Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

​Aristotle says in his work On the Pythagoreans that he enjoined abstinence from beans either because they resemble genitals, or because they resemble the gates of Hades (for it alone lacks joints); or because it is destructive, or because it resembles the nature of the universe, or because it belongs to oligarchy, for at any rate lots are drawn with them. He also forbade picking up what had fallen, in order to habituate people not to eat intemperately, or because it relates to someone's death; and Aristophanes too says that what falls belongs to the heroes, speaking in his Heroes: "Nor taste whatever may fall within the table." He forbade touching a white cock, because it is sacred to the Month and a suppliant (and this belonged to the good things); and it is sacred to the Month, for it announces the hours. And the white belongs to the nature of the good, the black to that of evil. He forbade touching fish that are sacred; for the same things ought not to be appointed for gods and men, just as not for free men and slaves. Bread was not to be broken, because in ancient times friends used to assemble over a single loaf,

​just as even now the barbarians do; nor should that be divided which brings them together. Others say it refers to the judgment in Hades; others that it causes cowardice in war; and others, because from this the universe begins. And of solid shapes the most beautiful is the sphere, and of plane figures the circle. Old age and everything that diminishes are alike; and increase and youth are the same. Health is the persistence of the form, disease its destruction. Concerning salt, he held that it should be set forth as a reminder of justice; for salt preserves everything that it receives, and it has come into being from the purest elements, the sun and the sea.

​These things Alexander says he found in the Pythagorean Commentaries, and the following matters Aristotle reports. As for Pythagoras' dignity, Timon in his Silli, though biting at him, nevertheless did not pass it over, speaking thus: "And Pythagoras, inclining toward fraudulent opinions, on a hunt for men, a conversationalist of solemn diction." And concerning the fact that he was born at different times as different persons, Xenophanes bears witness in an elegy, the beginning of which is: "Now again I will embark on another tale, and show the path." What he says about him is as follows: "And they say that once, as a puppy was being beaten, passing by he took pity and spoke this word: 'Stop, and do not strike, since indeed it is the soul of a dear man, which I recognized when I heard it crying out.'"

​Such are the words of Xenophanes. Cratinus mocked him in the Pythagorean Woman; but also in the Tarentines he speaks thus: "It is a custom with them, if they catch any layman who has entered from anywhere, to confuse and confound him, as he tries out the power of their words, with antitheses, with limiting terms, with balanced clauses, with digressions, and with magnitudes, in an intellectually crammed fashion." And Mnesimachus in his Alcmaeon: "For we sacrifice to Loxias in the Pythagorean fashion, eating absolutely nothing that has a soul."

​Aristophon in the Pythagorean: "He said that, having descended to the abode of those below, he saw each group, and that the Pythagoreans differed vastly from the other dead; for with these alone, he said, Pluto shares meals on account of their piety. B. You speak of an fastidious god, if he takes pleasure in consorting with those full of filth." Again in the same play: "And they eat vegetables, and on top of these drink water; but lice, a threadbare cloak, and lack of bathing no one among the other dead would endure."

​Pythagoras died in the following manner. As he was sitting in council with his companions in the house of Milo, it happened that the house was set on fire through jealousy by one of those deemed unworthy of admission; others say the Crotoniates themselves did this, guarding against an attempt at tyranny. Pythagoras was overtaken as he fled; and having reached a certain field full of beans, where he stopped, he said he would rather be captured than trample them; and thus he was slaughtered by his pursuers. In this way also the majority of his companions were destroyed, being around forty in number; only a few escaped, among whom were Archippus of Tarentum and the aforementioned Lysis.