The symbols of Pythagoras

The symbols of Pythagoras serve not as much as rules than as reminders of insights, namely

1. When going to the temple to adore Divinity neither say nor do any thing in the interim pertaining to the common affairs of life.

The mind must be ruled.

2. Neither enter into a temple negligently, nor in short adore carelessly, not even though you should stand at the very doors themselves.

Sacredness resides in the mind.

3. Sacrifice and adore unshod.

Shoes make you insensitive.

4. Disbelieve nothing wonderful concerning the gods, nor concerning divine dogmas.

Your understanding isn't greater than the order of things.

5. Declining from the public ways, walk in unfrequented paths.

The essence of a journey is discovery.

6. Abstain from Melanurus; for it belongs to the terrestrial gods.

The joy of sight is greater than the joy of the palate.

7. Govern your tongue before all other things, following the gods.

The tongue makes light of things.

8. The wind is blowing, adore the wind.

Space isn't empty.

9. Cut not fire with a sword.

You can't hurt the incorporeal.

10. Remove yourself from every vinegar bottle.

Sourness makes you sick.

11. Assist a man in raising a burden; but do not assist him in laying it down.

The work of others serves you too.

12. When stretching forth your feet to have your sandals put on, first extend your right foot; but when about to use a foot-bath, first extend your left foot.

The secure can be taken up, the insecure is willing to take up.

13. Speak not about Pythagorean concerns without light.

The truth of a statement is cast in doubt by a non-understanding mind.

14. Step not beyond the beam of the balance.

Balance seems to be a small thing - until you lose it.

15. Having departed from your house, turn not back; for the furies will be your attendants.

Memories turn stale, reality stays fresh.

16. Being turned to the sun, make not water.

The purity of the mirror is always associated with the purity of the reflected.

17. Wipe not a seat with a torch.

And the purity of the end is always associated with the purity of the means.

18. Nourish a cock; but sacrifice it not; for it is sacred to the sun and the moon.

The crowing of a cock has meaning beyond its comprehension.

19. Sit not upon a bushel.

Plenty is an abstraction that cannot be possessed.

20. Nourish not that which has crooked nails.

Possession is a dead end.

21. Cut not in the way.

Our pursuit of light knows its result no better than a growing tree, but neither worse.

22. Receive not a swallow into your house.

It's wasteful to be left only with somebody else's excretions.

23. Wear not a ring.

The river of our life has to find its bed, rather than be directed through a channel.

24. Inscribe not the image of God in a ring.

Likewise the understanding of the holy has to find its expression, rather than be deduced from assumptions.

25. Behold not yourself in a mirror by the light of a lamp.

No understanding is more certain than the facts on which it is based.

26. Be not addicted to immoderate laughter.

The nature of life isn't light.

27. Cut not your nails at a sacrifice.

Sacredness exists only in the unfocussed mind.

28. Offer not your right hand easily to everyone.

People steer different courses.

29. When rising from the bed-clothes, roll them together and obliterate the impression of the body.

Reminder is a bond.

30. Eat not the heart.

Will is more than matter.

31. Eat not the brain.

Awareness is more than matter.

32. Indignantly turn from your excrements and the parings of your nails.

Self indulgence goes nowhere.

33. Receive not Erythinus.

People have different ideas of waste.

34. Obliterate the mark of the pot from the ashes.

Monuments have a life of their own.

35. Draw not near to that which has gold, in order to produce children.

Possession is an outward quality.

36. Honour a figure and a step before a figure and a tribolus.

Relations lie dormant until expressed.

37. Abstain from beans.

Discomfort is practically as bad as sickness.

38. Transplant mallows indeed in your garden; but eat them not.

Love of right conduct is greater than pleasantness.

39. Abstain from animals.

Conduct is infective.