Muni's PlayGolden Verses of Pythagoras
The Golden Verses of Pythagoras are a collection of moral exhortations in 71 Greek hexameter lines.
| # | Verse Text |
|---|---|
| 1 | First worship the Immortal gods, as they are established and ordained by the Law. |
| 2 | Reverence the Oath, and next the Heroes, full of goodness and light. |
| 3 | Honour likewise the Terrestrial Daemons by rendering them the worship lawfully due to them. |
| 4 | Honour likewise your parents, and those most nearly related to you. |
| 5 | Of all the rest of mankind, make him your friend who distinguishes himself by his virtue. |
| 6 | Always give ear to his mild exhortations, and take example from his virtuous and useful actions. |
| 7 | Avoid as much as possible hating your friend for a slight fault. |
| 8 | Power is a near neighbour to necessity. |
| 9 | Know that all these things are just as what I have told you; and accustom yourself to overcome and vanquish these passions:— |
| 10 | First gluttony, sloth, sensuality, and anger. |
| 11 | Do nothing evil, neither in the presence of others, nor privately; |
| 12 | But above all things respect yourself. |
| 13 | In the next place, observe justice in your actions and in your words. |
| 14 | And do not accustom yourself to behave yourself in any thing without rule, and without reason. |
| 15 | But always make this reflection, that it is ordained by destiny that all men shall die. |
| 16 | And that the goods of fortune are uncertain; and that just as they may be acquired, they may likewise be lost. |
| 17 | Concerning all the calamities that men suffer by divine fortune, |
| 18 | Support your lot with patience, it is what it may be, and never complain at it. |
| 19 | But endeavour what you can to remedy it. |
| 20 | And consider that fate does not send the greatest portion of these misfortunes to good men. |
| 21 | There are many sorts of reasonings among men, good and bad; |
| 22 | Do not admire them too easily, nor reject them. |
| 23 | But if falsehoods are advanced, hear them with mildness, and arm yourself with patience. |
| 24 | Observe well, on every occasion, what I am going to tell you:— |
| 25 | Do not let any man either by his words, or by his deeds, ever seduce you. |
| 26 | Nor lure you to say or to do what is not profitable for yourself. |
| 27 | Consult and deliberate before you act, that you may not commit foolish actions. |
| 28 | For it is the part of a miserable man to speak and to act without reflection. |
| 29 | But do the thing which will not afflict you afterwards, nor oblige you to repentance. |
| 30 | Never do anything which you do not understand. |
| 31 | But learn all you ought to know, and by that means you will lead a very pleasant life. |
| 32 | In no way neglect the health of your body; |
| 33 | But give it drink and food in due measure, and also the exercise of which it needs. |
| 34 | Now by measure I mean what will not discomfort you. |
| 35 | Accustom yourself to a way of living that is neat and decent without luxury. |
| 36 | Avoid all things that will occasion envy. |
| 37 | And do not be prodigal out of season, like someone who does not know what is decent and honourable. |
| 38 | Neither be covetous nor stingy; a due measure is excellent in these things. |
| 39 | Only do the things that cannot hurt you, and deliberate before you do them. |
| 40 | Never allow sleep to close your eyelids, after you went to bed, |
| 41 | Until you have examined all your actions of the day by your reason. |
| 42 | In what have I done wrong? What have I done? What have I omitted that I ought to have done? |
| 43 | If in this examination you find that you have done wrong, reprove yourself severely for it; |
| 44 | And if you have done any good, rejoice. |
| 45 | Practise thoroughly all these things; meditate on them well; you ought to love them with all your heart. |
| 46 | It is those that will put you in the way of divine virtue. |
| 47 | I swear it by he who has transmitted into our souls the Sacred Quaternion, the source of nature, whose cause is eternal. |
| 48 | 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. |
| 49 | When you have made this habit familiar to you, |
| 50 | You will know the constitution of the Immortal Gods and of men. |
| 51 | Even how far the different beings extend, and what contains and binds them together. |
| 52 | You shall likewise know that according to Law, the nature of this universe is in all things alike, |
| 53 | So that you shall not hope what you ought not to hope; and nothing in this world shall be hidden from you. |
| 54 | You will likewise know, that men draw upon themselves their own misfortunes voluntarily, and of their own free choice. |
| 55 | Unhappy they are! They neither see nor understand that their good is near them. |
| 56 | Few know how to deliver themselves out of their misfortunes. |
| 57 | Such is the fate that blinds humankind, and takes away his senses. |
| 58 | Like huge cylinders they roll back and forth, and always oppressed with innumerable ills. |
| 59 | For fatal strife, natural, pursues them everywhere, tossing them up and down; nor do they perceive it. |
| 60 | Instead of provoking and stirring it up, they ought to avoid it by yielding. |
| 61 | Oh! Jupiter, our Father! If you would deliver men from all the evils that oppress them, |
| 62 | Show them of what daemon they make use. |
| 63 | But take courage; the race of humans is divine. |
| 64 | Sacred nature reveals to them the most hidden mysteries. |
| 65 | If she impart to you her secrets, you will easily perform all the things which I have ordained thee. |
| 66 | And by the healing of your soul, you wilt deliver it from all evils, from all afflictions. |
| 67 | But you should abstain from the meats, which we have forbidden in the purifications and in the deliverance of the soul; |
| 68 | Make a just distinction of them, and examine all things well. |
| 69 | Leave yourself always to be guided and directed by the understanding that comes from above, and that ought to hold the reins. |
| 70 | And when, after having deprived yourself of your mortal body, you arrived at the most pure Aither, |
| 71 | You shall be a God, immortal, incorruptible, and Death shall have no more dominion over you. |