Pythagoras: His Life and Teaching, a Compendium of Classical Sources Read Online Free PDF

entirety, and as living creatures breathe, so do the planets and the universe.
    In the Pythagorean schema the universe entails three levels of being, which correlate with three levels of consciousness. There isthe Supreme World, the Superior World, and the Inferior World. The Supreme is the highest, a subtle spiritual essence. The Superior World is that of essential principles such as Numbers and Ideas, and is the abode of the immortals. The Lower World is inhabited by those creatures which partake of material substance. The Supreme world contains within itself the nature and capacity of the lesser two.
    Human souls, requiring experience which will eliminate ignorance, take on bodies. The soul, however, must discover how to extract itself from matter, or better, to incorporate the principle of matter into itself. As long as it experiences on the earth plane, it requires a body through which to function. Separated from the body, the soul in the other world experiences the exact sort of life it has set up for itself by causes established during its earthly existence. The later Pythagoreans regarded man's soul as a part of the world soul and, for this reason, considered it divine and imperishable. Another reason for this is that soul has its number and harmony, both of which are imperishable.
    The Pythagoreans also believed in Daemons. At times these forms appear to men and assist in directing the processes of their lives. They may, in fact, as may man himself, be regarded as agencies or facilitators of a purposeful plan extent in the world process. The Daemons in consciousness stand midway between man and the gods. Man is under divine direction, and cannot accomplish his transformation to the Hero state without the help of the Daemons, gods, and God. To achieve this greatest good, man must follow the order and spirit of Nature, rather than the dictates of irrationality, and emotional abandonment. Therefore, it is one's duty to purify the soul, and not to depart earthly responsibilities of one's own accord.
    Of Pythagoras' Golden Verses, his cryptic way of presenting important truths, seventy-one are recorded, exemplified by those quoted: Verses XIII-XVI read, “Observe justice in all your actions and words; neither use yourself, in any manner, to act without reason. But always make this reflection, that it is ordained by destiny for all men to die; and that the goods of fortune are uncertain; and that, as they may be acquired, they may likewise be lost.”
    Verses XVII-XX read, “Support with patience your lot, be itwhat it will, and never repine at it; but endeavor what you can to remedy it. And consider that fate does not send the greatest portion of these misfortunes to good men.”
    Verses XL-XLIV read, “Never suffer sleep, to close your eyelids, after going to bed—till you have examined by reason, all your actions of the day. Wherein have I done amiss? What have I done? What have I omitted that I ought to have done? If in this examination, you find that you have done amiss, reprimand yourself severely for it, and if you have done any good, rejoice.”
    Verses LIX-LX read, “Likewise know, that men draw upon themselves their own misfortunes voluntarily, and of their own free choice, wretches as they are! They neither see, nor understand, that their good is near them. There are very few of them who know how to deliver themselves out of their misfortunes. Such is the fate that blinds mankind, and takes away their senses. Like huge cylinders, they roll to and fro, always oppressed with ills without number. For fatal contention is innate in them and pursuing them everywhere, tosses them up and down, nor do they perceive it. Instead of provoking and stirring it up, they ought to be yielding to avoid it.”
    At times, Pythagoras taught by means of aphorisms, some of which follow: “Decline from public ways, walk in unfrequented paths,” meaning that wisdom must be sought in solitude; “Assist a man in raising a burden,