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HISTORY OF ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY. No. III. 



SCHOOL OF PYTHAGORAS. 



THE school of philosophy in Italy was nearly contemporary with that 

 of Ionia, though perfectly independent of it, as they l;ad no commu- 

 nication with each other. We must recur to Pythagoras, to explain 

 the doctrines which were peculiar to it. The subject however is one 

 of considerable difficulty, for we are almost entirely ignorant of the 

 doctrines originally communicated by Pythagoras to his first dis- 

 ciples, which ignorance is mainly to be attributed, among other 

 causes, to their mysterious nature, and the strict silence imposed upon 

 his pupils. Even to the Greeks themselves they were a subject of 

 unsatisfied curiosity, and no one will consider it an easy matter to 

 disperse the shadows which have been gathering impenetrable dark- 

 ness for thousands of years over the opinions of this sage. 



But as the originality and influence exercised by this system of 

 philosophy have given it a very important place in the progress of 

 the mind, it is necessary to fix as far as may be possible the principal 

 elements which distinguish its character. To be enabled to attribute 

 to the school of Italy its peculiar character, before the opinions of 

 Plato produced a change in it, is the solution of a problem of no 

 trifling interest. 



The isle of Samos, which had the honour of giving birth to Pytha- 

 goras, and where he received his early education, was then under 

 the sway of Polycrates, both rich and powerful. Commerce, indus- 

 try, and the fine arts flourished here. Theodorus had adorned it 

 with his sculptures, Anacreon had made it resound to his lyre. Even 

 a library had been formed by Polycrates. Pythagoras had profited 

 by the instructions of Pherecydes, a philosopher of whom we know 

 nothing but that he admitted these three principles : God, time, and 

 the earth or chaos. Endued with an ardent imagination, great 

 natural abilities, arid imposing exterior, eloquent and passionately 

 fond of study, Pythagoras made a voyage to Asia Minor and 

 Phcenicia,t hen arrived at the highest pitch of its prosperity ; visited 

 all the temples of Greece, and was initiated into the mysteries of 

 Bacchus and Orpheus. It is even doubtful whether he did not ex- 

 tend his travels into India. However, the journeys which it is 

 certain he undertook, were sufficient to bring him into contact with 

 the mysterious doctrines which were among other philosophers of 

 his time nearly exploded. The project he conceived was certainly 

 one of the most noble that could inspire a human being : he designed 

 to carry the benefits of civilization into countries already favoured 

 by nature, to invest philosophy with this beneficent office, and found- 

 ing a code of laws, on principles of morality, to use it for the im- 

 provement and advantage of humanity. One of the most brilliant 

 epochs in the history of antiquity, is formed by his creation of these 

 institutions. One blot only stains the fair page which would other- 



