Jamblichus 100 wanting one or according to the nameless Writer in Photii Biblioth CCXLIX 104 years or according to a nameless Writer in Galen's Works 117 years But if the Reader is not yet tir'd I will go on with him to the end of the 90 years which is as far as I see any ground Years before Christ 505 4. Olympiads 68 4. Here the Death of Pythagoras is plac'd in one MS of Eus. Chron. Years before Christ 504 Years before Christ 69 HERACLITUS now flourish'd D. Laert. Pythagoras's Age 83 IX beginning PARMENIDES now flourish'd D. Laert. IX 23. Now Cynaethus Chius first rhapsodied Homer's Verses Schol. in Pindar Nem. B. Years before Christ 502 Olympiads 69 2. HECATAEUS the Historian flourish'd Pythagoras's Age 85 for now he endeavour'd to disswade Aristagoras from taking Arms against Darius King of Persia Herodot V. 36. Pythagoras's Age 87 N. ANAXAGORAS the Philosopher Years before Christ 500 Olympiads 70 born this year D. Laert. II 7. from Apollodorus This is confirm'd by Democritus saying of himself thaâ—â—e was 40 years younger than Anaxagoraâ— D. Laert. V. 41. for Democritus was born Olymp. LXXX Ib. Pythagoras's Age 89 Mariana's Copy of Eus. Chron. places Years before Christ 498 7. Olympiads 70 3. the death of Pythagoras this year Pythagoras's Age 90 Θ. PYTHAGORAS died Eus. Chron. Scal. Years before Christ 497 6. Olympiads 70 4. and Pontac from 4 MSS. Most say he lived 90 years D. Laert. III. 44. The accounts of his death are various The likeliest is that which we have in the Excerpta of Diod. Sic. Porphyry and Jambl. c. 35. They tell how one Cylon of Croton a rich ambitious boisterous man having offer'd himself to be taken into the College and being refus'd was thereby so enraged that he got the Mob together and fell upon Milo's house when Pythagoras and his Disciples were all there together and burnt the house and all that were in it except two or three that narrowly escaped Some say Pythagoras was one of them that were burnt there Others say he escaped out of the Fire and was kill'd in pursuit Others that he fled to Caulonia thence to Locri thence to Tarentum but being no where receiv'd at last he went to Metapontum and there got into the Muses Temple where being kept from Victuals 40 days he was starved Hermippus whom Josephus calleth the most eminent Writer of Pythag. Life hath a most unlikely story of his death He saith that being ingag'd with â—he Agrigentines against the Syracusans and his Party being worsted he was taken in Flight because he would not run over a Bean Plot and so was kill'd by the Enemy D. Laert. hath an Epigram on his Death according to this Story which I think indeed is fitter for a Poet than an Historian After his Death those of his Disciples that were living are said to have been dispersed into Greece and the neighbouring Countries And yet his Family is said to have continued at or about Croton His Wife Theano was born there according to Clem. Alex. from Didymus and D. Laert. and Suidas But Porphyry says she was of Crete Some say that she and her Son Telauges revived or continued his School Others say it was done by Aristaeus of Croton that married his Daugh. Theano His Son Arimnestus is mention'd by Porphyry from Duris Samius and said to have taught Democritus the famous Philosopher D. Laert mentions his Son Marmacus and D. Damo Suidas seems to call that Son Mnesarchus and also mentions his D. Arignote and Myia Another D. of his is call'd Sara But of all these we have nothing that looks like a Certainty in my opinion FINIS ERRATA P. vii l. 2. have also from p. ix l. 12. for LVII r. LXII p. 5. l. 1. for 5 2. r. 52. p. 10. l. 12.41 should be in lin 15. p. 11. l. 22. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 N. is here put for the Birth and Θ. for the Death of any Person * Jonsius de Script Hist. Philos VIII 2. Herod 11. Diod. Sic. Philostr vit Apoll. Ty. iii. 6. Porph. p. 188. Porph. p. 201. Schol. in Sophoclis Electram Diog. Laert VIII 4. Schol. in Apoll. Argonaut I. D. Laert. VIII 4. D Laert. VIII 14. Porph. p. 191. Jambl. c. 28. Herod II. Diog. Laert from Heraclides Porph. p 191. D. Laert. VIII 36. Philostr III. 707. VI. 18. V. 15. Diog. Laert VIII 41. from Hermippus Chrysost. Hom. II. in Joh. Cyril in Julian III. Porph. p. 193. Jambl. c. 28. P. 194. Porph. p 191 192. Jambl. c. 28. Porph. ib. Jambl. c. 13. Jambl c. 28. Porph. p. 190. 1 Cor. I. 21. Acts IV. 13. V. Hierocl infra Julian Apost in Spanheim's Edition of Cyril lib. X. p. 327. John XX. 30 31. Mar. XVI 20. 1 Cor. XV. 6. V. Uss. Annal A. D. 54. Pearson Posthum Act II. 32. IV. 33. V. 32. John IX 47. Acts IV. 16. Mat. IX 34. XII 24. Mat. XXVI 59 60. Luke XXIII 14. Origen contra Celsum I. p. 30 55. II. p. 93 94. P. xx xxv Origen contra Celsum III. p. 126 127. VIII p. 407. Origen contra Cels. I. p. 8. Orig. cont Cels. I. P. xvii Origin contra Cels. III p. 125 129. Orig. cont Cel. III. 125 129. Herod IV. Orig cont Cels. III. p. 129. Holstein de vitâ scriptis Porph. c. 10. Hieron praef Dan. De vit scr Porphyr c 4. Euseb. hist. VI. 19. Porph. v. Plotini p. 4. Euseb. hist. VII 12. VIII 4. Hoâ—st ib. c 10 De vit Scr. Porph. c. 7. p. xiii Lact. de Justit v. 2. Lact. de mort perfec c 16. Euseb. de Mart. Palaest c. 5. Eus. cont Hier. Edit Oxon 8 o. p. 264. Gal. 6.11 Act. 22.3 Act. 26.24 Rom. 3.8 2 Pet. 3.3 2 Tim 4.6 2 Pet. 1.14 Philost VIII 12. Philost I. 3. Ib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ib. I 3. I 2. Philostr Soph. II. p. 617. He writ a book of Love-Epistles Suid. I 1. IV 3. IV. 8. Empusa P. ix C. 1 c. 1. IV. 3. IV. 5. III 8. VI 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. xxxi I 4. VIII 12. I 9. Tacâ— Ann. II. 42. Tac Annal II 42. P. xxix VIII 12. VIII 12. P. v. I 1 2. Euseb. in Hier. I â—3 p. 25. I 2 3. VII 1. III 13. Lucian in Pseudo-Mant p. 476. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. xxx P. xxix Philost Soph. II. p. â—â—â— Eus. hist VI. Phil. vit Apol. l. 18 24. Sext. Empir Pyrth III 24. I 3. More 's Mystery of Godliness IV 3 4. V 7 1. Phil. VIII 13. Eus. hist. VI 21. Lampr. Alex A. § 29. Mystery of Godliness V 7 8. Vopisc Divus Aurel c. 24. Mr. Dodwell 's praelect prooem in hist. Aug. V. 6. V. Lact. de mort perfec Juliani Epist xxxiv xl xli liii lx lxi Juliani Orat IV. Crat VII Ib. Jambl. vit Pyth c. 2 p. 28. c. 2. p. 29. Ib. P. viii p. vi vii viii P. 43. c. 27. p. 127. c. 19. p. 94. P. xiii c. 19. p. 94. c. 2. p. 31. l. 5. c. 4. p. 36. l. 27. c. 4. ending c. 5. beginning c. 7. p. 47. l. 23. c. 36. p. 220. l. 4. c. 30. p. 154. l. 22. c. 23. p. 103 l. 15. Herodot IV 56. c 23. p. 103. l. 11 15. Dissert p. 362. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porph. vit Pyth. p. 193. Jambl. c. 28. p. 127 128. p. xi VIII 3. c. 23. p. 103. l. 15. D. Laert. VIII 56. ibidem VIII 74. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 19. p. 92. l. 32. p. 93. l. 10. c. 28. p. 131. l. 28. c. 36 p. 221 c.
Pythagoras himself said that after the Fisherman's death his Soul had rested 207 years in Hades before it came into that body of his But what of all this The Doctrine of Transmigration of Souls is sufficiently proved if the Soul of Pythagoras was at any time formerly in the body of Euphorbus And that as Porphyry tells us was positively affirm'd by Pythagoras himself and prov'd beyond dispute as likewise his Scholar Jamblichus tells us in the very same words But these Philosophers were wise they took care to hide that part of their Ware which would haue disgrac'd all the rest It was the Aegyptian Doctrine that Souls pass'd out of men into Beasts and Fishes and Birds This also according to Heraclides Pythagoras used to say of himself that he remembred not only what Men but what Plants and what Animals his Soul had pass'd thoroâ—gh And tho' this was more than Mercury gave to Aethalides Pythagoras took upon 〈◊〉 to tell many others how their Souls had lived before they came into their bodies One particularly that was beating a Dog he desir'd to forbear because in the yelping of that Dog he heard a Friend's Soul speak to him So Empedocles that lived in the next Age after Pythagoras and was for a while the Oracle of his Sect declared of himself that he had been first a Boy then a Girl then a Plant then a Bird then a Fish Apollonius had the same Impudence if Philostratus may be believed who tells us he own'd that his Soul was formerly in the Master of a Ship he shew'd one young Man that had in him the Soul of Palamedes another of Telephus both kill'd at the time of the Trojan War and in a tame Lion that was carried about for a sight he said there was the Soul of Amasis King of Egypt How could such Fictions as these come into Men's heads There is more than idle Fancy in them They shew plainly a pernicious Devilish design to confound those two Doctrines that have so great an influence into Men's minds to make them do good and eschew evil the Doctrines of the Immortality of the Soul and of the Resurrection of the Body For if those Fictions were true there would be no difference between the Soul of a Man and the Soul of a Brute or a Plant and there would be many more Bodies than there would be Souls to animate them at the Resurrection What would not the Devil give to have these things believ'd by all Mankind For the Tricks they tell us he had to make the People admire him they are so agreeable to his Character that his Historian Jamblichus with the same Design Aped him in some of them unless he is bely'd by Eunapius the Writer of his Life They were as one may properly call them the Artifices of an Impostor Mahomet the greatest that ever was of that sort when he set up to be a Prophet though it is not likely that he had ever heard of Pythagoras yet took the very same Methods that He did to impose upon Mankind This will appear in several of the following Instances if any one will take the Trouble to compare them with those that are in Mahomet's Life The first thing we read Pythagoras did to make way for the Authentical publishing of his Doctrines was to make himself look like a sort of Demigod to the People For this purpose he provided himself a Cell under ground and then giving out he was dead he retir'd into that Hole and there for a long time together seven Years as some tell us he lived unknown to all Mankind Only his Mother was in the Secret for she was to supply him with Necessaries but of these he took in no more than just what would keep him alive Then at last he came forth like a perfect Skeleton and shewed himself as one that had been all this while in another World He that was so greedy of vain Glory that he could afford to purchase it at this Rate would not spare his Pains or refuse any Help to get into Possession of his Purchase And for this it being requisite he should do things above the Power of any Mortal therefore of such things true or false they tell us not a few in his Life Some of the Fathers have said that he wrought them by Compact with the Devil But I see no Necessity of that for he had other ways by which other Men have obtained the fame of working Miracles He was doubtless both a natural Philosopher and a great Mathematician He understood all the Secrets of the Egyptians and Chaldaeans And having many Disciples on those Accounts it seems very likely that he might act in Confederacy with them This at least they could do for him they might help devise Stories of the Miracles that he wrought and then for their own Credit as well as his they would be industrious to spread them among the People Such Lyes they were I do not doubt that Porphyry and Jamblichus tell us of his laying Winds Tempests and Earthquakes for of these they do not give any particular Instance nor are these things mentioned by any other Writers that I remember So likewise they tell us of his curing Diseases whether of Body or Mind which they say he did with Charms that is as Cyril saith he did them by the help of the Devil For his hearing the Musick of the Spheres that Porphyry speaks of as a wonderfull Harmony now we know this is a Lye framed upon a false Imagination But if this were true being an invisible Miracle and impossible to be proved it could not be made use of to prove any thing else Many other lying Wonders they tell of him which seem to have been made only for Talk being such as could signifie nothing to the good of Mankind As namely how to shew his Company what he could do he took up Serpents that had killed other Men and handled them so as that they neither hurt him nor he them How for the same purpose by whistling to an Eagle that happen'd to fly over his Head he brought her down to his Hand and then let her go again Another time seeing some Fisher men at their draught he foretold them the exact Number of Fishes that their Net should bring up and when they were told threw them in again How by stroaking a Bear and whispering a Bull in the Ear he brought them both to the Pythagorean Diet the Bear to eat nothing that had life and the Bull to crop no more Bean-tops How he spoke to a River that he was passing over with many of his Friends and it answer'd him again in all their Hearings Good morrow Pythagoras But this goes beyond all the rest if there be any Truth in it that when Abaris had been all over Greece to beg Money for the Temple of his God Apollo Hyperboreus at last in an evil hour for himself he
Patches taken out of the ancient Writers and so is this among the rest yet here after all the heap of stuff that he hath collected from others concerning the life of Pythagoras at last he brings in those stories of Miracles wrought by him part of which are in no other Writers and the rest he hath made his Own by vouching for them as I have shewn This I cannot imagine why so wise a man should do but in pursuance of his malicious design against the Christian Religion by making his reader believe that the Miracles of Christ upon which the credit of our Religion is built were of no greater credit themselves than those which were wrought by Pythagoras That I am not mistaken in this the Reader will see in the following instance of Hierocles who writing some few years after Porphyry had so highly advanced Pythagoras set him up in Competition with our Lord Iesus Christ as I shall presently shew Hierocles being chief Iudge at Nicomedia in Diocletâ—an's time was a chief Instigator of that bloody Persecution that was then against the innocent Christians And to justifie this he writ two Books against the Christian Religion which he publish'd under the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of Truth No doubt by these means he won the heart of the Emperour Galerius who was the first mover of that Persecution and therefore by him he was advanced to the most profitable Government of Alexandria in Egypt There also he went on in his butcherly Trade till an end was put to it by the wonderfull Providence of God which by Constantine's means brought Christianity to be the Imperial Religion Then Hierocles betook himself wholly to Philosophy and among other things writ his Commentary on the Golden Verses that bear the name of Pythagoras which I mention to shew how much he was addicted to the honour of Porphyry's Saint Of his two Books against the Christians it seems that Eusebius saw but One and of that he tells us the most part was stollen out of Celsus and was long since answer'd by Origen It appears that in that work of Hierocles to pull down the honour of Christ he first set up Aristeas as Celsus had done next he sets up Pythagoras and lastly Apollonius Tyaneus All this we learn out of that Fragment of Hierocles which is publish'd in the end of his Works and also at the end of Eusebius's answer to his Book though Eusebius medleth only with that part which concerns Apollonius because that was all that was New in this Controversie In this piece Hierocles having magnified Apollonius Tyaneus for the great things that were recorded of him by Philostratus in his life and having vilified our Lord Iesus Christ whom the Christians as he saith on the account of his doing a few 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 call a God he concludes in these words It is worth the considering that those things of Iesus are brag'd of by Peter and Paul and some others of that sort of men Liars and Illiterate and Impostors but for these things of Apollonius we have Maximus and Damis a Philosopher that lived with him and Philostratus men eminent for their Learning and lovers of truth What a Lover of Truth Hierocles himself was we are to judge not by the title of his Books but by the things contained in them And though his Books against the Christians have been lost many Ages since as those blasphemous Books of Porphyry were yet here we have a kind of Summary of them in this Fragment For here we see in short what he had to say against the Apostles of Christ and what to say for the Evangelists of Apollonius whom he sets up against him and it cannot be denied that on either side the truth of the matters of fact is to be judged of chiefly by the sufficiency and the honesty of the Witnesses Therefore knowing what he has to say of them we know in effect the validity of all that is contained in his Books First In his charge against the Apostles of Christ to say that Paul was Illiterate this was certainly an impudent Calumny For beside his knowledge of the Greek that was his native Language wherein also we see he writ a large Epistle with his own hand and quotes the Greek Poets in several of his Epistles I say beside this he had the Hebrew Learning in great perfection being brought up at the feet of Gamaliel a Doctor in great fame among the Iews to this day And he gave such proofs of his Learning before the Roman Governour and King Agrippa that the Governour said too much learning had made him mad So far was He from calling him an illiterate Man Then to call him and Peter Liars and Impostors what occasion did they give him for this Only by their Preaching and Writing for the Christian Religion But did they believe that Religion or not If they did suppose they might err in this yet they could not be Liars and Impostors for they both knew and writ that all such are in a state of Damnation according to the rules of their Religion But if they did not believe it then indeed they might do wicked things for their Religion if that would recommend them to the Emperour's favour and so to get preferment as Hierocles did But they were so far from that the Government being against their Religion that they could get nothing by it but Dangers and Sufferings Those they met with in all places wheresoever they preach'd And they look'd for nothing else in this world but Sufferings and those to end in a cruel Death for Christ's sake This both of them declared in the last Epiples they writ And in this we see they were not mistaken For both of them suffer'd Martyrdom as Clemens tells us in his Epistle to the Corinthians which he writ within two or three years after their death the truth of which Epistle hath never been question'd by any learned man whatsoever But what shall we say of a man that was perfectly Blinded with Prejudice and Malice or with Ambition and Covetousness If Hierocles had not been so he could not but have seen that those two Apostles of Christ had nothing about them that would suit with those two ugly characters of Liars and Impostors But he had those in his eye that would certainly have been taken by those marks if there had been a hue and cry after them I can't think any learned man in his Age being asked Of all the Writers whose Works were then extant which was the greatest Liar would name any other than Philostratus I am sure he could not if he would speak impartially And yet this Philostratus and his two Authors Maximus and Damis known to none but himself are the men whom Hierocles calleth Learned Men and Lovers of Truth And for an Impostor if such a one had been enquired for I know not whom a learned man
ignorantly now he was told of it discarded the young Gentleman All this as Philostratus says was in the minutes of Damis who was present at that time And with Him I go next to Apollonius's Travels of which Philostratus tells us many wonders that he saith Damis saw among which are the most incredible things that we read in the Travels of Sir John Mandevill But he tells us many more and greater than that Knight has in his Book Particularly this which Damis confesseth made him stare When he was among the Bramins they brought him to a Treat where he saw four Tables that walked and placed themselves in an apt Figure each of these was supported by an Image that served them with Drink Two of these Images pour'd out Wine and the other two Water one hot and one cold to every Guest according to his drinking and for Dinner there came in Dishes of all the best Fruits of the Season invisible till they were upon the Table and there they set themselves in order for eating then the Earth thrust up heaps of Grass that were softer than Beds for the Guests to lie upon Philostratus saith indeed that how they did these things Apollonius neither asked nor cared to Learn that is he took all to be done by Magick But he liked these Magicians never the worse for it as appears by the high Praises he gave them at every mention that he made of them afterwards Which so prick'd the Gymnosophists when he was with them in Aethiopia that they to shew him a proof of their skill made an Elm-tree speak to him It spoke he saith articulately but it was with a Woman's voice perhaps because the Greek word for an Elm is of the Feminine Gender These are very rank fulsome Lyes but they are but a small tast of the abundance that Philostratus gives us out of his Damis's Minutes What he tells of Apollonius without that Authority himself as I have shewn doth acknowledge to be very Vncertain Such he owns those stories to have been that he tells us of a Choire of Swans that happening to be in the Meadow where his Mother fell in Labour Sung him into the World and also of a Choire of Virgins that sung him into Heaven if the lying Cretans may be believ'd that gave Philostratus the words of their Song For the distance of time between his Birth and his Death he owns it to be very uncertain He saith it was as some say 80 years as some 90 and as some above 100. But therein as well as in many other things he shew'd his want of Chronology For if as he tells us Archelaus rebell'd against the Romans when Apollonius was at Aegae being then but 16 years old then he must have been born in or very near the first year of our Lord for it was certainly A. D. 17 in which Archelaus after a very short struggle yielded and was deposed for his Rebellion And as I have shewn from Philostratus himself Apollodorus died A. D. 96. Therefore according to Philostratus's own account he died at the Age of 96 or 97 years old which is none of the years above mention'd So uncertain was also the place of his death For as Philostratus saith some say he died at Ephesus some say in the Isle of Candy and some in Minerva's Temple at Lindus For Philostratus's part not daring to strain the credit of Damis by making him side with any of them he declares that Dâ—mis said nothing of the manner of his Death But then delivering the opinions of others he saith Thus died Apollonius adding if he Died at all O rare Historian that having not only assured us he was Born but having given a particular account of his Father and his Mother and the Green Chamber he was Born in comes at last to make a Doubt whether he ever Died or no. What would this man have the Reader think of his Apollonius that he was greater than Apollo or than Jupiter himself So it seems For both these Died as we have shewn from Pythagoras himself who own'd it was after their Deaths that they were made Gods and Pythagoras could not but Know this for as this Writer tells us Pythagoras was Among them sometimes and Apollo came to him and own'd that it was He that spoke to him Yet here Philostratus that told us all this though he durst not speak out that Apollonius did Never die yet he intimates this was his Opinion and would incline his Reader to believe it Certainly your Tzetzes did not exceed in calling him the most lying Philostratus Among all the Writers that I know there is scarce a greater Liar in the world Nor was there a greater Impostor than Apollonius whom on the sole credit of Philostratus's History Hierocles so much extolls as the great Favourite of the Gods and fitter to be called a God than our Blessed Saviour But to shew more particularly what Apollonius was we must not wholly reject his lying Historian For if we do we are quite in the dark there being no other that writ of Apollonius within two hundred years after his death Lucian only excepted And therefore to make the best of what we have in these two Writers I shall begin with Philostratus and take the best Information we can get of him Now according to this Historian Apollonius was bred up at first among the Pythagoreans and always affected to be thought a Philosopher of that Sect. For he strictly observed the rules of Pythagoras though he understood not his Doctrine But he not only imitated but much out did him in his Travels And according to the way of that Sect which was much addicted to the Worship of Daemon's he made it his bâ—siness wheresoever he went to restore the Gentile Idolatry which was then much sunk by the preaching of the Christian Religion This no doubt might entitle him to the Devil 's especial Assistance by which he might do Wonderfull things and might as he Boasted he did know more than all the men in the world That was nothing to him He would be thought to be a God and therefore he boasted of things which no Man could know or do He declared he knew all the Languages of Men without any teaching and that he understood not only their Words but even their silent Thoughts Damis as soon as he heard this fell down and worshâ—pped him he could do no less looking upon him as a Daemon saith the Historian Others that saw his Tricks and heard such things from him soon found both what he was and what he would be at They saw he was either a Magician or a grand Cheat. This was the common Opinion they had of him according to Philostratus who notably fenceth against it They also saw what he drove at even to be thought a God Of this he was accused to the Government and that by Philosophers even by Euphrates the
credit say he lived LXXVII or CIX years But if he was in the flower of his Age in the LXXXIVth Olympiad that is above LX years after Olymp. LXVIII 3. in which I place the death of Pythagoras or placing it in Olymp. LXX 4. which is but IX years after and that is the lowest I can go I must needs say Empedocles was a very young Conjurer or he flourish'd in a very old Age or which I rather believe there is no credit to be given to these two Historians This will farther appear by the account they give of Abaris whom also they make a great Conjurer and train'd up to it by Pythagoras So much Porphyry had said But Jamblichus much out-does his Master For having told us that Abaris came for improvement in knowledge into Greece he saith that in his way home from thence being now well stricken in years he came to see Pythagoras in Italy There he gave Pythagoras the Arrow upon which he used to ride aloft in the Air though elsewhere he saith Pythagoras took away his Arrow and kept it till he made him confess all he cared to know of him When there in Italy they had spent as much time together as Jamblichus pleas'd then he brings them to Agrigentum in Sicily and there he sets them to try if they can work any good upon Phalaris In his 32d Chapter Jamblichus sheweth his Talent in the making of Speeches for them and of Answers for Phalaris till they came to be upon ill terms Then he makes Phalaris resolve to kill them both and he makes them for prevention set the People against him by whom he saith Phalaris was kill'd the same day that he had determin'd to kill both Pythagoras and Abaris Now this is so fine a Romance that it is pity there should be no truth in it but only that there was such a City and that there were such Persons It is civil to grant that in the time of Pythagoras there was such a one as Abaris living though Authors differ much about the time of his coming into Greece For as Harpocration tells us Hippostratus placed it in Olymp. III others in Olymp. XXI Pindar in the time of King Croesus and Euseb. Chronicon hath it twice namely there and in Olymp. LXXXII But granting that Abaris was in Greece in Croesus's time which is the only time that consists with Jamblichus's story Then according to Euseb. Chronicon his coming was in Olymp. LIV 2. that was while Pythagoras was abroad in his Travels according to Jamblichus's Account which makes his coming into Italy to be in Olymp. LXII that is full XXX years after By this time Abaris though he came out of Greece with him must needs be very well stricken in years much more if he came after Pythagoras was setled in Italy But what becomes of Phalaris the mean while See in my account 572 before Christ. There it appears the latest we can bring Phalaris to die is in Olymp. LVII 4. that is XVI years before Jamblichus makes Pythagoras come into Italy After this Phalaris could neither kill nor be killâ—d but in a Romance and I take all this Story of Jamblichus to be no other For the rest of the 218 Names of Disciples in his Catalogue I can bring none of them within the time of Pythagoras's Life but Milo and Parmenides whom I mention in my account in the years 539 and 504 before Christ. There are scarce two more of them that ever saw Pythagoras for ought that appears in any good Author though here are the names of several more that were Philosophers of the Pythagorean Sect. Yet even these together with them before mention'd will not make up the odd number of eighteen For the other two hundred I take them to be insignificant Names invented by Jamblichus only out of vain Ostentation To conclude I do not lay any weight at all upon the Testimony of Jamblichus nor much on that of his Master Porphyry where he doth not mention his Author But I quote them sometimes in the following account as in a History of the British Kings I would Geoffry of Monmouth But then naming my Author for want of a better where I think what he says may be true I should leave all I said from him to the reader with a perfect indifference whether he believ'd him or not With the like indifference as to every thing but what I have Scripture for I commit these Papers into your hands desiring you to take them only as my Opinion which is all that you ask of SIR Your Affectionate Friend and Servant W. Cov. and Lich. Mar. 30. 1699. A Chronological Account Of the LIFE of PYTHAGORAS AND Of other Famous Men his Contemporaries Pythagoras's Age OF Pythagoras the Samian Philosopher Years before Christ Olympiads there is nothing said by any of the Ancients that I know which can make us think he was born before Olymp XLIII save only that of Plin. Nat. Hist. II. 8. who says that in Olymp. XLII and V. C. 142 he first found that Venus was sometimes the Morning Star and sometimes the Evening Star But it is not improbable that in this Pliny might mistake Pythagoras for his Master Thales of whom see the year 585 before Christ. N. PYTHAGORAS born this year if Years before Christ 605 Olympiads 43 3 4. he was the same that is here mention'd in the year 588 before Christ. This year also suits best with Antilochus's Account which follows in 583 before Christ. Years before Christ 604 Olympiads 44 Θ. Nabopolassar King of Babylon Next his Son Nabocolassar or Nebuchadnezzar who had reigned about two years with his Father This year Jan. 21 was his first Thoth according to Ptol. Canon Years before Christ Olympiads 45 N. PHERECYDES born this year Suidas He was born in the Isle of Syrus one of the Cyclades Strabo x. Pythagoras was at first his Disciple Cicero Tusc. Qu. I. Diod. Sic. Excerpt and many others Years before Christ 594 3. Olympiads 46 3. SOLON was this year Archon at Athens Diog. Laert. from Sosicrates So Euseb. Chronicon in 1 MS. Clem. Alexandr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he was Archon in Olymp. XLVI He made his Laws in the time of Tarquinius Priscus A. Gellius XVII 21. He made them the year that he was Archon and that with the help of EPIMENIDES who came thither from Crete and having expiated the City in Olymp. XLIV as Suidas saith or in Olymp. XLV as Eus. Chron. Pontaci or Olymp. XLVI as Laertius returned home and died soon after D. Laert. l. 110 being 154 years old as Xenophanes said he had heard Ib. III. of Xenophanes see in the year 540 before Christ. Years before Christ 592 Olympiads 47 ANACHARSIS Scytha now came to Athens Eucrates being Archon D. Laert. 1. 101. Years before Christ 588 Olympiads 48 Pythagoras Samius offer'd himself to play at Fisticuffs among the Boys at the Olympic Games but having long Hair and wearing Purple
he was rejected with Reproach Therefore he went from them among the Men and there offering himself at the same Exercise he was Victor This was our Philosopher according to D. Laert. VIII 48. who hath all this from Eratosthenes Favorinus and Theaetetus Iamblichus hath the same and many others Eratosthenes says farther that our Philosopher was the first that boxed according to Art Yet D. Laert. cites a Poet that saith this was Pythagoras Son of Crateus Hesychius saith they are mistaken that think it was the Philosopher Pythagoras's Age 1 N. PYTHAGORAS Son of Mnesarchus Years before Christ 586 5. Olympiads 48 3. descended from Hippasus who was formerly of Phlius by Pythaïs who was descended from Ancaeus one of the Planters of Samos There most Writers say he was born though Porphyry would have him born at Tyre and Jamblichus at Sidon perhaps as being the ancienter City It seems there were other Pretenders to the honour of being his Countrymen for Joseph in Ap. 11. saith it is as hard to tell his Country as Homer's But yet it is harder to tell the year of his Birth I am doubtfull whether it ought not to be the year 605 before Christ. But I rather place it here for Reasons that will appear afterwards in the years 506 and 497 before Christ. Pythagoras's Age 2 Θ. PERIANDER died 40 years before Years before Christ 585 Olympiads 48 4. Croesus and 1 year before Olymp. XLIX D. Laert. 1 95. from Sosicrates He had reigned at Corinth 44 years Arist. Pol. v 12. Of the VII Wise men of Greece he was the first that died The other VI were Thales Solon Cleobulus Chilo Bias and Pittacus thus reckon'd by Diog. Laert. Prooem 13 and 1.40 1 2. Olympiads 48 4. THALES this year foretold an Eclipse of Pythagoras's Age 2 the Sun He was the first among the Greeks that could do this Cicero de Divin I. Years before Christ 583 2. Olympiads 49 2. Pythagorae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Antilochus Pythagoras's Age 4 who in his History of Learned Men reckon'd 312 years from hence to Epicurus's death which was 270 years before Christ Olymp. CXXVII 2. Gamelion 10. Cic. de fato D. Laert. X 15. and Clem. Alex. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Years before Christ 580 79. Olympiads 50 N. ARISTEAS Proconnesius was born this Pythagoras's Age 7 Olymp. Suidas It was after Olymp. L. that Pythagoras came into Italy saith D. Halicarn lib. 11. p. 120. But H. Valesius and Menagius think this is a mistake of Olymp. NÌ„ instead of Olymp. Ξ Years before Christ 578 Olympiads 50 3. Θ. Tarquinius Priscus died Next King Pythagoras's Age 9 Servius Tullius Dion Hal. III. Years before Christ 572 Olympiads 52 Began the Tyranny of PHALARIS according Pythagoras's Age 15 to Suidas and Eus. Chron. Pontaci which saith it continued 16 years Eus. Chron. in a former account hath his Tyranny according to Scaliger's Edition beginning Olymp. XXXI 2 and ending Olymp XXXVIII 2. Here also according to Scaliger it should be LIII 4. Pythagoras's Age 15 ANACREON Teius lived in this Olymp. Olympiads 52 It was in Polycrates's time Suidas Pythagoras's Age 15 AESOP the Fable-maker now flourish'd Olympiads 52 D. Laert 1 72. Pythagoras's Age 17 Θ. PITTACUS died at Mitylene D. Laert Years before Christ 570 Olympiads 52 3. 1 79. Pythagoras's Age 17 Pythagoras being 18 years old went Years before Christ 568 7. Olympiads 53 1. to travel as on the account of his Studies Jamblichus c. 2. for which by Thales he was advised to go to Aegypt Ib. D. Laert VIII 2. saith he was then a young Man and addicted to Learning But his going for Aegypt was to avoid the growing Tyranny of Polycrates Strabo XIV and Jamblichus c. 2. Yet Polycrates writ a Letter in his Commendation to King Amasis being his Friend and Hospes desiring him to get him instructed by the Aegyptian Priests D. Laert. and Porph. from Antipho Iamblichus c. 2. saith he went first to Pherecydes then to Anaximander then to Thales Id. c. 3. then to Sidon to Byblus to Tyre and many other Cities of Syria in all which places he was initiated Then he took Ship for Aegypt but by the way he landed and went up Mount Carmel Iamblichus c. 3. He came into Aegypt Isocr de laud. Busiridis Cic. de finibus v. Strab. XIV Plin. XXV 2. Lucian Tatian Clem. Alex He gave Polycrates's Letter to Amasis and obtained Amasis's Letter to the Aegyptian Priests D. Laert. and Porph. from Antipho With this Letter he came first to them of Heliopolis they sent him to them of Memphis their Seniors they to the Diospolites who at first were very shy but fearing to displease Amasis they undertook him thinking at first to balk him with their Austerities But he underwent all saith Porphyry from Antipho He was circumcised and initiated in their Sacred Rites Clement Alex. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He learnt the Aegyptian Language he learnt their three sorts of Letters They admitted him to their Sacrifices and Exercises of Learning which none ever obtain'd before D. Laert. from Antipho He learnt of their Priests the manner of their Sacrifices and their religious Rites Isocr de l. Busir He read the Books of their ancient Priests Clem. Alex. He learnt their Geometry and Astronomy Jambl. c. 4. He got the Observations of infinite Ages Valer. Maximus VIII 7. He was in Aegypt a long time as all confess Plut. Q. Symposiac VIII 8.22 years saith Jambl. c. 4. This I believe was all the time of his Eastern Travels He also went to the King of Arabia and learnt all he could there Porph. Strabo XIV p. 439 18 c. saith from Aâ—gypt he went to Babylon There he was with the Chaldees and Magi. D. Laert. There at Babylon he learnt of several of the Chaldees particularly of Zabratus by whom he was purged from all the Desilements of his former Life Porph. He was Disciple of Nazaratus the Assyrian Clem. Alex. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He went to the Persian Magi. Cic. de finibus V. Plin. XXV 2. Of them he learnt matters of their Religion and way of Living D. Laert. from Lycus There he came to learn and understand the Jewish knowledge particularly their Oniromancy Porphyry from Diogen In his return from Babylon he came to Crete to get Minos's Laws Justin V 4. After his being with the Chaldees and Magi he was there in Crete with Epimenides D. Laert. VIII 3. He was purged by the Priests of Morgus one of the Idaean Dactyli Porph. He went into the Idaean Cave Ib. The Priests there have the Verses that he made on the Sepulchre of Jupiter Ib. After his return from Babylon he came home to Samos Strabo XIV So D. Laert. and Porph. from Antipho There he open'd a School in a place call'd in Antipho's time Pythagorae Hemicyclus D. Laert and Porph. from Antipho There he also had a Cave without the Town into which he retir'd for his Studies Id. and Id. This is the summ
of what we read of the Life of Pythagoras for the space of 22 years that is as I account it from the year before Christ 568 till the year 546 before Christ. Pythagoras's Age 24 ABARIS Priest of Apollo Hyperboreus Years before Christ 563 2. Olympiads 54 2. came into Greece Eus. Chron. Scaligeri and two MSS. Other MSS bring him 10 years sooner Harpocration from Pindar faith he came in the time of Croesus Years before Christ 562 Olympiads 54 2 3. The first COMEDY at Athens was made Pythagoras's Age 24 by Susarion and acted upon a movable Scaffold Chron. Marmor Years before Christ 561 Olympiads 54 3 4. Θ. Nabocolassar or Nebucadnezzar King of Babylon Next his Son Iluarodam or Evil Merodach This year Jan. 1◠was his first Thoth according to Ptolemee's Canon Years before Christ 561 Olympiads 54 3 4. CROESUS began his Reign of 14 years Pythagoras's Age 25 Herod 1.86 PISISTRATUS was now Tyrantat Athens Chron. Marm. Θ. AESOP died Eus. Chron. CLEOBULUS was yet living at Lindus if his Epistle to Solon be true which we have in D. Laert. 1.93 Years before Christ 560 Olympiads 55 Θ. Astyages King of Media Next his Pythagoras's Age 26 Son Cyaxares Xen. 1. Scripture calls him Darius the Mede Africanus saith all agree that Cyrus Son of Cambyses by Mandane Daughter of Astyages began his Reign over the Persians in Olymp. LV. Years before Christ 559 Olympiads 55 1 2. Θ. Iluarodam kill'd by his Sister's Husband Neriglissoroor Beros Next King of Babylon this Neriglissoroor or Nergal-sharezer His first Thoth was Jan. 10. this year in Ptol. Canon Years before Christ 559 Olympiads 55 1 2. Θ. SOLON died in Cyprus this Spring Pythagoras's Age 27 See it proved in VSS. Annals He died 2 Pisistrati Plut. in Solon Years before Christ 557 Olympiads 55 4. N. SIMONIDES born this year for he Pythagoras's Age 30 was 80 years old in Olymp. LXXVI when Adimantus was Archon as himself saith and so Chron. Marm. Years before Christ 556 Olympiads 56 Θ. PHALARIS died this year if he began Pythagoras's Age 31 as is above-said in Olymp. LII or if in Olymp. LIII 4 then he died seven year later The people of Agrigentum rose against him and kill'd him Cic. Offic 11. Pythagoras's Age 31 Θ. STESICHORUS died this year Suidas Years before Christ 556 Olympiads 56 The lowest account of his death in Eus. Chron. is Olymp. LVI 2. the highest is Olymp. LIV 4. This year Euthydemus was Archon at Years before Christ 556 Olympiads 56 Athens Chron. Marm. And the year that he was Archon CHILO was Ephorus at Lacedaemon D. Laert. 1.68 from Sosicrates Θ. Laborosoarchod Son of Neriglissoroor Years before Christ 555 Olympiads 56 2. having reigned 9 Months after his Father Next King of Babylon Nabonadius or Labynitus called Belshazzar in Scripture His first Thoth was Jan. 9 according to Ptol. Canon Pythagoras's Age 36 N. CONFUTIUS born this year the Years before Christ 551 Olympiads 57 2. great Philosopher of the Chineses Martin Hist. Sin Pythagoras's Age 39 Croesus past over the River Halys on a Years before Christ 548 Olympiads 58 Bridge built by the art of Thales Herod 1.75 and so lost himself and his Kingdom after 14 years Reign Herod 1 86. that was this year according to my account from Herodotus Pythagoras's Age 39 Θ. THALES died this year saith D. Laert Olympiads 58 1.38 and Eus. Chron. Scal. Pont. from 4 MSS. He was born in Olymp. XXXV and died 90 years old D. Laert. 1 38.91 years old saith Chron. Paschale Pythagoras's Age 39 ANAXIMANDER succeeded him in the Ionic Olympiads 58 School D. Laert. Prooem Now flourish'd LASUS of Hermione that first wrote of Musick Schol. Arist. in Vespas Years before Christ 547 Olympiads 58 2. NOW ANAXIMANDER was famous being 64 years old and he died a little after Pythagoras's Age 40 saith Diog. Laert. II 2. from Apollodorus He flourish'd chiefly under Polycrates Tyrant of Samos Ib. XENOPHANES lived in his time D. Laert. IX 18. But his Successor in the School was ANAXIMENES XANTHUS the Lydian Historian liv'd at the time when Sardes was taken Suidas Years before Christ 546 5. Olympiads 58 3. Pythagoras being 40 years old and seeing it was not for a Freeman to live in his Country under the Tyranny of Polycrates which was now stricter than formerly thereupon thought of going into Italy D. Laert. and Porph. from Aristoxenus and Strabo XIV without the year In his way thither he went to Delos where he writ those Verses on Apollo's Sepulchre Porph. from Diog. He went to Lacedaemon for the Laws of Lycurgus Iust. V 4. He came to Phlius the ancient Country of his Family There being asked by Leo Tyrant of that City what Profession he was of he said of none but that he was a Philosopher See the rest in Cic. Tusc. Qu. V. or in D. Laert Prooem 12. who saith this was at Sicyon and who makes Leo Tyrant of Sicyon and Phlius Both Cic. and D. Laert. Prooem have it from Heraclides But D. Laert. VIII 8. hath much the same story from Sosicrates Pythagoras went also to Delphi to give the more authority to his Laws by pretending that he receiv'd them from Theoclea or Themistoclea the Priestess of Apollo in that place D. Laert. VIII 7 21. from Aristoxenus Porphyry calls her Aristoclea Being come into Italy he lived there all the rest of his life Strabo XIV He taught there 40 years wanting one saith Jamb c. 36 who makes his whole Life very near 100 years Ib. He stay'd 20 years at Croton then went to Metapontum where he died Justin XX 5. At Croton he began the Italic School which grew old at Metapontum saith Clem. Alex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Croton was then in great Glory for having so many of Pythagoras's Scholars in it among whom was Milo the most famous Athleta Strabo IV. Dion Halicarn saith Pythagoras was in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 four Generations after Numa It is to be considered whether he reckons from the beginning of his Reign which was in Olymp. XVI 3. or whether from the end which was Olymp. XXVII I. Plut in the Life of Numa saith Pythagoras came into Italy almost five Ages after Numa Livy 1.18 saith he came into Italy above 100 years after Numa accounting no doubt from his death in 672 before Christ. Livy saith farther it is certain that in the time of Servius Tullius Pythagoras had his Colleges of Disciples at Metapontum Heraclea and Croton as above-mention'd Years before Christ 545 Olympiads 58 4. Now the Medes were coming up against Pythagoras's Age 42 the Ionians of which Anaximenes writes to Pythagoras who was then at Croton and had his house full of Scholars out of Italy and Sicily if the Epistle be genuine D. Laert. II 5. Years before Christ 544 Olympiads 59 PHERECYDES was yet living D. Laert. Pythagoras's Age 43 I 121. Now he flourish'd according to Eus. Chron. He lived in the time of my Gentilis that is