A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

PYTHAGORAS. PYTHAGORAS. 625
Stob. Eecl. Phys. p. 206; o-re Kayi aldvoitai rlvet ficient proof. It is indeed possible, as Sillig proaC 7racO 0K o 1' )' v}~?iv sorLv, Arist. Elkt. Eud. ii. poses, to apply the statement of Pliny to Py8); man's soul being a possession of the gods, con- thagoras of Samos; but, as Pliny does not say
fined at present, by way of chastisement, in the which of the two artists he refers to, it is natural
body, as a species of prison, from which he has no to suppose that he means the more distinguished
right to free himself by suicide (Plat. IPhaed. p. one. We are inclined to believe that Pliny's
61; Cic. de Sen. 20). With the idea of divine reason for placing Pythagoras at this date was the
influence was closely connected that of the influence circumstance which he afterwards mentions (if c.
of daemons and heroes (Diog. Lairt. viii. 32). ~ 4), that Pythagoras was in part contemporary
Great importance was attached to the influence of with Myron, whose true date was O1. 87. The
music in controlling the force of the passions (Plut. genealogy quoted above from Pausanias affords us
de Is. et Os. p. 384; Porph. Vit. Pyt&l. 30; Iambl. no assistance, as the dates of the other artists in
64). Self-examination was strongly insisted on it depend on that of Pythagoras.
(Cic. de Sen. 11). Virtue was regarded as a kind Most of the modern writers on ancient art
of harmony or health of the soul (Diog. Laert. viii. attempt to determine the date of Pythagoras by
33). Precepts for the practice of virtue were ex- his statues of Olympic victors. This test is, howpressed in various obscure, symbolical forms, many ever, not a certain one; for there are several
of which, though with the admixture of much that instances of such statues not having been
is of later origin, have come down to us in the so- made until a considerable time after the victory.
called'E7r-1 Xpvoa- and elsewhere (Brandis, 1. c. p. Still, at a period when art was flourishing, and
498, note 9). The transmigration of souls was when the making of these statues formed one of
viewed apparently in the light of a process of pu- its most important branches, the presumption is
rification. Souls under the dominion of sensuality that an Olympic victor would not be allowed to
either passed into the bodies of animals, or, if in- remain long without the honour of a statue; and
curable, were thrust down into Tartarus, to meet therefore the date of the victory may be taken as
with expiation, or condign punishment. The pure a guide to that of the artist, where there is no dewere exalted to higher modes of life, and at last cisive evidence to the contrary. Now, in the case
attained to incorporeal existence (Arist. de An. i. of Pythagoras, one of his most celebrated works
2, 3; Herod. ii. 123; Diog. Ladrt. viii. 31; Lo- was the statue of the Olympic victor Astylus of
beck, Aylaoph. p. 893. What we find in Plato, Croton, who conquered in the single and double.Plaedr. p. 248, b., and in Pindar, Tiszen. fr. 4, foot-race in three successive Olympiads, and on
Olymp. ii. 68, is probably in the main Pythagorean). the last two of these occasions he caused himself to
As regards the fruits of this system of training or be proclaimed as a Syracusan, in order to gratify
belief, it is interesting to remark, that wherever Hiero. (Paus. vi. 13. ~ 1.) Now, supposing (as
we have notices of distinguished Pythagoreans, we is natural) that this was during the time that
usually hear of them as men of great uprightness, Hiero was king (B. c. 478-467, 01. 75. 3-78.
conscientiousness, and self-restraint, and as capable 2), the last victory of Astylus must have been
of devoted and enduring friendship. [See ARCHY- either in 01. 77, or 01. 738; or, even if we admit
TAS; CLEINIAS; DAMON; PHINTIAS.] that Hiero was not yet king, and place the last
For some account of the very extensive literature victory of Astylus in 01. 75 (Miiller, Dorier,
connected with Pythagoras, &c., the reader is re- Chron. tab.), the earliest date at which we should
ferred to Fabric. Bibl. G-aec. vol. i. pp. 750-804. be compelled to place Pythagoras would be about
The best of the modern authorities have been al- B. C. 480, and, comparing this with Pliny's date,
ready repeatedly referred to. we should have B. c. 480-430 as the time during
Besides a Samian pugilist of the name of Py- which he flourished. This result agrees very well
thagoras, who gained a victory in 01. 48, and who with the indications furnished byhis other statues of
has been frequently identified with the philosopher, Olympic victors, by his contest with Myron, and by
Fabricius (1. c. p. 776, &c.) enumerates about the statements respecting the character of his art.
twenty more individuals of the same name, who According to Diogenes Laertius (viii. 47), Pyare, however, not worth inserting. [C. P. M.] thagoras was the first who paid special attention
PYTHA'GORAS (FIvOaypas), artists. 1. Of to order and proportion in -his art; and Plilny
lthegium, one of the most celebrated statuaries of states that he was the first who expressed with
Greece. Pausanias, who calls him " excellent in care and accuracy the muscles and veins and hair
the plastic art, if any other was so," gives the (Plin. 1. c. ~ 4). Hence it would seem that he was
following as his artistic genealogy (vi. 4. ~ 2. the chief representative of that school of improved
s. 4)- development in statuary, which preceded the
Syadras and Chartas of Sparta. schools of perfect art which were established at
I Athens and at Argos respectively by Pheidias and
Eucheirus of Corinth. Polycleitus; and that, while Ageladas was preI paring the way for this perfection of art in Greece
Clearchus of Rhegium. Proper, another school was growing up in Magna
Graecia, which attained to its highest fame in
Pythagoras of Rhegium. Pythagoras; who, in his statues of athletes, practised those very principles of art, as applied to the
His precise date is difficult to fix. In Pliny's list humanz figure, which Polycleitus brought to perhe is placed at 01. 87 (B. c. 432) with Ageladas, fection; and who lived long enough to gain a vicCallon, Polycletus, Myron, Scopas, and others. tory over one of the most celebrated masters of the
(H. V. xxxiv. 8. s. 19.) How little dependence is to new Attic school, namely Myron.
be placed on Pliny's chronological groups of artists, The most important works of Pythagoras, as
we have had occasion more than once to notice, has just been intimated, appear to have been his
and the very names now mentioned furnish a suf- statues of athletes. Unfortunately, the passage in
VOL. Ill. S S