XVI 



PREFACE. 



ever was, and by his difclples he v^ras revered as a god ; and It v/as 

 one of their facred tenets, as Ariftotle informs us, that Pythagoras 

 was of a nature fomewhat betwixt God and man ''^. 



In compliance with the advice of Thales, Pythagoras went to 

 Egypt ; and Porphyry has given us his hiftory there, for which 

 he quotes an Author, one Antiphon, in his book concerning the 

 Lives of remarkable Mcji f. The fubftance of it is this, that Pytha- 

 goras, defning to be recommended to the Priefts of Egypt, appHed 

 himfelf to Polycrates the Tyrant of Samos, who gave him letters to 

 Amafis, King of Egypt, his friend, who again gave him letters re- 

 commendatory to the Priefts, With thefe he went firft to HeHo- 

 polis, where the Priefts, upon pretence that thofe of Memphis were 

 the elder college, fent him thither to be inftruded ; and they again, 

 upon the fame pretence, fent him to thofe of Diofpolis at Thebes, 

 who not having that pretence, as there was no older Priefts then in 

 Egypt, bethought themfelves of another device to evade complying 

 with the King's commands, which was to make him go through 

 fuch hardfhips and aufterities of diet, and to fuffer things fo foreign 

 to the Greek cuftoms (among which, fays Clemens Alexandrinus, 

 circumcifion was one), that they exped:ed he never would be able 

 to ftand the trial. But having, contrary to expectation, endured 

 all with great cheerfulnefs, they grew very fond of him, and 

 admitted him even to put his hand to the cenfer, and to afhft in 

 their facrifices. 



And 



X Jamblichus, Sc6l. 31, where he quotes Ariftotle's words m his book upon the 

 Pythagorean Philofophy, which is among his works that are loft. The words are 

 Tou Ao>'ixou ^wow to y.iv iTTi Oiog, to h aj/9fW7rof, to h o»ov Ili/fiaJ'Ofa,'. 



t Porph. Sedl. 7. 



