The Golden Verses of Pythagoras · 24 of 122 · tr. Florence M. Firth
Section 12 (part 1)
p.
67 THE SYMBOLS OF PYTHAGORAS All the Symbols are exhortatory in common to the whole of virtue; but particularly each to some particular virtue.
Different symbols also are differently adapted to parts of philosophy and discipline.
Thus for instance the first Symbol directly exhorts to piety and divine science.
SYMBOL 1.
When going to the temple to adore Divinity neither say nor do any thing in the interim pertaining to the common affairs of life.
Explanation .--This Symbol preserves a divine nature such as it is in itself pure p.
68 and undefiled: for the pure is wont to be conjoined to the pure.
It also causes us to introduce nothing from human affairs into the worship of Divinity; for all such things are foreign from, and contrary to, religious worship.
This Symbol also greatly contributes to science; for in divine science it is necessary to introduce nothing of this kind; such as human conceptions, or those pertaining to the concerns of life.
We are exhorted to nothing else, therefore, by these words than this: that we should not mingle sacred discourses and divine actions with the instability of human manners.
SYMBOL 2.
Neither enter into a temple negligently, nor in short adore carelessly, not even though you should stand at the very doors themselves.
Explanation .--With the preceding this symbol also accords.
For if the similar is friendly and allied to the similar, it is evident that since the gods have a.
most principal essence among wholes, we ought to make the worship of them a principal object.
p.
69 But he who does this for the sake of anything else, gives a secondary rank to that which takes the precedency of all things, and subverts the whole order of religious worship and knowledge.
Besides, it is not proper to rank illustrious goods in the subordinate condition of human utility, nor to place our condition in the order of an end, but things more excellent, whether they be works or conceptions, in the condition of an appendage.
SYMBOL 3.
Sacrifice and adore unshod.
Explanation .--An exhortation to the same thing may also be obtained from this Symbol.
For it signifies that we ought to worship the gods and acquire a knowledge of them orderly and modestly, and in a manner not surpassing our condition on earth.
It also signifies that in worshipping them, and acquiring this knowledge, we should be free from bonds, and properly liberated.
But the Symbol exhorts that sacrifice and adoration should be performed not only in the body, but also in the energies of the soul; so that these energies may p.
70 neither be detained by passions, nor by the imbecilities of the body, nor by generation, with which we are externally surrounded, But everything pertaining to us should be properly liberated, and prepared for the participation of the gods.
SYMBOL 4.
Disbelieve nothing wonderful concerning the gods, nor concerning divine dogmas.
Explanation .--This Symbol in like manner exhorts to the same virtue.
For this dogma sufficiently venerates and unfolds the transcendency of the gods.
Affording us a viaticum and recalling to our memory that we ought not to estimate divine power from our judgment.
But it is likely that some things should appear difficult and impossible to us, in consequence of our corporeal subsistence, and from our being conversant with generation and corruption; from our having a momentary existence; from being subject to a variety of diseases; from the smallness of our habitation; from our gravitating tendency to the middle; from our somnolency, indigence and repletion; from our want of counsel and our imbecility; p.
71 from the impediments of our soul, and a variety of other circumstances, although our nature possesses many illustrious prerogatives.
Themes
◆Cosmic Dualismtheology
Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.
The text contrasts the soul with the body (Sentence 6) and virtue with baseness/vice (Sentence 2, 11), establishing a dualistic framework.
All passages →◆Detachment Gelassenheitpraxis
Eckhart's Abgeschiedenheit/Gelassenheit — radical letting-go of will, image, and grasping that opens the soul to God; distinct from inner_silence (quietness) and from material renunciation, and adjacent to Sufi tark and Buddhist non-grasping as a practice rather than a metaphysical claim.
Sentence 5 advocates for virtue accompanied by poverty over wealth, reflecting detachment from material possessions.
All passages →◆Evil As Privationtheology
Augustinian and Plotinian doctrine that evil has no positive being of its own but is a lack, distortion, or absence of the good — denying ontological dualism while preserving moral seriousness.
Sentence 11 describes vice as a stain on the intellect, implying evil is an obscuring lack rather than a positive substance.
All passages →◆Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology
Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.
Sentence 9 describes theorems of philosophy as enabling scientific knowledge of eternal natures with divine pleasure.
All passages →◆Hidden Sayingssoteriology
Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.
Sentence 13 references lesser mysteries delivered before greater ones, indicating esoteric progression in teaching.
All passages →◆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).
Sentence 5 explicitly values virtue received with poverty over wealth, aligning with the spiritual valuation of poverty.
All passages →◆Rejection Of Hypocrisyethics
Critique of outward religious observance that lacks inner transformation; form without substance.
Sentence 12 contrasts adorning a temple with gifts versus adorning the soul with disciplines, prioritizing inner over outer.
All passages →◆Ritual Puritypraxis
The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.
Sentence 11 instructs rendering the intellect pure from all vice as a stain, aligning with moral and spiritual cleanliness.
All passages →◆Self Examinationpraxis
Daily review of thought and action as spiritual practice.
Sentence 15 calls for the greatest attention to be paid to the soul to produce fruit worthy of its nature.
All passages →◆Self Knowledgesoteriology
The recognition of one's own true divine nature as the primary path to liberation; 'know thyself' as soteriology.
Sentence 10 and 15 emphasize prudence and attention to the soul as the path to avoiding false reasoning and producing worthy fruit.
All passages →◆Spiritual Ascentpraxis
A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.
Sentence 13 establishes a hierarchy where discipline must precede philosophy, implying a staged journey toward higher knowledge.
All passages →◆Theurgypraxis
Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.
Sentence 13 references mysteries and discipline preceding philosophy.
All passages →◇Body As Obstacleanthropology
The material body viewed as a prison, tomb, or source of error that hinders spiritual knowledge and return.
[auto] The text describes abundance of nutriment as noxious to the body and uses the analogy of burning purulent matter, implying the physical form is vulnerable and requires correction by the soul.
All passages →◇Fasting And Prayerpraxis
Ascetic disciplines that prepare the body and mind for spiritual receptivity or purification.
[auto] The passage advocates for frugality and warns against voracity and excessive nutriment, aligning with ascetic disciplines regarding diet to preserve the body and soul.
All passages →◇Renunciation Of Wealthethics
The spiritual danger of attachment to material possessions; wealth as a spiritual obstacle.
[auto] The passage explicitly states it is better to receive virtue with poverty than wealth with violence, making the rejection of material attachment a central theme.
All passages →Related passages · 26 parallels
◆buddhism|The Dhammapada|Chapter IV, Section 1a
“p.
16 CHAPTER IV.
FLOWERS [1] .
44.
Who shall overcome this earth, and the world of Yama (the lord of the departed), and the world of the gods?
Who shall find out the plainly shown path of virtue, as a clever man finds out the (right)…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of spiritual discipline and the pursuit of divine knowledge. They share a common theme of preparing oneself, both physically and mentally, to engage in worship or virtuous living, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆buddhism|The Dhammapada|Chapter XIII, Section 1a
“p.
47 CHAPTER XIII.
THE WORLD.
167.
Do not follow the evil law!
Do not live on in thoughtlessness!
Do not follow false doctrine!
Be not a friend of the world.
168.
Rouse thyself!
do not be idle!
Follow the law of virtue!
The vir…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of virtue and proper conduct in religious or spiritual practices. They exhort the reader to avoid worldly distractions and to focus on divine or virtuous actions, highlighting the significance of purity and proper worship.
◆mandaean|Gnostic John the Baptizer — Some Typical Extracts|Section 16
“That the moral instruction given to the Mandæans is excellent may be
seen in almost any piece; but there are distinctive collections of ethical
exhortation of which the following is an example.
EXHORTATIONS (§ 47).
FROM the Light-region h…”
Both passages offer moral and ethical exhortations within their respective mystical traditions. They emphasize virtues such as honesty, respect, and piety, and warn against vices like theft, adultery, and negligence in spiritual practices. The parallels lie in their shared focus on guiding followers towards righteous living and spiritual purity.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter XIa
““ How therefore ,” you ask, “ are many things performed to them in sacred operations, as if they were passive?
” I reply, that this is asserted through an ignorance of sacerdotal mysticism.
For of the things which are perpetually effected…”
Both passages discuss the nature of sacred rituals and their significance in connecting with the divine. They emphasize the purity and appropriateness of worship, and the importance of understanding the symbolic and arcane causes behind these rituals.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 14
“Section 10 10. It will be objected, that if the Soul constitutes the We [the personality] and We are subject to these states then the Soul must be subject to them, and similarly that what We do must be done by the Soul. But it has been obse…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its relationship to virtue and the body. Passage A from Plotinus emphasizes the distinction between the higher soul and the lower, brute part, while Passage B from Iamblichus focuses on the virtues of the soul and its role in living well. Both texts explore the idea of the soul's purity and its connection to divine and intellectual activities.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 19 (part 1)
“Section 1 1.
Since Evil is here, "haunting this world by necessary law," and it is the Soul's design to escape from Evil, we must escape hence.
But what is this escape?
"In attaining Likeness to God," we read.
And this is explained as "…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of virtue and the pursuit of a higher, divine-like state. They discuss the cultivation of virtues as a means to achieve a closer connection to the divine or eternal, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 19 (part 2)
“So with us: it is from the Supreme that we derive order and distribution and harmony, which are virtues in this sphere: the Existences There, having no need of harmony, order or distribution, have nothing to do with virtue; and, none the le…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of virtue and its role in attaining a higher state of being or likeness to the divine. They share a conceptual parallel in the idea that virtue is essential for a good life and for connecting with higher realities.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 20
“Section 2 2. First, then, let us examine those good qualities by which we hold Likeness comes, and seek to establish what is this thing which, as we possess it, in transcription, is virtue but as the Supreme possesses it, is in the nature o…”
Both passages discuss the nature and importance of virtue, with Passage A focusing on the likeness of virtue to the Supreme and Passage B detailing practical virtues and their benefits. Both emphasize the transformative power of virtue and its connection to higher principles.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 21
“Section 3 3. We come now to that other mode of Likeness which, we read, is the fruit of the loftier virtues: discussing this we shall penetrate more deeply into the essence of the Civic Virtue and be able to define the nature of the higher…”
Both passages discuss the concept of virtue and its relationship to the divine or higher principles. Passage A from Plotinus emphasizes the purification of the soul and likeness to God through virtue, while Passage B from the Pythagorean Sentences highlights the importance of virtue for living well and its connection to the divine intellect. Both texts share a common theme of virtue leading to a higher, more divine state of being.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 22
“Section 4 4. We come, so, to the question whether Purification is the whole of this human quality, virtue, or merely the forerunner upon which virtue follows? Does virtue imply the achieved state of purification or does the mere process suf…”
Both passages discuss the concept of purification and virtue, emphasizing the alignment of the soul with higher principles. Passage A focuses on the soul's devotion to the Intellectual-Principle, while Passage B highlights the importance of virtue and the purification of the intellect as a means to venerate divinity.
16 more
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 24
“Section 6 6. In all this there is no sin- there is only matter of discipline- but our concern is not merely to be sinless but to be God. As long as there is any such involuntary action, the nature is twofold, God and Demi-God, or rather God…”
Both passages discuss the nature of virtue and the elevation of the soul or mind towards a higher, divine principle. Passage A focuses on the contemplation of the Intellectual-Principle and the attainment of divine wisdom, while Passage B emphasizes the importance of virtue and philosophical discipline in achieving a pure and divine state of being.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 25
“Section 7 7. The virtues in the Soul run in a sequence correspondent to that existing in the over-world, that is among their exemplars in the Intellectual-Principle. In the Supreme, Intellection constitutes Knowledge and Wisdom; self-concen…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of virtue and the purification of the soul, highlighting the role of intellectual and moral virtues in achieving a higher state of being. They share a conceptual parallel in their focus on the cultivation of virtues as a means to connect with the divine or higher principles.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 28
“Section 2 2. The born lover, to whose degree the musician also may attain- and then either come to a stand or pass beyond- has a certain memory of beauty but, severed from it now, he no longer comprehends it: spellbound by visible lovelines…”
Both passages emphasize the ascent to higher realms of understanding and virtue. Passage A discusses the progression from physical beauty to the Intellectual-Principle, while Passage B outlines the virtues and philosophical disciplines leading to a pure intellect and divine connection.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 32
“Section 6 6. Philosophy has other provinces, but Dialectic is its precious part: in its study of the laws of the universe, Philosophy draws on Dialectic much as other studies and crafts use Arithmetic, though, of course, the alliance betwee…”
Both passages discuss the role of higher reasoning or wisdom in achieving moral and intellectual perfection. Passage A emphasizes the use of Dialectic in philosophy to achieve wisdom, while Passage B highlights the importance of virtue and philosophical theorems in living well and obtaining knowledge of eternal natures.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 36
“Section 3 3. Now if we draw no distinction as to kinds of life, everything that lives will be capable of happiness, and those will be effectively happy who possess that one common gift of which every living thing is by nature receptive. We…”
Both passages discuss the nature of a good or virtuous life, emphasizing the importance of the soul or intellectual nature in achieving happiness or well-being. They share a conceptual parallel in valuing the higher aspects of life and virtue, though they come from different philosophical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 67
“Section 6 6. For, as the ancient teaching was, moral-discipline and courage and every virtue, not even excepting Wisdom itself, all is purification. Hence the Mysteries with good reason adumbrate the immersion of the unpurified in filth, ev…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of purification and the separation of the soul from bodily concerns to achieve a higher spiritual state. They also highlight the role of virtue and divine connection in attaining beauty and goodness.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 68
“Section 7 7. Therefore we must ascend again towards the Good, the desired of every Soul. Anyone that has seen This, knows what I intend when I say that it is beautiful. Even the desire of it is to be desired as a Good. To attain it is for t…”
Both passages emphasize the purification and elevation of the soul, with Plotinus focusing on the soul's ascent to the Intellectual-Principle and divine beauty, while the Pythagorean sentences stress the importance of virtue and the purification of the intellect to achieve a divine connection and proper understanding.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 111
“Section 8 8. Soul, then, in the same way, is intent upon a task of its own; alike in its direct course and in its divagation it is the cause of all by its possession of the Thought of the First Principle: thus a Law of Justice goes with all…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the divine and human realms, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a connection to the divine principles for virtue and order. They both highlight the idea that human actions and thoughts should align with higher, divine truths.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 235
“Section 3 3. But how do we explain likings and aversions? Sorrow, too, and anger and pleasure, desire and fear- are these not changes, affectings, present and stirring within the Soul? This question cannot be ignored. To deny that changes t…”
Both passages discuss the concept of virtue and its relationship to the soul, emphasizing harmony and the proper functioning of faculties. They share a philosophical exploration of moral and ethical principles within the soul, though they come from different traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 399
“Section 15 15. (20) Thus far we have offered the considerations appropriate to those asking for demonstration: those whose need is conviction by evidence of the more material order are best met from the abundant records relevant to the subj…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of virtue and the purification of the soul to achieve a higher, divine state. They share a common theme of the soul's divine nature and the necessity of moral and intellectual discipline to realize this nature.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 423 (part 1)
“Section 7 7.
We must be more explicit: The Intellectual-Principle stands as the image of The One, firstly because there is a certain necessity that the first should have its offspring, carrying onward much of its quality, in other words th…”
Both passages emphasize the centrality of the soul and its role in achieving virtue and understanding divine principles. They share a focus on the purity of the soul and its connection to eternal and divine truths, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 668
“Section 29 29. Suppose, however, that pleasure did not result from the good but there were something preceding pleasure and accounting for it, would not this be a thing to be embraced? But when we say "to be embraced" we say "pleasure." But…”
Both passages explore the nature of goodness and virtue, emphasizing the importance of understanding the underlying principles that define them. Passage A delves into the philosophical pursuit of the good, while Passage B outlines practical virtues and their benefits, both aligning with the broader theme of ethical and metaphysical inquiry.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 669
“Section 30 30. Whether pleasure must enter into the good, so that life in the contemplation of the divine things and especially of their source remains still imperfect, is a question not to be ignored in any enquiry into the nature of the g…”
Both passages emphasize the pursuit of virtue and the good, with Passage A focusing on the Intellectual-Principle and the good as the ultimate goal, while Passage B highlights the importance of virtue and the soul's role in achieving a good life. Both texts share a philosophical approach to understanding the nature of the good and virtue.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 696
“Section 14 14. Another approach: Everything to which existence may be attributed is either one with its essence or distinct from it. Thus any given man is distinct from essential man though belonging to the order Man: a soul and a soul's es…”
Both passages discuss the nature of virtue and its relationship to the soul and intellectual principle. They explore the idea of freedom and self-disposal in the context of virtuous actions, though from different philosophical perspectives.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Third Dialoguea
“.
Tansillo .
There are several varieties of enthusiasts, which may all be reduced to two kinds.
While some only display blindness, stupidity, and irrational impetuosity, which tend towards savage madness, others by divine abstraction bec…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of divine connection and the purification of the self in the process of worship or spiritual practice. They both advocate for a separation from mundane concerns and a focus on the divine, highlighting the transformative power of spiritual practices.
◆taoism|The Writings of Chuang Tzu (Inner Chapters)|Book 127 (part 3)
“228 (virtue) which is internal, and not an adjunct of the body, and yet you are continually directing your attention to my external body;--are you not wrong in this?' Dze-khân felt uneasy, altered his manner and looks, and said, 'You need n…”
Both passages explore the theme of inner virtue and its importance over external appearances or circumstances. They emphasize the cultivation of inner qualities and the pursuit of wisdom, though they do so within different cultural and philosophical contexts.