Wisdom Quotes from Pythagoras

Pythagoras of Samos (c. 570 – c. 495 BC) was an ancient Ionian Greek philosopher and the eponymous founder of Pythagoreanism. His political and religious teachings were well known in Magna Graecia and influenced the philosophies of Plato, Aristotle, and, through them, the West in general.

“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. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love.”

“Be silent or let thy words be worth more than silence.”

“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.”

“No one is free who has not obtained the empire of himself. No man is free who cannot command himself.”

“Educate the children and it won’t be necessary to punish the men.”

“Do not say a little in many words, but a great deal in few!”

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

“In anger we should refrain both from speech and action.”

“Rest satisfied with doing well, and leave others to talk of you as they please.”

“The oldest, shortest words— “yes” and “no”— are those which require the most thought.”

“No man is free who cannot control himself.”

“A man is never as big as when he is on his knees to help a child.”

“Silence is better than unmeaning words.”

“Choose rather to be strong of soul than strong of body.”

“Above all things, respect yourself.”

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

“As long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seeds of murder and pain cannot reap the joy of love.”

“Above the cloud with its shadow is the star with its light.”

“most men and women, by birth or nature, lack the means to advance in wealth or power, but all have the ability to advance in knowledge.”

“All is Number”

“Reason is immortal, all else mortal.”

“Salt is born of the purest parents: the sun and the sea.”

“Number rules the universe.”

“Declining from the public ways, walk in unfrequented paths.”

“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.”