Pythagoras: His Life and Teaching, a Compendium of Classical Sources (63 page)

From Stobaeus'
Florilegium
, 99.

Stanley read, “principally observe that which is called precocious.” It probably should be understood as
“guard against
that which is called precocious.” (Cf. Liddell Scott, A
Greek-English Lexicon
, p. 1961a,
). Cf. also Iamblicus'
Life of Pythagoras
, Cap. 31, where this same account also occurs. Thomas Taylor read, “In the first place, they thought it necessary to guard against what is called untimely [offspring].” (Taylor,
Iamblicus' Life of Pythagoras
, p. 108) Guthrie
(The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library
, p.107), renders the translation, “First, they prevented untimely birth.”

p. 222
[“admonitions”]

This is a Pythagorean word for
(See Liddell Scott, A
Greek-English Lexicon
, p. 1351b
) From Iamblicus'
Life of Pythagoras
, Cap. 22. (Cf. Kiessling,
Iamblichi Chalcidensis Ex Coele-Suria De Vita Pythagorica
, Vol. 1, p. 218, and Guthrie,
The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library
, p.82)

p. 223
[“friends share in common”]

Read
From
Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers
, VIII, 10.

Hicks translated it “friends have all things in common,” while Guthrie read “the property of friends is common” (Cf. Hicks,
Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers
, Vol. 2, p. pp. 328-329, and Guthrie,
The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library
, p. 144.)

p. 223
[“friendship is equality”]

From
Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers
, VIII, 10. (Cf. Hicks,
Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers
, Vol. 2, p. pp. 328-329, and Guthrie,
The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library
, p. 144.)

p. 225
[“Rites of Fulfillment”]

The exact meaning of
as understood by the ancient Greeks remains something of a mystery. We might also read, “rituals of Perfection.” See Kevin Clinton's essay,
Stages of Initiation in the Eleusinian and Samothracian Mysteries
(pp. 50-78 in
Greek Mysteries, The Archaeology and Ritual of Ancient Greek Secret Cults
(London, 2003)

p. 226
[“of oaths”].

Cf. Hicks,
Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers
, Vol. 2, pp. 348-349: