The Life Of Pythagoras

by Porphyry, Plotinus, Iamblichus (Creator)

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Genres: Philosophy, History, Biography, Mathematics, Religion, Nonfiction, Esoterica

376 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 300

About the author

Porphyry's parents were Phoenician, and he was born in Tyre. His parents named him Malchus ("king") but his teacher in Athens, Cassius Longinus, gave him the name Porphyrius ("clad in purple"), possibly a reference to his Phoenician heritage, or a punning allusion to his name and the color of royal robes.

Porphyry of Tyre (Greek: Πορφύριος, Porphyrios, AD c. 234–c. 305) was a Neoplatonic philosopher who was born in Tyre. He edited and published the Enneads, the only collection of the work of his teacher Plotinus. He also wrote many works himself on a wide variety of topics. His Isagoge, or Introduction, is an introduction to logic and philosophy,and in Latin translation it was the standard textbook on logic throughout the Middle Ages. In addition, through several of his works, most notably Philosophy from Oracles and Against the Christians, he was involved in a controversy with a number of early Christians, and his commentary on Euclid's Elements was used as a source by Pappus of Alexandria. (Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Peter J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was stunned by the profundity of this work once it moved past the history and into the remnants of Pythagorean philosophical writings compiled by Taylor. Though there are parts of the underlying Pythagorean philosophy that are obviously, intentionally obscured and forever lost since the cruel murder of the bulk of its adherents, what remains is painfully tantalizing. I have long loved Neoplatonist and Platonist works, but this work made very clear to me that most Platonic and even Aristotelian thought merely expands upon the Philosophy of the Pythagoreans, who themselves expanded upon and improved that of the Orphic doctrines.

[Andrew Fairweather]

A wild biography of someone whose origins are themselves pretty obscure. I’ve been reading a lot in Walter Burkert’s work on the man about how Pythagoras and his cult straddled the world of the ionian physicists and the world of philosophy proper, and Iamblichus’ biography was interesting to read in relation to this. Iamblichus’ Pythagoras is a sort of Christ-like figure, one not properly understood as someone who merely served as a precursor to various mathematical and scientific theories. But to really understand where his ideas came from, we must regard him as a religious thinker. But much of what I wish to discuss must be done elsewhere...

[BookLab by Bjorn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a new sub-genre for me; ‘Biographies about ancient dudes written by other ancient dudes’. Iamblichus wrote this book about Pythagoras life and teachings around 300 AD.
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The book is fascinating, often boring and sometimes complicated.
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📝 He traveled everywhere he thought he could find wisdom. “He thus passed 22 year in the sanctuary of temples, studying astronomy and geometry and being initiates in no casual or superficial manner to the mysteries of the gods”. On top of that he studied 12 years of the sciences.
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📝 He was regraded as a divinity and was a cult leader.
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📝 People looking for apprenticeship with Pythagoras were studied and observed for a long before getting a thumbs up for a position. If they passed these initial tests they had to spend 5 years in silence to learn to control their speech before they where allowed see Pythagoras face to face.
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📝 According to this book, Pythagoras l could tame animals by talking to them, be in several places at the same time and speak to rivers. (This book reminds me of Autobiography of a Yogi in many ways..)
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⭐️ TAKEAWAY:
Pythagoras studied diligently under the best mentors in the world for +33 years. Then he started his career as a teacher. In modern society we expect things to go fast. For me this is was a great reminder of the value of playing long game and be patient. 🕰
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⭐️ TAKEAWAY 2:
Now I have this weird urge to join a sect for some reason. 🤔😅
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⚖️ VERDICT: I’m happy I read it but I don’t think this is for everyone.
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⁉️Who’s your favorite character of the ancient world⁉️
.
2/5

[Vasilis Kanatas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ο Βίος του Πυθαγόρα, η φιλοσοφία του και η σχολή του περιγράφονται από τον Ιάμβλιχο τον Χαλκιδέα (της Κοίλης Συρίας) με αδρές γραμμές μόλις 7 αιώνες μετά τον θάνατο του μεγάλου φιλόσοφου. Το πλούσιο σε αναφορές και υποσημειώσεις βιβλίο βοηθά στην κατανόηση της αρχαίας αυτής γνώσης και της συνεισφοράς των Πυθαγόριων στην Ελληνική και την Παγκόσμια κουλτούρα.
Αν και δεν σώθηκε κάποιο έργο του Πυθαγόρα, πιθανότατα δεν έγραψε έργα για την φιλοσοφία του, με το βιβλίο του Ιάμβλιχου προσεγγίζουμε επαρκώς την ζωή και το έργο του.

[Marc]

Divides into two parts
Jamblichus: rather difficult text with many repetitions, and especially dealing with the teachings of Pythagoras
Porphyry: Much better structured story than Jamblichus. Constant reference to sources and their different versions

[Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book in three parts: 1) a very brief biography of Pythagoras, 2) the history of the society/school he founded, 3) excerpts of teachings written down by his students.

Pythagoras was named after the Pythian Oracle, who prophesied to his father about his future son. He studied in Egypt and Babylon, returning to his native island of Samos in his 50s. He later moved to southern Italy, later called Magna Graecia on account of it ending up being filled with philosophers. Many different miracles are ascribed to him, including taming/talking with wild animals, healings, bilocations, prophecy, and having a “golden thigh”. These were considered proof that he was the incarnation of the god Apollo.

Pythagoras taught about universal order as evidenced through mathematics. He taught reincarnation, promoted vegetarianism, and a greater equality for women. His school he founded was explicitly esoteric, with new initiates required to not speak for their first several years after joining. All teachings were transmitted orally and not to be shared with the uninitiated. There are legends of a husband and his pregnant wife who were both captured by a king who wanted to have them reveal Pythagoras’ teaching. The woman bit off her own tongue and spit it out at him. Other followers were being pursued by enemies and stopped running rather than trample through a bean field as beans had a mystical symbolism. There are many other restrictions on daily life, such as always putting your right shoe on first and not sacrificing white chickens, which had symbolism behind them.

Pythagoreans, or philosophers as he was the first to call himself one, were to live in ascetic communistic societies. Luxury was considered a cause of injustice, and temperance was upheld in food, clothing and habitation. Pythagoras said “luxury enters into cities in the first place, afterwards satiety, then lascivious insolence, and after all these destruction.” He was a sharp critic of the “rabble” and common people, most of whom were not worthy of being his students.

Hostility against the Pythagoreans grew, chiefly among those excluded by them. Pythagoras himself committing suicide and his followers being scattered and killed.

The book was written by Iamblichus, the Neoplatonic Arab philosopher from the third century AD in Syria. Written in a captivating style. There isn’t much material on Pythagoras life before returning to Greece. It would be interesting to learn more about with whom or what he studied in Egypt and Babylon, but Iamblichus is writing almost 900 years later.

[Katarina Milojevic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odličan pogovor Milana Tasića!

[Christopher Plaisance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sometimes meandering but always interesting biography of Pythagoras is incredibly telling not only as to the origins of Pythagoreanism, but also of its author, Iamblichus. As with all of Taylor's translations, although accuracy sometimes suffers at the hands of poeticized prose. However, Taylor's intensely personal relationships with the Hellenistic texts imbues his translations with a sympathetic understanding that, I think, aids in holistic comprehension.

[Sosen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Q: How many Pythagoreans does it take to screw in a lightbulb? A: Three: one to donate their lightbulb to the brotherhood, one to screw it in, and one to guard the secret. Q: Why did the Pythagorean cross the road? A: The only food we have on this side is beans. Q: What happens when you invite a Pythagorean to the Illuminati? A: That's impossible, Pythagoreans don't exist anymore. Seriously though this book is a hidden gem. It's actually split into three parts, which I didn't even know until I finished the first part. The biography by Iamblichus is the first and largest section. Secondly, a collection of essays by various authors of Plato's time. That's something like 700 years earlier than the main text. Third, a few pages of aphorisms, quite excellent. As for the biography, I love Iamblichus' prose, but the chapters are repetitive and not particularly edifying. For instance, if you want to know why Pythagoreans don't eat beans, Iamblichus won't give you a very good reason as to why this is, but he'll mention it several times to make sure you remember. So yeah, the essays and aphorisms are the main reason you should read this, although you can probably find them in other books. In summary, the Pythagoreans were the original Puritans, Freemasons, and Commies all at the same time. And I think they're right about the beans, I just ate nearly a pound of black beans, and it didn't make me feel all that great. Does this look like something you want to put in your body? (Actual picture of the beans I (h)ate...) But I have one more question: What kind of jokes did the Pythagoreans tell each other? I can't think of a good answer for that, much less a good punchline. They seemed rather un-fun.

[Maan Kawas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book about the life of Pythagoras and his tenets; however, it also includes fragments and sentences written by other Pythagoreans. I enjoyed the book but found the parts on numbers and harmony difficult.

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and interesting biography of Pythagoras, learned a lot.
"6. As to his knowledge, it is said that he learned the mathematical sciences from the Egyptians, Chaldeans and Phoenicians; for of' old the Egyptians excelled, in geometry, the Phoenicians in numbers and proportions, and the Chaldeans of astronomical theorems, divine rites, and worship of the Gods; other secrets concerning the course of life he received and learned from the Magi.

37. His utterances were of two kinds, plain or symbolical. His teaching was twofold: of his disciples some were called Students, and others Hearers. The Students learned the fuller and more exactly elaborate reasons of science, while the Hearers heard only the chief heads of learning, without more detailed explanations.

42. He had also another kind of symbol, such as, pass not over a balance; that is, Shun avarice. Poke not the fire with a sword, that is, we ought not to excite a man full of fire and anger with sharp language. Pluck not a crown, meant not to violate the laws, which are the crowns of cities. Eat not the heart, signified not to afflict ourselves with sorrows. Do not sit upon a [pack]-measure, meant, do not live ignobly. On starting a journey, do not turn back, meant, that this life should not be regretted, when near the bourne of death. Do not walk in the public way, meant, to avoid the opinions of the multitude, adopting those of the learned and the few. Receive not swallows into your house, meant, not to admit under the same roof garrulous and intemperate men. Help a man to take up a burden, but not to lay it down, meant, to encourage no one to be indolent, but to apply oneself to labor and virtue. Do not carry the images of the Gods in rings, signified that one should not at once to the vulgar reveal one's opinions about the Gods, or discourse about them. Offer libations to the Gods, just to the ears of the cup, meant, that we ought to worship and celebrate the Gods with music, for that penetrates through the ears. Do not eat those things that are unlawful, sexual or increase, beginning nor end, nor the first basis of all things.

53. This primary philosophy of the Pythagoreans finally died out first, because it was enigmatical, and then because their commentaries were written in Doric, which dialect itself is somewhat obscure, so that Doric teachings were not fully understood, and they became misapprehended, and finally spurious, and later, they who published them no longer were Pythagoreans. The Pythagoreans affirm that Plato, Aristotle, Speusippus, Aristoxenus and Xenocrates; appropriated the best of them, making but minor changes (to distract attention from this their theft), they later collected and delivered as characteristic Pythagorean doctrines whatever therein was most trivial, and vulgar, and whatever had been invented by envious and calumnious persons, to cast contempt on Pythagoreanism.
When died the Pythagoreans, with them also died their knowledge, which till then than they had kept secret, except for a few obscure things which were commonly repeated by those who did not understand them. Pythagoras himself left no book; but some little sparks of his philosophy, obscure and difficult, were preserved by the few who were preserved by being scattered, as were Lysis and Archippus.

[John Cairns · Rating 3 out of 5]

377 pages long in fact because the second book, Pythagorean Library, starts enumerating from scratch. Good, since it makes available everything to do with Pythagoras who patently influenced Plato and Aristotle, as is claimed by the translator. There's large agreement among the Pythagoreans who use many of the same tropes. It's as sententious as people on Facebook trying to look good but to an anxious degree as if they might live the conservative morality they're naively advocating while knowing it's unrealistic. The reality comes through on what they're choosing to negate. Effeminacy is a curious evil for them and I wondered if they meant something other than appearance by it. One writer makes it clear while suggesting husbands and wives should do each other's designated duties that on no account should any man take up spinning like slight, effeminate men do. Omphale's punishment of Heracles comes to mind.

Some was preserved by Christians and one can see why; the morality is much the same: do unto others as you would have them do to you for example. There's the like insistence on divinity and divine punishment though, also, the like lack of any evidence of spirituality. They talk of notion or concept of God without any suggestion of experience of him in any way whatsoever. One wonders, apart from the convenience to authority, why they thought god existed. There's much talk of a king being his representative although they were aristocratic politically, thinking the people should play a part but not greatly because you know what common people are like!

I'm not being let put this in my library but that's where it's going.

Their belief in god, incidentally an animal, puts a cap on their thinking because they wishfully think him immortal, therefore that the world, the cosmos also is, and they're all the time having to reconcile man's mortal life with his being in an immortal world (by saying the individual dies but the species persists) thus their insistence on family, that sex is for procreation solely though they must've known otherwise if they insisted on it. The heterosexual marrying of man and wife is at the centre of their concentric circles which go out to friends, the tribe, country and ultimately all men. It's extremely conservative a morality that pertains to this day.

[John Cairns · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was curiously like the Xian idea of a man who was god who'd assumed mortality to benefit mankind. Iamblichus comes as Xianity's established as the imperial religion though Pythagoras comes well before so it's uncertain who's influencing whom but Xianity didn't come out of a void however much it might meet a void in people and not all its antecedents would be Judaic since Christ spoke Aramaic and lived in the Hellenic part of the empire.

[William Schrecengost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. Definitely a hagiography of Pythagoras, but I’m sure there’s a lot of truth in it. His account of Pythagoras’ education was most interesting to me, that he learned numerology from the Egyptians and understanding of dreams from the Hebrews. If accepting this as true, it would seem that some form of Pythagorean numerology was present in Egypt that could possibly have influenced the Hebrews (or have been influenced by the Hebrews).

[Tijana]

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