1001Philosophers

Pythagoras Quotes

Pythagoras was a Greek philosopher and mathematician born on the island of Samos around 570 BC. He founded a religious and philosophical brotherhood at Croton in southern Italy, where his followers pursued a communal life of study, asceticism, and ritual purification. The quotes below are attributed to Pythagoras, organized by topic.

Pythagoras on Love

  • Attributed to Pythagoras:

    “Friends share all things.”

Pythagoras on Nature

  • Attributed to Pythagoras:

    “Number is the ruler of forms and ideas, and the cause of gods and demons.”

Pythagoras on Politics

  • Attributed to Pythagoras:

    “Educate the children and it will not be necessary to punish the men.”

Pythagoras on Truth

  • Attributed to Pythagoras:

    “Silence is better than unmeaning words.”

Pythagoras on Virtue

  • Attributed to Pythagoras:

    “Above all things, reverence yourself.”

  • Attributed to Pythagoras:

    “Choose always the way that seems the best, however rough it may be; custom will soon render it easy and agreeable.”

  • Attributed to Pythagoras:

    “Do not even think of doing what ought not to be done.”

Read all Pythagoras quotes on Virtue