No man is free who cannot control himself.
pythagorasquotes
c. 570 – c. 495 BC
As one of the earliest Greek philosophers and mathematicians, the life of Pythagoras (c. 570 – c. 495 BC) is steeped more in mystical wisdom than scientific proof. He started a religious brotherhood of mathematicians, who purified their souls through music and “mental activity,” or rather what later came to be known as “philosophy.”
The harmony of the spheres and the golden section were revered by this secret society, and while most of their theories are controversial even today, their ideas of harmonic “means” in music are not. Pythagoras gave music the diatonic scale, and contributed to the chromatic and enharmonic scales through intervals based on numerical proportions.
All of Pythagoras’ work is lost, so much of what is attributed to him may have been developed by his disciples as there is little proof. However, the work of the Pythagorean Brotherhood undoubtedly provided the seeds for new philosophies of the mind to grow, which influenced not only the great Greek philosopher Plato, but also Nicolaus Copernicus and Galileo Galilei.
Pythagoras’ ideas regarding the immortality of the soul, and his effort to establish harmony and order in the universe through numbers, were all catalysts for education, philosophy and scholarly pursuit by the great minds who came after him and further developed his initial discoveries.
Salt is born of the purest parents: the sun and the sea.
Above the cloud with its shadow is the star with its light.
As long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seeds of murder and pain cannot reap the joy of love.
Choose rather to be strong of soul than strong of body.
Most men and women, by birth or nature, lack the means to advance in wealth or power, but all have the ability to advance in knowledge.
Let no one persuade you by word or deed to do or say whatever is not best for you.
A man is never as big as when he is on his knees to help a child.
It is only necessary to make war with five things; with the maladies of the body, the ignorances of the mind, with the passions of the body, with the seditions of the city and the discords of families.
Educate the children and it won’t be necessary to punish the men.