Pythagorean Golden Verses

Pythagorean Golden Verses

Honor the immortal gods first, in the order appointed by custom, and revere your oath.

Pay reverence next to the noble heroes and the spirits of the dead by performing the prescribed rites.

Honor your parents as well as their closest relatives.

Among others, choose as your friend him who excels in virtue.

Yield to his gentle words and useful actions, and do not hate your friend for a small fault, for as long as you are able to do so.

For ability lives near necessity.

Know the above then, and accustom yourself to be master of the following:

first of all, of your stomach, of sleep, of lust, and of anger.

Never do anything shameful, neither with somebody else, nor on your own.

Feel shame before yourself most of all.

Furthermore, practice justice both in deed and in word,

and accustom yourself not to be without thought about anything,

but know that death has been destined for all,

and that property is wont to be acquired now, tomorrow lost.

But whatever pains mortals suffer through the divine workings of fate,

whatever lot you have, bear it and do not be angry.

It is fitting that it be healed as far as possible, and say to yourself as follows:

Fate does not give very many of these sufferings to the good.

Many words assail human beings, bad as well as good.

Do not be dumbfounded by them, nor allow yourself to be hindered.

If in fact something false is said, withdraw amiably.

Let what I shall tell you, however, be accomplished in every instance:

Let no one persuade you either by word or even by deed to do or to say whatever is not best for you.

Deliberate before the deed, lest foolish things result from it.

It is typical of a worthless man indeed to do or to say senseless things.

But bring that to completion which will not distress you afterwards.

Do not do even one thing of what you do not understand,

but learn what is necessary, and thus you will lead a most enjoyable life.

You should not be careless about your physical health,

but you should practice due measure in drinking, eating, and physical exercises.

By due measure I mean that which will not distress you.

Become accustomed to have a pure way of life, not an enervated one,

and guard against doing the kind of thing that incurs envy.

Do not spend money at the wrong time like someone ignorant of what is good, nor be tight-fisted.

Due measure is in everything the best.

Do that which will not harm you, and take thought before the deed.

Do not welcome sleep upon your soft eyes before you have reviewed each of the day’s deeds three times:

“Where have I transgressed?

What have I accomplished?

What duty have I neglected?”

Beginning from the first one go through them in detail,

and then, if you have brought about worthless things, reprimand yourself,

but if you have achieved good things, be glad.

Work hard at this, meditate on this, you should passionately desire this;

this will put you in the footsteps of divine Virtue,

yes, by him who imparted to our soul the tetraktys, fount of ever-flowing nature.

But to work! and pray to the gods to grant the fulfillment.

When you have mastered these things, you will come to know the essence of immortal gods and mortal men,

how it pervades each thing and how each thing is ruled [by it].

You will come to know, as is right, nature, alike in everything, so that you do not expect what is not to be expected, nor anything escape your notice.

You will come to know that the miseries men suffer are self-incurred by the wretched people,

who do not see the good even though it is near, nor do they hear it.

Few understand the deliverance from their troubles.

Such is the fate that harms their minds:

like tumbling stones they are borne hither and thither, suffering endless miseries.

For a deadly innate companion, Discord, has injured them unawares.

This one must not promote, but withdraw and flee from it.

Father Zeus, you would surely deliver all from many evils, if you would show all what kind of daimon they have.

But take courage, for mortals have a divine origin, to whom Nature displays and shows each sacred object.

If you have any share in this, you will master what I command you by means of a thorough cure, and you will save your soul from these sufferings.

But keep away from food that we have mentioned in Purifications and in Deliverance of the Soul, with discernment,

and consider each thing by putting the excellent faculty of judgment in control as charioteer.

Then, if you leave the body behind and go to the free aither, you will be immortal, an undying god, no longer mortal.

References

• Thom, Johan Carl (1995). The Pythagorean Golden Verses. Religions in the Graeco-Roman World. 123. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-10105-0. Search this book on

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