Pythagoras Quotes on Knowledge
Pythagoras was a Greek philosopher and mathematician born on the island of Samos around 570 BC. This page collects quotes attributed to Pythagoras on the topic of knowledge, drawn from across the philosopher's works.
Quotes
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“Number is the ruler of forms and ideas, and the cause of gods and demons.”
As quoted in Life of Pythagoras ( c . 300) by Iamblichus of Chalcis , as translated by Thomas Taylor (1818) | Variants: | Number rules the universe. | As quoted in The Story of a Number (1905) by E. Maor; also in Comic Sections (1993) by Desmond MacHale -
“Educate the children and it will not be necessary to punish the men.”
As quoted in Geary's Guide to the World's Great Aphorists (2007) by James Geary -
“I was Euphorbus at the siege of Troy.”
As reported by Heraclides Ponticus ( c . 360 BC), and Diogenes Laërtius ( Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers , "Pythagoras", Sect. 4), and quoted in Cosmic Optimism: A Study of the Interpretation of Evolution (1949) by Frederick William Conner | Misquoted as "I was at Euphorbus at the siege of Troy." in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations (1922) -
“As reported by Heraclides Ponticus ( c . 360 BC), and Diogenes Laërtius ( Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers , "Pythagoras", Sect. 4), and quoted in Cosmic Optimism: A Study of the Interpretation of Evolution (1949) by Frederick William Conner”
I was Euphorbus at the siege of Troy. -
“Misquoted as "I was at Euphorbus at the siege of Troy." in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations (1922)”
I was Euphorbus at the siege of Troy. -
“By the air which I breathe, and by the water which I drink, I will not endure to be blamed on account of this discourse.”
As reported by Heraclides Ponticus ( c . 360 BC), and Diogenes Laërtius, in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers , "Pythagoras", Sect. 6, in the translation of C. D. Yonge (1853) -
“As reported by Heraclides Ponticus ( c . 360 BC), and Diogenes Laërtius, in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers , "Pythagoras", Sect. 6, in the translation of C. D. Yonge (1853)”
By the air which I breathe, and by the water which I drink, I will not endure to be blamed on account of this discourse. -
“As reported by Heraclides, son of Sarapion, and Diogenes Laërtius, in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers , "Pythagoras", Sect. 7, in the translation of C. D. Yonge (1853)”
Dear youths, I warn you cherish peace divine , And in your hearts lay deep these words of mine. -
“Τὴν δ' ἀνθρώπου ψυχὴν διῃρῆσθαι τριχῆ, εἴς τε νοῦν καὶ φρένας καὶ θυμόν. νοῦν μὲν οὖν καὶ θυμὸν εἶναι καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ζῴοις, φρένας δὲ μόνον ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ.”
The soul of man is divided into three parts, intelligence , reason , and passion . Intelligence and passion are possessed by other animals, but reason by man alone. | As reported by Alexander Polyhistor , and Diogenes Laërtius in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers , "Pythagoras", Sect. 30, in the translation of C. D. Yonge (1853) -
“As reported by Alexander Polyhistor , and Diogenes Laërtius in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers , "Pythagoras", Sect. 30, in the translation of C. D. Yonge (1853)”
Τὴν δ' ἀνθρώπου ψυχὴν διῃρῆσθαι τριχῆ, εἴς τε νοῦν καὶ φρένας καὶ θυμόν. νοῦν μὲν οὖν καὶ θυμὸν εἶναι καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ζῴοις, φρένας δὲ μόνον ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ.