The precept prohibiting the use of beans is one of the mysteries which the ancient Pythagoreans never disclosed, and which modern ingenuity has in vain attempted to discover. Its meaning was probably rather dietetic, than physical, or moral. But enough of these enigmatical trifles. Pythagorean precepts of more value are such as these: Discourse, not of Pythagorean doctrines without light. Above all things govern your tongue. Engrave not the image of God in a ring. Quit not your station without the command of your general. Remember that, the paths of virtue and of vice resemble the letter Y. To this symbol Persius refers when he says, 61

Et tibi quæ Samios diduxit litera ramos,

Surgentem dextro monstravit limite collem.6%

61 Sat. iii. 56.

2 See Pythagoras's Golden Verses with the Commentary of Hierocles; and compare Rowe's Paraphrase.

There has the Samian Y's instructive make Pointed the road thy doubtful foot should take; There warn'd thy raw and yet unpractis'd youth, til to To tread the rising right-hand path of truth.

Vidend. Jons. 1. i. c. 3. ii. 3. iv. ult. Vit. Pythag. a Porphyrio et a Jamblicho; Rittershushio, Altdorf. 1610. Holstenio, Rom. 1630; Kustero, Amst. 1707. Anon. ap. Phot. Cod. 259. Scheffer de Nat. et Constit. Phil. Ital. Wittenb. 1701. Gerdilii Introd. ad Stud. Theol. Ploucquet de Speculat. Pyth. Tubing. 1758. Burnet Archæol. I. i. c. 11. Huet. Dem. Ev. Prop. iv. c. 54. 83. 186. 224. Pr. ix. c. 147. Voss. de Sect. p. 19. Budd. Ann. Hist. Ph. p. 8. Le Clerc. Biblioth. Chois. t. x. p. 81 -90. t. xxvii. p. 424. Voss. de Math. p. 149. Horn. Hist. Phil, p. 173. Petav. Rat. Temp. p. i. p. 135. Amoenit. Lit. t. vii. p. 188. Selden de Jure, 1. i. c. 2. Grot. Epist. 552. L'Enfant Bibl. Germ. t. ii. art. 5. Budd. Hist. Eccl. V. T. t. ii. p. 1707. Fabric. Bib. Gr. i. p. 450. v. ii. p. 257. Basnage Hist. des Juifs, t. ii. p. 592. Meurs. in Cret. c. 111. Naude Apologie, c. x. p. 136. Stoll. Hist. Phil. Mor. Gent. § 119. Bayle. Schulter de Disciplina Pyth. Schraderus de Pythag. Diss. 1. Crugerus de Aureo Femore Pyth. Budd. Diss. de årget Phil. Ann. p. 109. Deulengii Obs. Sac. t. iii. p. 443. Koeler Diss. de Pædantismo Pyth. Windet de Vit. Funct. Statu. § 5. p. 88. Nicomach. Intr. ad Arithm, Budd. Diss. de na ago Pyth. in Ann. Lud. Boye Diss. 10. Weinreich de Abstin. carn.' Pyth. Misc. Lips. t. iv. Obs. 85. Dodwel, de Ætat. Pyth. p. 125. Mourgues Plan, Theol. de Pythag, Herbert. Rel. Gent. c. x. Cudworth, c. iv. § 20, 21. cum not. Moshem. Gerasen. Arithm, ap. Phot. Cod. 187. Diss. de Num. Pyth Amoen. Lit. t. vii. p. 173. Morhoff. Polyhist. Lit. t. ii. 1. i. c. 2. Beausob. Hist. Manich. t. i. p. ii. 1. i. c. 6. Wallis Op. t. i. p. 65.

SECT. II. of mand avad of bine al

Of the Disciples and Followers of Pythagoras. Nada

IN the preceding history of Pythagoras we have seen that disciples flocked to him from various parts of Italy, and that his popularity created him numerous enemies, and, during his life, brought upon his followers a severe perseghis cution, which drove many of them into exile.

10

After the death of the celebrated founder of the Italic sect, the care and education of his children, and the charge of the school, devolved upon Aristaus, of Crotona. He was particularly eminent in the mathematical sciences, and wrote a treatise concerning solids, which is mentioned, with applause by the ancients. Having taught the doctrine of Pythagoras thirty-nine years, he was succeeded by Mnesarchus, the son of Pythagoras. Pythagorean schools were afterwards conducted in Heraclia, by Clinias, and Philolaus; at Metapontum, by Theorides and Eurytus; and at Tarentum, by Archytas. Stobæus professes to have collected fragments of Hippodamus, Hipparchus, and several other philosophers who are said to have belonged to this sect, but the authenticity of these fragments is doubt ful.68

It will be necessary to give a more particular account of those who, though they ranked themselves among the Py thagoreans, departed in different degrees from the genuine doctrine of their master. Among these were Alcmaon, Ecphantus, Hippo, Empedocles, Epicharmus, Ocellus Lucanus, Timæus Locrus, Archytas, Hippasus, Philolaus, and Eudoxus.

Alemaon, of Crotona, one of Pythagoras's disciples, acquired a high degree of reputation in the Italic School

Sturm. Math. p. 6. H. More Defens. Cabb. Ph. c. 11. p. 125. Bapt. Dous de Præstant. Mus. Vet. Rom. 1635. Fell on Ant. Mus, Oxon. 1672. Hansch. de Enthus. Plat. s. v. D. Omeis in Ethic. Pyth. Altdorf, 1693 Syrbius Introd, in Phys. Pyth. Kepler de Harm. Mundi. Rhodius de Transmigratione.

63

53 Jambl. c. ult. n. 265. - Laert. I. viii. § 45, 46. Porph. n. 22. Fabric. Bib. Gr. v. i. p. 486.

by his knowledge of nature and his skill in medicine. He is said to have been the first person who attempted the dissection of a dead body. The Sum of his tenets, as far as they can be collected from scattered fragments, is this:64

Natural objects, which appear multiform to men, are in reality twofold-intelligible natures, which are immutable; and material forms, which are infinitely variable. The sun, moon, and stars are eternal, and are inhabited by portions of that Divine fire which is the first principle in nature. The moon is in the form of a boat, and when the bottom of the boat is turned towards the earth it is invisible. The brain is the chief seat of the soul. Health consists in preserving a due mean between the extremes of heat and cold, dryness and moisture.⠀ VOD # 9j0TW bas

Eephantus, who was a native of Syracuse, taught, that it is impossible to arrive at the certain knowledge of nature, which is perpetually liable to change; that the first prins ciples of sensible things are invisible atoms, which differ in size, form, and power; that the number of these is in finite; that they are moved in a perfect void by the imme diate energy of the Divine Mind, by which the world is animated and governed; and that the earth, placed in the middle of the world, is moved about its centre towards the east.65

The peculiar tenets of Hippo, of Rhegium, were: that the first principles in nature are cold and heat, or water and fire; that fire separated itself from water, and pro duced the world; that animal life proceeds from moisture; and that nothing is free from decay. On account of this latter opinion, Hippo has been ranked among Atheists: Perhaps the truth is, that, with several philosophers of the Ionic school, he paid attention, in his doctrine of physics, food& SA MË A

n.

64 Laert. 1. viii. §83. &c. Clem. Alex. Str. 1. i. p. 305. Arist. Met. 1.i. e. 5. l. v. c. 1. Jambl. Vit. P. c. Stob. Ecl. Phys. p. 54. 60, 93. Plut. Plac. Ph. I. ii. c. 16. 27. 1, iv. e. 17, 18. 54. 60, 93. Pap. 104. Cic. de Nat. D.Li. c.11, es Stobai Ecl. Phys. 1. i. c. 13. 25. Pseudo-Orig. Philosophum, c. xv. Jambi. c. ult.

1.

** Arist. Met. l. i. c. 3. Ælian, 1. ii. c. 31. Plut, adv. Colot. t. iii. p. 469. Arnob. 1. iv. p. 145. Clem. Alex. Adhort. ad Gent. p. 15. Ps. Orig. Philos. c. xvi. Simplicii Phys. 1.i. Sext. Emp. Pyrrh. Hyp. 1. ii. c. 4. §30. adv. Math. I. ix. §361.

to material principles alone, taking for granted the existence of an intelligent Efficient Cause.net of T

Empedocles, of Agrigentum, in Sicily, who flourished about the eighty-fourth Olympiad, appears from his doctrine to have been of the Italic school; but under what master he studied philosophy is uncertain. It is not probable that he was born so early as to have had an oppor tunity of hearing Pythagoras himself. After the death of his father Meto, who was a wealthy citizen of Agrigentum, he acquired great weight among his fellow-citizens, by est pousing the popular party, and favouring democratic measures. He employed a large share of his paternal estate in giving dowries to young women, and marrying them to men of superior rank. His consequence in the state became at length so great, that he ventured to assume several of the distinctions of royalty, particularly a purple robe, a golden girdle, a Delphic crown, and a train of attendants; always retaining a grave and commanding aspect. He was a determined enemy to tyranny, and is said to have employed his influence in establishing and defending the rights of his countrymen.68 Pamband baray

The skill which Empedocles possessed in medicine and natural philosophy enabled him to perform many wonders, which he passed upon the superstitious and credulous multitude for miracles. He pretended to drive away noxious winds from his country, and hereby put a stop to epidemical diseases. He is said to have checked, by the power of music, the madness of a young man, who was threaten ing his enemy with instant death; to have cured Pantha, a woman of Agrigentum, whom all the physicians had de clared incurable; to have restored a woman to life, who had lain breathless for thirty days; and to have done many other things, equally astonishing, after the manner of Pys thagoras: on account of which he was an object of univer sal admiration, so that when he came to the Olympic games the eyes of all the people were fixed upon him.69.3mod of

67 B. C. 444. 90

68 Laert. l.viii. § 54 73. & Jambl. c. xxiii. n. 4. Porph. Våt, P. p. 29. Philostr. Vit. Apoll. hi. c. 1. 1. vii. c. 7. §6. Sext. Emp, adv. M. I, i. § 302. * Jamb. c. xxv. 110. č. xxviii. n. 143. - Porph. n. 30. Suidas. Laert. Plin. l. vii. e. 51. Plut. de Curios. t. i. p. 237H 997 zimow.I fol.**

-Besides medical skill, Empedocles possessed poetical talents. The fragments of his verses, which are dispersed through various ancient writers, have been in part collected by Henry Stephens. This circumstance affords somes ground for the opinion of Fabricius," that Empedocles was the real author of that ancient fragment which bears the name of “The Golden Verses of Pythagoras." Hedis said also to have been a dramatic poet; but Empedocles the tragedian was another person; Suidas, upon some! unknown authority, calls him the grandson of the philos sopher. Georgias Leontinus, a celebrated orator, was his pupil; whence it may seem reasonable to infer, that he was an eminent master of the art of eloquence. The particu lars of his death are variously related. Some report, that: during the night, after a sacred festival, he was conveyed away towards the heavens, amidst the splendour of celes tial light. Others say, that on the same night he ascended Mount Etna, and threw himself into the burning erater, that the manner of his death not being known, he might afterwards pass for a god; but that the secret was disco vered by means of one of his brazen sandals, which was thrown out from the mountain in a subsequent eruption of the volcano:

Deus immortalis haberi

meag of doldw Dum cupit Empedocles, ardentem frigidus Ætnam Insiluit.73*

aid most ebniw

relate

The former story is unworthy of the least attention; and the latter is rejected as fictitious by Strabo, and other judicious writers. The truth probably was, as Timæus that, towards the close of his life, Empedocles went into Greece, and never returned; whence the exact time manner of his death remains unknown. According to Aristotle, he died at sixty years of age. A statue was erected to his memory at Agrigentum, which was afterwards carried to Rome. òqu bəzi mi, z s'goeq adlı İle to esyɔ erb

70 In Poesi Phil. 1574, 8vo. 71 Bib. Gr. v. i. p. 466.+++** C92. Ib. p. 646,diqro¶ à nuzz 573 Hor. Ars Poet, v.465, Jres. I ** 50&.l.MbEmpedocles, ambitious to be deemedho¡A JIV ontzold¶ $196.I 2cbin? A god, leaped coolly into Etna's flames, z odmel, “ 74 Laert. Lucian. Vet. Hist. 1. ii, t. ii. p. 495. Ovid. in Ibin. Strabo, 1. vi.