Pythagoras

Time is the soul of this world.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed 1st-2nd century CE) — Attributed by Plutarch.

Strange & Unusual Disputed

There is geometry in the humming of the strings. There is music in the spacing of the spheres.

c. 570-495 BCE — Expressing the concept of 'Musica universalis' or harmony of the spheres, a central Pythagorean beli…

Strange & Unusual Confirmed

As long as Man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings, he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other.

c. 570-495 BCE — A central argument for Pythagorean vegetarianism, widely attributed.

Strange & Unusual Confirmed

If there be light, then there is darkness; if cold, heat; if height, depth; if solid, fluid; if hard, soft; if rough, smooth; if calm, tempest; if prosperity, adversity; if life, death.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed later) — A philosophical statement on dualities and opposites, reflecting Pythagorean cosmology.

Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

If there be light, then there is darkness; if cold, heat; if height, depth; if solid, fluid; if hard, soft; if rough, smooth; if calm, tempest; if prosperity, adversity; if life, death.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed later) — A philosophical statement on dualities and opposites, reflecting Pythagorean cosmology.

Strange & Unusual Disputed

It is only necessary to make war with five things; with the maladies of the body, the ignorances of the mind, with the passions of the body, with the seditions of the city and the discords of families.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed later)

Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

It is only necessary to make war with five things; with the maladies of the body, the ignorances of the mind, with the passions of the body, with the seditions of the city and the discords of families.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed later)

Strange & Unusual Disputed

The highest goal of music is to connect one's soul to their Divine Nature, not entertainment.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed later) — A philosophical statement on the purpose of music, reflecting Pythagorean mysticism.

Strange & Unusual Confirmed

Stop! Don't hit it! It's the soul of a friend of mine. I knew it when I heard it cry.

c. 570-495 BCE (reported 3rd century CE) — An anecdote reported by Diogenes Laertius, illustrating Pythagoras' belief in metempsychosis when he…

Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Stop! Don't hit it! It's the soul of a friend of mine. I knew it when I heard it cry.

c. 570-495 BCE (reported 3rd century CE) — An anecdote reported by Diogenes Laertius, illustrating Pythagoras' belief in metempsychosis when he…

Strange & Unusual Disputed

Beatitude is the knowledge of the perfection of the numbers of the soul.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed later) — A statement reflecting the Pythagorean emphasis on numerology and the soul, attributed by later sour…

Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Beatitude is the knowledge of the perfection of the numbers of the soul.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed later) — A statement reflecting the Pythagorean emphasis on numerology and the soul, attributed by later sour…

Strange & Unusual Disputed

The monad, is god and the good, which is the origin of the One, and is itself intelligence; but the undefined dyad is a deity and the evil, surrounding which is the mass of matter.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed 1st-2nd century CE) — Philosophical view on the monad and dyad, attributed to Pythagoras by Aetius.

Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The monad, is god and the good, which is the origin of the One, and is itself intelligence; but the undefined dyad is a deity and the evil, surrounding which is the mass of matter.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed 1st-2nd century CE) — Philosophical view on the monad and dyad, attributed to Pythagoras by Aetius.

Strange & Unusual Disputed

Five represents marriage because it is the sum of two and three (the Pythagoreans believed that even numbers were masculine and odd numbers were feminine).

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed later) — A Pythagorean belief about numerology and gender, reflecting their unique philosophical system.

Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Five represents marriage because it is the sum of two and three (the Pythagoreans believed that even numbers were masculine and odd numbers were feminine).

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed later) — A Pythagorean belief about numerology and gender, reflecting their unique philosophical system.

Strange & Unusual Disputed

The number seven held a sacred meaning since it correlated with the number of classical planets... as well as the number of strings on a lyre.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed later) — A Pythagorean belief about the mystical significance of numbers.

Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The number seven held a sacred meaning since it correlated with the number of classical planets... as well as the number of strings on a lyre.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed later) — A Pythagorean belief about the mystical significance of numbers.

Strange & Unusual Disputed

The Pythagoreans regarded 10, which contains all the numbers, as the holiest number.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed later) — A central belief of Pythagorean numerology, referring to the Tetractys.

Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The Pythagoreans regarded 10, which contains all the numbers, as the holiest number.

c. 570-495 BCE (attributed later) — A central belief of Pythagorean numerology, referring to the Tetractys.

Strange & Unusual Disputed

Sayings by Pythagoras