CHAPTER III

JOURNEY TO EGYPT

Pythagoras had benefited by the instruction of Thales in many respects, but his greatest lesson had been to learn the value of saving time, which led him to abstain entirely from wine and animal food, avoiding greediness and confining himself to nutrients of easy preparation and digestion. As a result, his sleep was short, his soul pure and vigilant, and the general health of his body was invariable.

Enjoying such advantages, therefore, he sailed to Sidon, which he knew to be his native country, and because it was on his way to Egypt. In Phoenicia, he conversed with the prophets who were the descendants of Moschus the physiologist, and with many others, as well as with the local hierophants. He was also initiated into all the mysteries of Byblos and Tyre, and in the sacred functions performed in many parts of Syria. He was led to all this not from any hankering after superstition, as might easily be supposed, but rather from a desire for and love of contemplation, and from an anxiety to miss nothing of the mysteries of the divinities which deserved to be learned. After gaining all he could from the Phoenician mysteries, he found that they had originated from the sacred rites of Egypt, forming as it were an Egyptian colony. This led him to hope that in Egypt itself he might find monuments of erudition still more genuine, beautiful, and divine. Therefore, following the advice of his teacher Thales, he left as soon as possible through the agency of some Egyptian sailors, who very opportunely happened to land on the Phoenician coast under Mount Carmel, in the temple on the peak of which Pythagoras for the most part dwelt in solitude.

He was gladly received by the sailors who intended to make a great profit by selling him into slavery. But they changed their minds in his favor during the voyage when they perceived the chastened venerability of the mode of life he had undertaken. They began to reflect that there was something supernatural in the youth’s modesty, and in the manner in which he had unexpectedly appeared to them upon their landing. From the summit of Mount Carmel, which they knew to be more sacred than other mountains and quite inaccessible to the vulgar, he had leisurely descended without looking back, avoiding all delay from precipices or difficult rocks. When he came to the boat, he said nothing more than, "Are you bound for Egypt?" And further, that on their answering affirmatively, he had boarded, and had, during the whole trip, sat silent where he would be least likely to inconvenience them at their tasks. For two nights and three days, Pythagoras had remained in the same unmoved position, without food, drink, or sleep, except that, unnoticed by the sailors, he might have dozed while sitting upright. Moreover, the sailors considered that, contrary to their expectations, their voyage had proceeded without interruptions, as if some deity had been on board. From all these circumstances, they concluded that a very divinity had passed over with them from Syria into Egypt.

Addressing Pythagoras and each other with a gentleness and propriety that was unwonted, they completed the remainder of their voyage through a calm sea and at length happily landed on the Egyptian coast. Reverently, the sailors there assisted him to disembark; and after they had seen him safe onto a firm beach, they raised before him a temporary altar, heaped on it the now abundant fruits of trees, as if these were the first-fruits of their cargo, presented them to him, and departed hastily to their destination. Pythagoras, however, whose body had become emaciated through the severity of so long a fast, did not refuse the sailors’ help in landing, and as soon as they had left, partook of as much of the fruits as was requisite to restore his physical vigor. Then he went inland, in entire safety.