Academical discourses upon several choice and pleasant subjects / written by the learned and famous Loredano ; Englished by J.B.

XV. Wherefore Pythagoras prohibi∣ted the use of Beanes.

VVIth much prudence the learned Pythagoras left this written in his Symbols, A Fabis abstineto. Wherefore some certain Priests in Rome thought it a

great excess either to touch or name a Beane. a 1.1 Fabam tangere, aut nominare, says Alex ab Alex. Diali flamini non licet. And Pausanias speaks of some people of Arca∣dia, who Fabbam immundam, & impurum existimarunt b 1.2

The Reasons may be many: First, be∣cause the Bean is a gross food, humid, noxi∣us, which causes evil dreams. This Antio∣chus does affirm c 1.3 Fabas malum succum ferre in somnia surbulenta facere, ema{que} ob rem Pytagoram Fabis abstinuisse, and Volate∣ron. A Pytagora quo{que} prob••etur, quod haec maximè ua••ra inflet ae sensus habetat d 1.4

Moreover Pythagoras seeing that beans were made use of in the chusing of Magi∣strates, the Athenians being the first, as Lu••ian affirms, that made use of them, thereby to advertize men that they should avoid ambition by a Metaphor, con manded them to abstain from Beans. This is Plu∣tarches opinion.

e 1.5 Nothing more resembles the Geni∣tals of a man then Beans. Si viridem fa∣bam, says Lu••ian e 1.6 folliculo exuas apparere vi••ilibus Genitalibus similem, so that some* 1.7

will have it, that those being macerated, and set in the Sun for some time; Seminis humani odorem contrabat. Therefore who doubts but Pythagoras would hereby warne us to fly from the tempting pleasures of Venery? The same Pythagoras having to one that asked him: Quo tempore veneri opera dando esset? Replyed, cum te ipso fieri debiliorem & imbecilliorem voles.

The Ancients from a Bean prognosti∣cated felicities, a superstition haereditary to many simple ones. Plutarch affirmsa 1.8 and Alex- ab Alex. tels us, that white Beans denoted happy things, who knows therefore but Pythagoras, by prohibiting of Beans, means to exhort us to abstaine from prosperity, which cannot but acce∣lerate our ruine?b 1.9 Philip of Macedon re∣ceiving three several Messages of happy tydings in one day, implored the Gods to mingle it with some little sinister acci∣dent. Thus therefore Tasso speaks of those, that had fortune favorablec 1.10 The Bean makes plants to become bar∣ren, and Hens likewise therefore perhaps, for this reason, as being Noxius to humane generation they were prohibited by the

Pythagorea••s, an opinion of Apolloniusa 1.11 Putamini says he, Fabarum steriles plan∣tus efficere si radicibus earum apponatur, & Gallinas si enebro eas edant. Hanc ob cau∣sam fortassi Pytagorei fabae usu interdixe∣runt.

And who knows but Pythagoras, by that understanding which led him to the knowledge of future things did hereby Prognosticate to the Romans the ruine of the Fabius, who fell by the arms of the Vejentines? Wherefore Ovid b 1.12

Haec fuit illae dies in qua vejentibus armis, Ter centum Faby ter cecidere duo; Vna domus vires, & onus susoeperat urbis Sumunt Gentilis arma professa manus.

And for this cause exhorted them to abstaine, and not hazard themselves all to the death, and since, either by times or in advertency of the transcribers, instead of Fabis, they have put Fabis. c 1.13 Beans if we believe Pliny were used at the sacri∣fices of the dead, a custome practised in our dayes also, and in the flowers of the Beans there appears sad and mournful

characters. Wherefore it may be Pytha∣goras to keep men from the apprehension of sadness and troubles, which makes men unhappy, but the sooner perswaded them to abstaine from Beans, and for this rea∣son was the use of them forbidden to the Priests. So Varro thinks a 1.14 Varro, and of haec Flaminem eam non vesci tradit, quo∣niam, & in florae ejus Literae Lugulres re∣periantur.

Perhaps it was Religion perswaded Pythagoras to prohibite the use of Beans, because he believed, that the souls of the dead, abided in the beans; and because the Ancients were ever particularly Reli∣gious towards beans. This is Pliny's sentiment. b 1.15 Faba ab hoc Pytagorica sen∣tentia damnata, quoniam mortuorum animae sunt in ea, ut alii tradidere. In eadem pe∣culiaris Religio.

For my part, I should believe, that piercing Genius, who from antiquity deserved the attribute of divine, intended by somewhat that was very remote from the cognizance of those times to instruct posterity, and in particular those that should have the fortune, and virtune to in∣terpret the hidden Misteries of his Sym∣bols.

Whence I perswade, my self that he meant that men should abstain not from Fabis, but Facbis. That is, from doing ill things twice; since for the first time we may meet with all the favours of compassion, but at the repitition we de∣serve no less, than the severest castiga∣tion.

Notes

• a 1.1

  In his 2. de ••el. Puni.
• b 1.2

  Hist. An. lib. 7.
• c 1.3

  In Dieb. Gen.
• d 1.4

  De Reb. Attic.
• e 1.5

  In Emb▪ Alciat.
• e 1.6

  De Educat. liber.
• * 1.7

  (f) Minoe Loc. Cit.
• a 1.8

  Plant. in Pericl.
• b 1.9

  Plut Apot.
• c 1.10

  In his Jerus.
• a 1.11

  Apoll. Hist. Mirab.
• b 1.12

  2. Tast.
• c 1.13

  Pli. Hist. Nat. lib. 18.
• a 1.14

  Loc. Cit.
• b 1.15

  Loc. Cit.