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The Golden Verses of Pythagoras · 23 of 122 · tr. Florence M. Firth

Section 11

p. 62 PYTHAGOREAN SENTENCES FROM THE PROTREPTICS OF IAMBLICHUS 1. As we live through soul, it must be said that by the virtue of this we live well; just as because we see through the eyes, we see well through the virtue of these. 2. It must not be thought that gold can be injured by rust, or virtue by baseness. 3. We should betake ourselves to virtue as to an inviolable temple, in order that we may not be exposed to any ignoble insolence p. 63 of soul with respect to our communion with, and continuance in life. 4. We should confide in virtue as in a chaste wife; but trust to fortune as to an inconstant mistress. 5. It is better that virtue should be received accompanied with poverty, than wealth with violence; and frugality with health, than voracity with disease. 6. An abundance of nutriment is noxious to the body; but the body is preserved when the soul is disposed in a becoming manner. 7. It is equally dangerous to give a sword to a madman, and power to a depraved man. 8. As it is better for a part of the body which contains purulent matter to be burnt, than to continue in the state in which it is, thus also it is better for a depraved man to die than to live. 9. The theorems of philosophy are to be enjoyed as much as possible, as if they were ambrosia and nectar. For the pleasure arising from them is genuine, incorruptible, and divine. They are also capable of producing magnanimity; and though they cannot make us eternal beings, yet they enable p. 65 us to obtain a scientific knowledge of eternal natures. 10. If vigour of sensation is considered by us to be an eligible thing, we should much more strenuously endeavour to obtain prudence; for it is as it were the sensitive vigour of the practical intellect which we contain. And as through the former we are not deceived in sensible perceptions, so through the latter we avoid false reasoning in practical affairs. 11. We shall venerate Divinity in a proper manner if we render the intellect that is in us pure from all vice, as from a certain stain. 12. A temple, indeed, should be adorned with gifts, but the soul with disciplines. 13. As the lesser mysteries are to be delivered before the greater, thus also discipline must precede philosophy. 14. The fruits of the earth, indeed, are annually imparted, but the fruits of philosophy at every part of the year. 15. As land is especially to be attended to by him who wishes toe obtain from it the most excellent fruit, thus also the greatest attention should be: paid to the soul, in order that it may produce fruit worthy of its nature.
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Themes
Apophatic Theologytheology

Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.

Verse 100 states that using many words when speaking of God produces ignorance, suggesting divine ineffability.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

Verses 79 and 81 emphasize the danger of speaking of God to the multitude, implying God is not readily accessible to all.

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Divine Providencetheology

Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.

Verse 85 contrasts belief in God with the belief that 'nothing is taken care of by him,' affirming divine care.

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Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology

Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.

Verse 94 equates 'Divine Wisdom' with 'true Science,' and Verse 99 links scientific knowledge of God to wisdom.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

[auto] Verses 79-81 explicitly warn against speaking of God to the multitude, reserving such knowledge for the worthy.

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Inner Lightanthropology

The divine spark or luminous quality residing within the human person, potentially recognisable through introspection.

Verse 90 instructs to recognize 'what that is in you which recognises God,' indicating an inner divine capacity.

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Inner Silencepraxis

The practice of stilling the mind and speech to open receptivity to divine knowledge or presence.

Verse 99 states that knowledge of God causes a man to use few words, valuing silence over verbosity.

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Kingdom Withinanthropology

The claim that the divine realm is present inside the individual, accessible without external mediation.

Verse 90 and 92 focus on recognizing the divine within oneself as the path to knowing God.

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Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

Verse 97 attributes human-like emotion to God, stating 'God rejoices in the wise man.'

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Love Of Neighbourethics

Active compassionate care for others as a central spiritual obligation or expression of divine love.

Verse 84 implies one should impart possessions to others, and Verse 87 says 'injure no one.'

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Microcosm Macrocosmcosmology

The human being as a small-scale image of the entire cosmos; the body, soul, and intellect mirroring the structure of the heavens and the divine — distinct from correspondence in that it makes the human the privileged mirror.

Verse 104 describes the wise intellect as 'the mirror of God,' reflecting the divine structure within the human.

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Mystical Unionsoteriology

The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.

Verse 97 states 'God is inseparable from the soul of the wise man,' indicating a deep union.

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Paradox As Teachingethics

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

Verse 83 presents the paradox that a man worthy of God is 'also a God among men.'

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Pneumatic Electsoteriology

A spiritual elite who possess the divine spark and are predestined for salvation, contrasted with psychic (faithful) and hylic (material) persons.

[auto] The text distinguishes between the multitude who should not hear about God and those worthy enough to receive such teachings.

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Poverty Of Spiritanthropology

Eckhart's radical reading of Matthew 5:3 — the saint as one who wants nothing, knows nothing, and has nothing, having emptied even the will and the self with which to receive God; distinct from renunciation_of_wealth (material poverty).

Verse 84 states 'It is better to have nothing, than to possess much and impart it to no one.'

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Prayerpraxis

Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.

Verse 82 states 'He does not know God who does not worship Him,' implying prayer or worship.

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Rejection Of Hypocrisyethics

Critique of outward religious observance that lacks inner transformation; form without substance.

Verse 85 equates believing in God but denying His care with disbelief, critiquing hollow belief.

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Renunciation Of Wealthethics

The spiritual danger of attachment to material possessions; wealth as a spiritual obstacle.

Verse 84 critiques possessing much without imparting it, highlighting the spiritual danger of attachment.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.

Verse 95 explicitly forbids speaking of God to an 'impure soul,' requiring spiritual cleanliness for divine encounter.

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Self Knowledgesoteriology

The recognition of one's own true divine nature as the primary path to liberation; 'know thyself' as soteriology.

[auto] Verse 92 directly states that knowing the creator leads to knowing oneself, establishing self-knowledge as a soteriological path.

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Spiritual Ascentpraxis

A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.

Verse 88 warns against looking downward to the earth, while Verse 103 commands to 'look to Divinity.'

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Theosis Deificationsoteriology

The doctrine — central to Eastern Orthodox and Maximian theology — that the human person is progressively transformed into a partaker of the divine nature by grace, not merely justified or united in passing ecstasy.

[auto] Verse 83 declares 'The man who is worthy of God is also a God among men,' and Verse 86 urges rendering the intellect similar to God.

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