CHAPTER VIII

INTUITION, REVERENCE, TEMPERANCE, AND STUDIOUSNESS

One day, during a trip from Sybaris to Crotona by the seashore, he happened to meet some fishermen engaged in drawing up their heavily-laden fishnets from the deep. He told them he knew the exact number of the fish they had caught. The surprised fishermen declared that if he was right, they would do anything he said. He then ordered them, after counting the fish accurately, to return them alive to the sea. And what is more wonderful, while he stood on the shore, not one of them died, though they had remained out of their natural element for quite a while. Pythagoras then paid the fishermen for their fish and departed for Crotona. The fishermen divulged the occurrence, and upon discovering his name from some children, spread it abroad publicly. Everybody wanted to see the stranger, which was easy enough to do. They were deeply impressed upon beholding his countenance, which indeed betrayed his real nature.

A few days later, upon entering the gymnasium, he was surrounded by a crowd of young men, and he embraced this opportunity to address them, exhorting them to attend to their elders, pointing out to them the general preeminence of the early over the late. He noted that the East was more important than the West, the morning than the evening, the beginning than the end, growth than decay, natives than strangers, and city-planners than city-builders. In general, he argued that Gods were more worthy of honor than divinities, divinities than semi-divinities, and heroes than men; and that among these, the authors of birth excelled their progeny in importance. All this, however, he said only to prove by induction that children should honor their parents, to whom, he asserted, they were as much indebted for gratitude as a dead man would be to him who brought him back to life and light. He continued to observe that it was only just to avoid paining, and to love preeminently, those who had benefited us first and most. Prior to their children’s birth, these are benefited by their parents exclusively, as they are the springs of their offspring’s righteous conduct. In any case, it is impossible for children to err by not allowing themselves to be outdistanced in the reciprocation of benefits toward their parents. Besides, since from our parents we learn to honor divinity, no doubt the Gods will pardon those who honor their parents no less than those who honor the Gods (thus making common cause with them). Homer even applied the paternal name to the King of the Gods, calling him the father of Gods and men. Many other mythologists informed us that even the chiefs of the Gods were anxious to claim for themselves that superlative affection which, through marriage, binds children to their parents. That is why (the Orphic theologians) introduced the terms "father" and "mother" among the Gods, Jupiter begetting Minerva, while Juno produced Vulcan, the nature of which offspring is contrary so as to unite the most remote through friendship. As this argument about the immortals proved convincing to the Crotonians, Pythagoras continued to enforce voluntary obedience to parental wishes by the example of Hercules, who had been the founder of the Crotonian colony. Tradition indeed informed us that divinity had undertaken labors so great out of obedience to the commands of a senior, and that after his victories therein, he instituted the Olympic games in honor of his father. Their mutual association should never result in hostility to friends, but in transforming their own hostility into friendship. Their benevolent filial disposition should manifest as modesty, while their universal philanthropy should take the form of fraternal consideration and affection.