδάζουσι· μόνη γὰρ αὕτη ἑρμηνεία τῆς παρὰ τῶν θεῶν διανοίας ἐστί. καὶ ὁμῶς δὲ τὴν αὐτῶν πραγματείαν ἀξίαν [ἄν] τῳ δόξειεν εἶναι τῷ οἰομένῳ θεοὺς εἶναι, τοῖς δ᾽ εὐήθειαν θάτερον τούτων καὶ ἀμφότερα.
ἔστι δὲ καὶ τῶν ἀποταγμάτων τὰ πολλὰ ἐκ τελετῶν εἰσενηνεγμένα, διὰ τὸ οἴεσθαί τι εἶναι αὐτοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα καὶ μὴ νομίζειν ἀλαζονείαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπό τινος θεοῦ ἔχειν τὴν ἀρχήν.
καὶ τοῦτό γε πάντες οἱ Πυθαγόρειοι ὁμῶς ἔχουσι πιστευτικῶς, οἷον περὶ Ἀριστέου τοῦ Προκοννησίου καὶ Ἀβάριδος τοῦ Ὑπερβορέου τὰ μυθολογούμενα καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα τοιαῦτα λέγεται. πᾶσι γὰρ πιστεύουσι τοῖς τοιούτοις, πολλὰ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ πειρῶνται τῶν τοιούτων δέ, τῶν δοκούντων μυθικῶν, ἀπομνημονεύουσιν ὡς οὐδὲν ἀπιστοῦντες ὅ τι ἂν εἰς τὸ θεῖον ἀνάγηται. [...]
ὥστε πρὸς πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα οὐχὶ αὑτοὺς εὐήθεις νομίζουσιν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀπιστοῦντας· οὐ γὰρ εἶναι τὰ μὲν δυνατὰ τῷ Θεῷ, τὰ δὲ ἀδύνατα, ὥσπερ οἴεσθαι τοὺς σοφιζομένους, ἀλλὰ πάντα δυνατά.
καὶ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἡ αὐτή ἐστι τῶν ἐπῶν, ἃ ἐκεῖνοί φασι μὲν εἶναι Λίνου, ἔστι μέντοι ἴσως ἐκείνων·
ἔλπεσθαι χρὴ πάντ᾽, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἔστ’ οὐδὲν ἄελπτον·
ῥᾴδια πάντα θεῷ τελέσαι, καὶ ἀνήνυτον οὐδέν.
τὴν δὲ πίστιν τῶν παρ’ αὑτοῖς ὑπολήψεων ἡγοῦνται εἶναι, ταύτην, ὅτι ἦν ὁ πρῶτος εἰπὼν αὐτὰ οὐχ ὁ τυχών, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ θεός. καὶ ἓν τοῦτο τῶν ἀκουσμάτων ἐστί· “τίς εἶ, Πυθαγόρα;” φασὶ γὰρ εἶναι Ἀπόλλωνα Ὑπερβόρεον·
τούτου δὲ τεκμήρια ἔχεσθαι ὅτι ἐν τῷ ἀγῶνι ἐξανιστάμενος τὸν ηρὸν παρέφηνε χρυσοῦν καὶ ὅτι Ἄβαριν τὸν Ὑπερβόρεον εἱστία καὶ τὴν ὀιστὸν αὐτοῦ ἀφείλετο, ἧ ἐκυβερνᾶτο.
λέγεται δὲ ὁ Ἄβαρις ἐλθεῖν ἐξ Ὑπερβορέων, ἀγείρων χρυσὸν εἰς τὸν νεὼν καὶ προλέγων λοιμὸν. κατέλυε δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς, καὶ οὔτε πίνων οὔτε ἐσθίων ὤφθη ποτὲ οὐθέν. λέγεται δὲ καὶ ἐν Λακεδαιμονίοις θῦσαι τὰ κωλυτήρια, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐδεπώποτε ὕστερον ἐν Λακεδαίμονι λοιμὸν γενέσθαι. τοῦτον οὖν τὸν Ἄβαριν παρελόμενος ἣν εἶχεν ὀιστὸν χρυσῆν, ἧς ἄνευ οὐχ οἷός τ’ ἦν τὰς ὁδοὺς ἐξευρίσκειν, ὁμολογοῦντα ἐποίησε.
καὶ ἐν Μεταποντίῳ, εὐξαμένων τινῶν γενέσθαι αὐτοῖς τὰ ἐν τῷ προσπλέοντι πλοίῳ, “νεκρὸς τοίνυν ἂν ὑμῖν” ἔφη, καὶ ἐφάνη νεκρὸν ἄγον τὸ πλοῖον.
καὶ ἐν Συβάρει τὸν ὄφιν τὸν ἀποκτείναντα τὸν δασὺν ἔλαβε καὶ ἀπεπέμψατο, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὸν ἐν Τυρρηνίᾳ τὸν μικρὸν ὄφιν, ὃς ἀπέκτεινε δάκνων.
ἐν Κρότωνι δὲ τὸν ἀετὸν τὸν λευκὸν κατέψησεν ὑπομείναντα, ὥς φασι.
βουλομένου δέ τινος ἀκούειν οὐκ ἔφη πω λέξειν πρὶν ἢ σημεῖόν τι φανῇ, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐγένετο ἐν Καυλωνίᾳ ἣ λευκὴ ἄρκτος.
καὶ πρὸς τὸν μέλλοντα ἐξαγγέλλειν αὐτῷ τὸν τοῦ υἱοῦ θάνατον προεῖπεν αὐτός.
καὶ Μυλλίαν τὸν Κροτωνιάτην ἀνέμνησεν, ὅτι ἦν Μίδας ὁ Γορδίου, καὶ ᾤχετο ὁ Μυλλίας εἰς τὴν ἤπειρον, ποιήσων ὅσα ἐπὶ τῷ τάφῳ ἐκέλευσε.
λέγουσι δὲ καὶ ὅτι τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ ὁ πριάμενος καὶ ἀνορύξας, ἃ μὲν εἶδεν οὐδενὶ ἐτόλμησεν εἰπεῖν, ἀντὶ δὲ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ταύτης ἐν Κρότωνι ἱεροσυλῶν ἐλήφθη καὶ ἀπέθανε· τὸ γὰρ γένειον ἀποπεσὸν τοῦ ἀγάλματος τὸ χρυσοῦν ἐφωράθη λαβών.
[...]
πόθεν δὴ οὖν τὴν τοσαύτην εὐσέβειαν παρέλαβον οὗτοι οἱ ἄνδρες, εἴ τις βούλοιτο μαθεῖν, ῥητέον ὡς τῆς Πυθαγορικῆς κατ᾽
ἀριθμὸν θεολογίας παράδειγμα ἐναργὲς ἔκειτο παρὰ Ὀρφεῖ. οὐκέτι δὴ οὖν ἀμφίβολον γέγονε τὸ τὰς ἀφορμὰς παρὰ Ὀρφέως λαβόντα Πυθαγόραν συντάξαι τὸν περὶ θεῶν λόγον, ὃν καὶ ἱερὸν διὰ τοῦτο ἐπέγραψεν, ὡς ἂν ἐκ τοῦ μυστικωτάτου ἀπηνθισμένον παρὰ Ὀρφεῖ τόπου.[...]
δηλοῦται δὴ διὰ τοῦ ἱεροῦ λόγου τούτου καὶ τίς ἦν ὁ παραδεδωκὼς Πυθαγόρᾳ τὸν περὶ θεῶν λόγον. λέγει γάρ· “ὅδε περὶ θεῶν Πυθαγόρα τῶ Μνημάρχω, τὸν ἐξέμαθον ὀργιασθεὶς ἐν Λιβήθροις τοῖς Θρᾳκίοις, Ἀγλαοφάμω τελεστᾶ μεταδόντος, ὡς ἄρα Ὀρφεὺς ὁ Καλλιόπας κατὰ τὸ Πάγγαιον ὄρος ὑπὸ τᾶς ματρὸς πινυσθεὶς ἔφα, τὰν ἀριθμῶ οὐσίαν ἀίδιον ἔμμεν ἀρχὰν προμαθεστάταν τῶ παντὸς ὠρανῶ καὶ γᾶς καὶ τᾶς μεταξὺ φύσιος, ἔτι δὲ καὶ θείων [ἀνθρώπων] καὶ θεῶν καὶ δαιμόνων διαμονᾶς ῥίζαν.” ἐκ δὴ τούτων φανερὸν γέγονεν ὅτι τὴν ἀριθμῷ ὡρισμένην οὐσίαν τῶν θεῶν παρὰ τῶν Ὀρφικῶν παρέλαβεν.
ἐποιεῖτο δὲ διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀριθμῶν καὶ θαυμαστὴν πρόγνωσιν καὶ θεραπείαν τῶν θεῶν κατὰ τοὺς ἀριθμοὺς ὅτι μάλιστα συγγενεστάτην. Ὑνοίη δ᾽ ἄν τις τοῦτο ἐντεῦθεν· δεῖ γὰρ καὶ ἔργον τι παρασχέσθαι εἰς πίστιν τοῦ [δὲ] λεγομένου. ἐπειδὴ Ἄβαρις περὶ τὰ συνήθη ἑαυτῷ ἱερουργήματα διετέλει ὥν καὶ τὴν σπουδαζομένην παντὶ βαρβάρων γένει πρόγνωσιν διὰ θυμάτων ἐπορίζετο, μάλιστα τῶν ὀρνιθείων (τὰ γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων σπλάγχνα ἀκριβῆ πρὸς διάσκεψιν ἡγοῦνται), βουλόμενος ὃ Πυθαγόρας μὴ ἀφαιρεῖν μὲν αὐτοῦ τὴν εἰς τἀληθὲς σπουδήν, παρασχεῖν δὲ διά τινος ἀσφαλεστέρου καὶ χωρὶς αἵματος καὶ σφαγῆς, ἄλλως τε καὶ ὅτι ἱερὸν ἡγεῖτο εἶναι τὸν ἀλεκτρυόνα ἡλίῳ, τὸ λεγόμενον παναληθὲς ἀπετέλεσεν αὐτῷ, δι᾽ ἀριθμητικῆς ἐπιστήμης συντεταγμένον.
Reference Edition: Klein and Deubner, De Vita Pythagorica
Translation Notes: Dillon and Hershbell, Pythagorean Way (revised)
Source of Date of Work: Dillon and Hershbell, Pythagorean Way, 20-23
Commentary:
Iamblichos’ elder contemporary Porphyry included a very close but not verbatim copy of paragraphs 2-7 of this text (from ‘that he recognized his own soul’ through ‘on the same day in Metapontion and Tauromenion’) in his Life of Pythagoras (27-29). It appears that Iamblichos and Porphyry both copied this material from a common source, probably Nikomachos of Gerasa, a Neo-Pythagorean who wrote c. 100 CE and was cited as a source by Porphyry earlier in his book (Life of Pythagoras, 20; see BNJ Nikomachos of Gerasa F1).
Many of the characters listed in this excerpt were, as Aristeas became, legendary sages and miracle-workers venerated by Pythagoreans. Aristeas was also mentioned together with Pythagoras by: Apollonios the paradoxographer, who also told stories of the corpse cargo, the Tyrrenian snake, the river’s greeting, being in Italy and Sicily simultaneously, and showing the golden thigh; Maximus of Tyre, who told a fuller story of Pythagoreas’ reincarnation; Tzetzes and Clement of Alexandria. Iamblichos included Aristeas (and Abaris and Empedokles) among a list of known Pythagoreans, although Aristeas’ life was usually set earlier than Pythagoras. Aside from Iamblichos’ book on Pythagoras and Pythagoreans, Porphyry and Diogenes Laertios (8.1) wrote biographies, of which the latter has the fullest account of Pythagoras’ incarnations. For testimonies and fragments of texts attributed to him, see DK Pythagoras (14). See also Huffmann, Pythagoreanism and Guthrie, Pythagorean Sourcebook.
Epimenides was mentioned together with Aristeas by Pliny the elder, Apollonios the paradoxographer, Maximus of Tyre (twice), Proklos of Lykia, Tatian, Clement of Alexandria and Claudianus Mamertus. A biography of Epimenides was written by Diogenes Laertios (1.10). For testimonies and fragments of writings attributed to him see BNJ Epimenides von Kreta (457) and DK Epimenides (3).
Abaris was a legendary figure associated with Hyperborea, Apollo and cult practices in Athens, who was also incorporated into Pythagorean legends. He was mentioned together with Aristeas by: Celsus and Origen, who also told the story of Abaris flying on an arrow (which in earlier stories Abaris carried); Apollonios the paradoxographer, who also told stories of Abaris foretelling calamities and saving Sparta from plague; and Clement of Alexandria. In another excerpt from the same book, Iamblichos tells how Abaris flew on the arrow and then became Pythagoras’ disciple.
Empedokles was a mid-5th century philosopher from the Greek colony of Akragas in Sicily. He was also mentioned together with Aristeas in works by Gregory of Nazianzos, Clement of Alexandria and Tzetzes. For late legends of his life see Diogenes Laertios (8.2). On his philosophy, Kingsley and Parry, Empedocles. For testimonies and fragments of texts attributed to him, DK Empedokles (31).
Concordance: EGEP Aristeas T14; EGF Aristeas T13; PEG Aristeas T15; Bolton, Aristeas T&F 22; BNJ Nikomachos of Gerasa (1064) F1