Vnde dicatur philosophia ; et de Samio Fithagora
The Life and Influence of Pythagoras
Pythagoras, a Samian philosopher of great renown, traveled extensively to gain wisdom and eventually brought moral reform to the dissolute city of Croton.
And the teaching of the founder of the Italian school of philosophy. The very name of philosophy was invented by Pythagoras the Italian, who held such authority among the ancients that he would override everyone's opinions through the weight of his reputation, and it was enough to confirm any statement if it were taught that he himself had said it. That single word, through a specific use of the pronoun, functioned as a proper name. He was a Samian by birth, the son of a wealthy merchant named Maratus, but he was far richer than his parent, for his father's business could not acquire as much as the son preferred to despise rather than possess. Formed by great advances in wisdom, he set out first to Egypt and then to Babylon to study the movements of the stars and observe the origin of the world, eventually attaining the highest knowledge. Returning from there, he traveled to Crete and Lacedaemon to learn the laws of Minos and Lycurgus, which were famous in that age. Instructed in all these things, he arrived at the city of the Crotonians, which was completely dissolute and in need of the works of virtue alone; for they were indignant at the fortune of the arms they had taken up unsuccessfully against the Locrians, and they would have changed their life for luxury had Pythagoras the philosopher not stood in their way. From this it is clear how much one human can do for another, since the authority of a single person has already recalled a fallen people to the fruit of a better life.
The Discipline of Simplicity
Through his teachings on modesty and simple living, Pythagoras transformed the culture of his followers, though his influence eventually sparked conflict and exile.
He praised virtue daily, exposed the vices of luxury, and spoke about the fall of ruined cities and the reasons behind them. He also inspired such a desire for simple living among the masses that it seemed incredible that any of them had ever lived in luxury. He frequently provided instruction for matrons separately from the men, and for children separately from their parents. At times he taught the women modesty and devotion to their husbands, and at other times he taught the children discipline and a love for learning. Amidst all this, he urged everyone toward simplicity—the mother of all virtues—and through his constant discussions, he succeeded in getting the matrons to cast off their gold-embroidered clothes and other ornaments of their status as if they were tools of luxury, consecrating them all to the goddess herself in the temple of Juno, while declaring that the true ornaments of matrons were modesty, not clothing. Even in their youth, the stubborn spirits of women who had been conquered show how much has been ruined. But three hundred of the young men, because they lived a life separate from the other citizens by the oath of their fellowship, were viewed as a secret conspiracy against Pythagoras, and the city turned against them; when they had gathered in one house, the city tried to burn it down, and in that tumult about sixty perished, while the rest went into exile. From this, therefore, the Italian school of philosophers and the very name of philosophy arose.
The Humility of the Philosopher
Pythagoras defined the philosopher as a lover of wisdom rather than a wise man, leaving behind a legacy of moral instruction and complex theological speculation.
He stood out so much in that part of philosophy called speculative that hardly any of the other philosophers could equal him; he was so innocent that he is believed to have abstained from eating all living things; and he was so committed to justice that his authority continued to govern the people of that part of Italy, once known as Magna Graecia, even after his name had died. But since those who were previously considered wise were those who seemed superior to others, when he was asked what he claimed to be, he replied that he was a philosopher—that is, a student or lover of wisdom—because it seemed the height of arrogance to claim to be a wise man. Finally, after spending twenty years in Croton working to curb the decay of morals, he moved to Metapontum and died there. He was held in such admiration that people turned his house into a temple and worshipped him as a god, having found an opportunity in his words when he said that the home of a philosopher is a sanctuary of wisdom and the truest temple of God. It is also said that he convinced people that souls are immortal and that after the body dissolves, they will receive rewards for their previous life; however, he is said to have been the first to impiously introduce the fable of the thousand years.
Read the original Latin
et doctrina eius qui Ithalicis philosophandi auctor extitit. Ipsum uero philosophiae nomen a Pithagora Ithalico inuentum est, qui tantae fuit auctoritatis apud antiquos ut praeiudiciali opinione sententias omnium superaret essetque satis ad quamlibet sententiam roborandam si hoc ipse dixisse doceretur. Ipsa namque uox pronominis usurpatione quadam proprii nominis explebat officium. Fuit autem hic natione Samius, negotiatoris diuitis filius, eui nomen Maratus erat, sed parente longe ditior eo quod negotiatio patris tanta nequiuit adquirere quanta filius contempnere maluit quam habere. Magnis itaque sapientiae formatus incrementis, Egiptum primo, mox Babiloniam ad perdiscendos siderum motus originemque mundi spectandam prof ectus, summam scientiam consecutus erat. Inde regressus Cretam et Lacedemona ad cognoscendas Minois et Ligurgi inclitas ea tempestate leges contenderat. Quibus omnibus instructus ad Crotoniorum urbem applicuit omnino resolutam et solius uirtutis opera indigentem; fortunae siquidem indignantes oderant arma quae aduersus Locrenses infeliciter sumpserant, mutassentque uitam luxuria, nisi eis Pithagoras philosophus obstitisset. Ex quo patet quantum homo praestet homini, cum unius personae auctoritas iam lapsum ad frugem melioris uitae reuocauerit populum.
Laudabat ergo uirtutem cotidie, uitia luxuriae denudabat, et casum urbium perditarum enuntiabat et causas. Tantum quoque studii ad frugalitatem multitudinis prouocabat ut aliquos ex his luxuriatos esse incredibile uideretur. Matronarum uero separatam a uiris doctrinam et puerorum a parentibus frequenter habuit. Docebat nunc has pudicitiam et obsequia in uiros, nunc illos modestiam a et litterarum studium. Inter haec uelut genitricem uirtutum frugalitatem omnibus ingerebat; consecutusque disputationum assiduitate erat ut matronae auratas uestes ceteraque dignitatis suae ornamenta quasi luxuriae instrumenta deponerent eaque omnia delata in lunonis edem ipsi deae consecrarent, prae se ferentes uera ornamenta matronarum pudicitiam non uestes esse. In iuuentute quoque quantum profligatum sit uicti feminarum contumaces animi manifestant. Sed trecenti ex iuuenibus, cum sodalitii iuris sacramento separatam a ceteris ciuibus uitam agerent, quasi cetum clandestinae coniurationis habentes aduersus, Pithagoram, ciuitatem in se conuerterunt; quae eos, cum in unam domum conuenissent, cremare uoluit, in quo tumultu sexaginta ferme periere, ceteri in exilium profecti sunt. Ab hoc itaque philosophorum genus Ithalicum nomenque philosophiae exortum est.
Tantus autem extitit in illa parte philosophiae, quae speculatiua uocatur, ut ei quisquam philosophantium uix potuerit adaequari; tantus in innocentia ut ab omnium animantium temperasse credatur edulio; tantus in cultu iustitiae ut populos illius partis Ithaliae, quae antiquitus Magna Grecia dicta est, etiam post mortem nominis eius auctoritas rexerit. Cum uero antea sapientes dicerentur qui uidebantur aliis praestantiores esse, interrogatus quid se profiteretur, philosophum se esse respondit, id est studiosum uel sapientiae amatorem, quoniam sapientem profiteri arrogantissimum uidebatur. Denique cum ad propulsandam labem morum uiginti annos egisset Crotonae, Metapontum migrauit ibique decessit. Cuius tanta admiratio fuit ut ex domo eius templum facerent ipsumque pro deo colerent, nacti forte occasionem ex uerbis eius dicentis domum philosophantis esse sacrarium sapientiae et uerissimum Dei templum. Traditur etiam persuasisse hominibus esse animas immortales et post dissolutionem corporis uitae praecedentis praemia recepturas; impie tamen fabulam mille annorum primus dicitur induxisse.
Policraticus companion
Study the argument weekly; pray the tradition daily
Pair the outline with the Chosen Portion app, which serves short daily portions from the same royal devotional tradition — free on iOS.
John of Salisbury argued that rulers must keep the law of God before their eyes daily; Chosen Portion gives modern readers that same daily discipline in five minutes a morning.
- 8 weeks, one book per week, with the 3-4 key chapters flagged in each
- Discussion questions usable for a reading group from week one
- A daily 5-minute companion portion in the app alongside your weekly study