"It is impossible to receive from divinity any gift greater than virtue."
The Pythagoric Sentences of Demophilus
The Pythagoric Sentences of Demophilus
“...The things that come into [the universe] from god are good, whereas evils come from ‘the archaic nature’, meaning the material substrate before it has been ordered by some god.” Plotinus, Enneads: 1.8.7
Orphic Hymn to Ares
Indestructible, doughty, mighty, valiant divinity, Delighting in arms, indestructible, man-killing, stormer of cities: Lord Áris, rattling in armor, always defiled with the slaughter of war, Rejoicing in man-slaying blood and raising the clamor of combat, horrifying one, You who lust for the obscene carnage of swords and spears: Halt the raging strife! Cease the travail grieving our hearts! Rather, yield to the peaceful yearnings of Aphrodíti and the revels of Diónysos. Exchange your fury and weapons for the gentle works of Dimítir. Conceive a desire for peacefulness which will cultivate the young and grant them blessedness.
Indestructible, doughty, mighty, valiant divinity, Delighting in arms, indestructible, man-killing, stormer of cities: Lord Áris, rattling in armor, always defiled with the slaughter of war, Rejoicing in man-slaying blood and raising the clamor of combat, horrifying one, You who lust for the obscene carnage of swords and spears: Halt the raging strife! Cease the travail grieving our hearts! Rather, yield to the peaceful yearnings of Aphrodíti and the revels of Diónysos. Exchange your fury and weapons for the gentle works of Dimítir. Conceive a desire for peacefulness which will cultivate the young and grant them blessedness.
The most important thing is not life, but the good life.
Plato, Crito 48b
Plato, Crito 48b
Delphic Maxims 1 - 3
Ἕπου θεῷ Follow God
Νόμῳ πείθου Obey the law
Θεοὺς σέβου Respect the Gods
Ἕπου θεῷ Follow God
Νόμῳ πείθου Obey the law
Θεοὺς σέβου Respect the Gods
Delphic Maxims 4 - 6
Γονεῖς αἰδοῦ Respect your parents
Ἡττῶ ὑπὸ δικαίου Be ruled by justice
Γνῶθι μαθών Know by learning
Γονεῖς αἰδοῦ Respect your parents
Ἡττῶ ὑπὸ δικαίου Be ruled by justice
Γνῶθι μαθών Know by learning
Delphic Maxims 7 - 9
Ἀκούσας νόει Listen and understand
Σαυτὸν ἴσθι Know yourself
Γαμεῖν μέλλε Set out to be married
Ἀκούσας νόει Listen and understand
Σαυτὸν ἴσθι Know yourself
Γαμεῖν μέλλε Set out to be married
“To honour the gods, to do no evil, and to practise bravery.”
A saying attributed to the Druids and the Hindus by Diogenes Laertius.
A saying attributed to the Druids and the Hindus by Diogenes Laertius.
Delphic Maxims 34 - 36
ἀλλοτρίων ἀπέχου – keep yourself away from others’ things
ἄκουε πάντα – hear everything
εὔφημος ἴσθι – be religiously silent
ἀλλοτρίων ἀπέχου – keep yourself away from others’ things
ἄκουε πάντα – hear everything
εὔφημος ἴσθι – be religiously silent
“That which in our nature is divine, intellectual, and one, or intelligible, is perfectly excited by prayer from its dormant state; and when excited, vehemently seeks that which is similar to itself, and becomes copulated to its own perfection.”
- Iamblichus, On the Mysteries
- Iamblichus, On the Mysteries
"Never sleep before going over the acts of the day in thy mind.
Wherein have I done wrong? What have I done? What have I left undone?
Examine thyself. If thou hast done evil, blame.
And if thou hast done well, rejoice."
- from The Golden Verses of Pythagoras. While the Golden Verses were certainly not written by Pythagoras, they were highly influential in antiquity and were a standard part of the Neoplatonic curriculum.
Wherein have I done wrong? What have I done? What have I left undone?
Examine thyself. If thou hast done evil, blame.
And if thou hast done well, rejoice."
- from The Golden Verses of Pythagoras. While the Golden Verses were certainly not written by Pythagoras, they were highly influential in antiquity and were a standard part of the Neoplatonic curriculum.
I will post ten verses per day of the Golden Verses and then move to the Handbook of Epictetus. Both of these works were part of the historical curriculum for students at the Academy. (The Academy was established by Plato and was the premier center of pagan thought till it was shut down by Christians.)
The idea with this curriculum was that you should purify yourself psychologically and ethically before seriously pursuing the depths of metaphysical speculation.
1 First worship the Immortal gods, as they are established and ordained by the Law.
2 Reverence the Oath, and next the Heroes, full of goodness and light.
3 Honour likewise the Terrestrial Daemons by rendering them the worship lawfully due to them.
4 Honour likewise your parents, and those most nearly related to you.
5 Of all the rest of mankind, make him your friend who distinguishes himself by his virtue.
6 Always give ear to his mild exhortations, and take example from his virtuous and useful actions.
7 Avoid as much as possible hating your friend for a slight fault.
8 Power is a near neighbour to necessity.
9 Know that all these things are just as what I have told you; and accustom yourself to overcome and vanquish these passions:
10 First gluttony, sloth, sensuality, and anger.
The idea with this curriculum was that you should purify yourself psychologically and ethically before seriously pursuing the depths of metaphysical speculation.
1 First worship the Immortal gods, as they are established and ordained by the Law.
2 Reverence the Oath, and next the Heroes, full of goodness and light.
3 Honour likewise the Terrestrial Daemons by rendering them the worship lawfully due to them.
4 Honour likewise your parents, and those most nearly related to you.
5 Of all the rest of mankind, make him your friend who distinguishes himself by his virtue.
6 Always give ear to his mild exhortations, and take example from his virtuous and useful actions.
7 Avoid as much as possible hating your friend for a slight fault.
8 Power is a near neighbour to necessity.
9 Know that all these things are just as what I have told you; and accustom yourself to overcome and vanquish these passions:
10 First gluttony, sloth, sensuality, and anger.
The Golden Verses of Pythagoras 11 - 20
11. Do nothing evil, neither in the presence of others, nor privately;
12. But above all things respect yourself.
13. In the next place, observe justice in your actions and in your words.
14. And do not accustom yourself to behave yourself in any thing without rule, and without reason.
15. But always make this reflection, that it is ordained by destiny that all men shall die.
16. And that the goods of fortune are uncertain; and that just as they may be acquired, they may likewise be lost.
17. Concerning all the calamities that men suffer by divine fortune,
18. Support your lot with patience, it is what it may be, and never complain at it.
19. But endeavour what you can to remedy it.
20. And consider that fate does not send the greatest portion of these misfortunes to good men.
11. Do nothing evil, neither in the presence of others, nor privately;
12. But above all things respect yourself.
13. In the next place, observe justice in your actions and in your words.
14. And do not accustom yourself to behave yourself in any thing without rule, and without reason.
15. But always make this reflection, that it is ordained by destiny that all men shall die.
16. And that the goods of fortune are uncertain; and that just as they may be acquired, they may likewise be lost.
17. Concerning all the calamities that men suffer by divine fortune,
18. Support your lot with patience, it is what it may be, and never complain at it.
19. But endeavour what you can to remedy it.
20. And consider that fate does not send the greatest portion of these misfortunes to good men.
The Golden Verses of Pythagoras 21 - 30
21. There are many sorts of reasonings among men, good and bad;
22. Do not admire them too easily, nor reject them.
23. But if falsehoods are advanced, hear them with mildness, and arm yourself with patience.
24. Observe well, on every occasion, what I am going to tell you:
25. Do not let any man either by his words, or by his deeds, ever seduce you.
26. Nor lure you to say or to do what is not profitable for yourself.
27. Consult and deliberate before you act, that you may not commit foolish actions.
28. For it is the part of a miserable man to speak and to act without reflection.
29. But do the thing which will not afflict you afterwards, nor oblige you to repentance.
30. Never do anything which you do not understand.
21. There are many sorts of reasonings among men, good and bad;
22. Do not admire them too easily, nor reject them.
23. But if falsehoods are advanced, hear them with mildness, and arm yourself with patience.
24. Observe well, on every occasion, what I am going to tell you:
25. Do not let any man either by his words, or by his deeds, ever seduce you.
26. Nor lure you to say or to do what is not profitable for yourself.
27. Consult and deliberate before you act, that you may not commit foolish actions.
28. For it is the part of a miserable man to speak and to act without reflection.
29. But do the thing which will not afflict you afterwards, nor oblige you to repentance.
30. Never do anything which you do not understand.
The Golden Verses of Pythagoras 31 - 39
31. But learn all you ought to know, and by that means you will lead a very pleasant life.
32. In no way neglect the health of your body;
33. But give it drink and food in due measure, and also the exercise of which it needs.
34. Now by measure I mean what will not discomfort you.
35. Accustom yourself to a way of living that is neat and decent without luxury.
36. Avoid all things that will occasion envy.
37. And do not be prodigal out of season, like someone who does not know what is decent and honourable.
38. Neither be covetous nor stingy; a due measure is excellent in these things.
39. Only do the things that cannot hurt you, and deliberate before you do them.
31. But learn all you ought to know, and by that means you will lead a very pleasant life.
32. In no way neglect the health of your body;
33. But give it drink and food in due measure, and also the exercise of which it needs.
34. Now by measure I mean what will not discomfort you.
35. Accustom yourself to a way of living that is neat and decent without luxury.
36. Avoid all things that will occasion envy.
37. And do not be prodigal out of season, like someone who does not know what is decent and honourable.
38. Neither be covetous nor stingy; a due measure is excellent in these things.
39. Only do the things that cannot hurt you, and deliberate before you do them.
The Golden Verses of Pythagoras 40 - 51
40. Never allow sleep to close your eyelids, after you’ve gone to bed,
41. Until you have examined all your actions of the day by your reason.
42. In what have I done wrong? What have I done? What have I omitted that I ought to have done?
43. If in this examination you find that you have done wrong, reprove yourself severely for it;
44. And if you have done any good, rejoice.
45. Practise thoroughly all these things; meditate on them well; you ought to love them with all your heart.
46. It is those that will put you in the way of divine virtue.
47. I swear it by he who has transmitted into our souls the Sacred Quaternion, the source of nature, whose cause is eternal.
48. But never begin to set your hand to any work, until you have first prayed the gods to accomplish what you are going to begin.
49. When you have made this habit familiar to you,
50. You will know the constitution of the Immortal Gods and of men.
51. Even how far the different beings extend, and what contains and binds them together.
40. Never allow sleep to close your eyelids, after you’ve gone to bed,
41. Until you have examined all your actions of the day by your reason.
42. In what have I done wrong? What have I done? What have I omitted that I ought to have done?
43. If in this examination you find that you have done wrong, reprove yourself severely for it;
44. And if you have done any good, rejoice.
45. Practise thoroughly all these things; meditate on them well; you ought to love them with all your heart.
46. It is those that will put you in the way of divine virtue.
47. I swear it by he who has transmitted into our souls the Sacred Quaternion, the source of nature, whose cause is eternal.
48. But never begin to set your hand to any work, until you have first prayed the gods to accomplish what you are going to begin.
49. When you have made this habit familiar to you,
50. You will know the constitution of the Immortal Gods and of men.
51. Even how far the different beings extend, and what contains and binds them together.
The Golden Verses of Pythagoras 52 - 60
52. You shall likewise know that according to Law, the nature of this universe is in all things alike,
53. So that you shall not hope what you ought not to hope; and nothing in this world shall be hidden from you.
54. You will likewise know, that men draw upon themselves their own misfortunes voluntarily, and of their own free choice.
55. Unhappy they are! They neither see nor understand that their good is near them.
56. Few know how to deliver themselves out of their misfortunes.
57. Such is the fate that blinds humankind, and takes away his senses.
58. Like huge cylinders they roll back and forth, and always oppressed with innumerable ills.
59. For fatal strife, natural, pursues them everywhere, tossing them up and down; nor do they perceive it.
60. Instead of provoking and stirring it up, they ought to avoid it by yielding.
52. You shall likewise know that according to Law, the nature of this universe is in all things alike,
53. So that you shall not hope what you ought not to hope; and nothing in this world shall be hidden from you.
54. You will likewise know, that men draw upon themselves their own misfortunes voluntarily, and of their own free choice.
55. Unhappy they are! They neither see nor understand that their good is near them.
56. Few know how to deliver themselves out of their misfortunes.
57. Such is the fate that blinds humankind, and takes away his senses.
58. Like huge cylinders they roll back and forth, and always oppressed with innumerable ills.
59. For fatal strife, natural, pursues them everywhere, tossing them up and down; nor do they perceive it.
60. Instead of provoking and stirring it up, they ought to avoid it by yielding.
In God there is no sort of wrong whatsoever; he is supremely just, and the thing most like him is the man who has become as just as it lies in human nature to be. And it is here that we see whether a man is truly able, or truly a weakling and a nonentity; for it is the realization of this that is genuine wisdom and goodness, while the failure to realize it is manifest folly and wickedness.
Plato, Theaetetus 176c
Plato, Theaetetus 176c