The Golden Verses of Pythagoras
- First worship the Immortal Gods, as they are established and ordained by the Law.
- Reverence the Oath, and next the Heroes, full of goodness and light.
- Honour likewise the Terrestrial Daemons by rendering them the worship lawfully due to them.
- Honour likewise your parents, and those most nearly related to you.
- Of all the rest of mankind, make him your friend who distinguishes himself by his virtue.
- Always give ear to his mild exhortations, and take example from his virtuous and useful actions.
- Avoid as much as possible hating your friend for a slight fault.
- Power is a near neighbour to necessity.
- Know that all these things are just as what I have told you; and accustom yourself to overcome and vanquish these passions:--
- First gluttony, sloth, sensuality, and anger.
- Do nothing evil, neither in the presence of others, nor privately;
- But above all things respect yourself.
- In the next place, observe justice in your actions and in your words.
- And do not accustom yourself to behave yourself in any thing without rule, and without reason.
- But always make this reflection, that it is ordained by destiny that all men shall die.
- And that the goods of fortune are uncertain; and that just as they may be acquired, they may likewise be lost.
- Concerning all the calamities that men suffer by divine fortune,
- Support your lot with patience, it is what it may be, and never complain at it.
- But endeavour what you can to remedy it.
- And consider that fate does not send the greatest portion of these misfortunes to good men.
- There are many sorts of reasonings among men, good and bad;
- Do not admire them too easily, nor reject them.
- But if falsehoods are advanced, hear them with mildness, and arm yourself with patience.
- Observe well, on every occasion, what I am going to tell you:--
- Do not let any man either by his words, or by his deeds, ever seduce you.
- Nor lure you to say or to do what is not profitable for yourself.
- Consult and deliberate before you act, that you may not commit foolish actions.
- For it is the part of a miserable man to speak and to act without reflection.
- But do the thing which will not afflict you afterwards, nor oblige you to repentance.
- Never do anything which you do not understand.
- But learn all you ought to know, and by that means you will lead a very pleasant life.
- in no way neglect the health of your body;
- But give it drink and meat in due measure, and also the exercise of which it needs.
- Now by measure I mean what will not discomfort you.
- Accustom yourself to a way of living that is neat and decent without luxury.
- Avoid all things that will occasion envy.
- And do not be prodigal out of season, like someone who does not know what is decent and honourable.
- Neither be covetous nor stingy; a due measure is excellent in these things.
- Only do the things that cannot hurt you, and deliberate before you do them.
- Never allow sleep to close your eyelids, after you went to bed,
- Until you have examined all your actions of the day by your reason.
- In what have I done wrong? What have I done? What have I omitted that I ought to have done?
- If in this examination you find that you have done wrong, reprove yourself severely for it;
- And if you have done any good, rejoice.
- Practise thoroughly all these things; meditate on them well; you ought to love them with all your heart.
- It is those that will put you in the way of divine virtue.
- I swear it by he who has transmitted into our souls the Sacred Quaternion, the source of nature, whose cause is eternal.
- But never begin to set your hand to any work, until you have first prayed the gods to accomplish what you are going to begin.
- When you have made this habit familiar to you,
- You will know the constitution of the Immortal Gods and of men.
- Even how far the different beings extend, and what contains and binds them together.
- You shall likewise know that according to Law, the nature of this universe is in all things alike,
- So that you shall not hope what you ought not to hope; and nothing in this world shall be hidden from you.
- You will likewise know, that men draw upon themselves their own misfortunes voluntarily, and of their own free choice.
- Unhappy they are! They neither see nor understand that their good is near them.
- Few know how to deliver themselves out of their misfortunes.
- Such is the fate that blinds humankind, and takes away his senses.
- Like huge cylinders they roll back and forth, and always oppressed with innumerable ills.
- For fatal strife, natural, pursues them everywhere, tossing them up and down; nor do they perceive it.
- Instead of provoking and stirring it up, they ought to avoid it by yielding.
- Oh! Jupiter, our Father! If you would deliver men from all the evils that oppress them,
- Show them of what daemon they make use.
- But take courage; the race of humans is divine.
- Sacred nature reveals to them the most hidden mysteries.
- If she impart to you her secrets, you will easily perform all the things which I have ordained thee.
- And by the healing of your soul, you wilt deliver it from all evils, from all afflictions.
- But you should abstain from the meats, which we have forbidden in the purifications and in the deliverance of the soul;
- Make a just distinction of them, and examine all things well.
- Leave yourself always to be guided and directed by the understanding that comes from above, and that ought to hold the reins.
- And when, after having deprived yourself of your mortal body, you arrived at the most pure Aither,
- You shall be a God, immortal, incorruptible, and Death shall have no more dominion over you.