Title: FW: [globalnews] The Golden Verses of Pythagoras
HIEROS LOGOS
In the first place revere the Immortal Gods as they are
established and ordained by the Law.
Reverence the Oath. In the next place revere the Heroes
who are full of goodness and light.
Honour likewise the Terrestrial Daimons by rendering them
the worship lawfully due to them.
Honour likewise thy father and thy mother, and thy nearest
relations.
Of all the rest of mankind, make him thy friend who distinguishes
himself by his virtue. Always give ear to his mild exhortations, and
take example from his virtuous and useful actions. Refrain, as far as
you can, from spurning thy friend for a slight fault, for power
surrounds necessity.
Know that all these things are as I have told thee.
Accustom thyself to surmount and vanquish these passions: First,
gluttony, sloth, lust and anger. Never commit any shameful actions,
neither with others nor in private with thyself.
Above all things, respect thyself.
In the next place, observe Justice in thy actions and in thy
words; and accustom not thyself to behave thyself in anything without
rule and without reason.
Always make this reflection, that it is ordained by Destiny for
all men to die; and that the goods of fortune are uncertain. As they
may be acquired, they may likewise be lost.
Concerning all the calamities that men suffer by Divine Fortune,
support with patience thy lot, be what it will, and never repine at
it, but endeavour what thou canst to remedy it, and consider that Fate
does not send the greatest portion of these misfortunes to good men.
There are amongst men several sorts of reasonings, good and bad.
Admire them not too easily and reject them not neither, but if any
falsehoods be advanced, give way with mildness and arm thyself with
patience.
Observe well, on every occasion, what I am going to tell thee:
Let no man either by his words, or by his actions, ever seduce thee,
nor entice thee to say or to do what is not profitable for thee.
Consult and deliberate before thou act, that thou may'st not
commit foolish actions, for it is the part of a miserable man to speak
and to act without reflection.
But do that which will not afflict thee afterwards, nor oblige
thee to repentance.
Never do anything which thou dost not understand; but learn all
thou oughtest to know, and by that means thou wilt lead a very
pleasant life.
In no wise neglect the health of thy body; but give it food and
drink in due measure, and also the exercise of which it has need. By
measure, I mean what will not incommode thee.
Accustom thyself to a way of living that is neat and decent,
without luxury. Avoid all things that will occasion envy, and be not
expensive out of season, like one who knows not what is decent and
honourable.
Be neither covetous nor niggardly. A due measure is excellent in
these things!
Do only the things that cannot hurt thee, and deliberate before
thou doest them.
Never suffer sleep to close thy eyelids after thy going to bed,
till thou hast thrice reviewed all thy actions of the day: Wherein
have I done amiss? What have I done? What have I omitted that I ought
to have done?
If in this examination thou find that thou hast done amiss,
reprimand thyself severely for it; and if thou hast done any good,
rejoice.
Practise thoroughly all these things; meditate on them well; thou
oughtest to love them with all thy heart. It is they that will put
thee in the way of Divine Virtue.
I swear it by Him who has transmitted into our souls the Sacred
Tetraktys, the Source of Nature, whose course is eternal.
Never set thy hand to the work, till thou hast first prayed the
Gods to accomplish what thou art going to begin.
When thou hast made this habit familiar to thee, thou wilt know
the constitution of the Immortal Gods and of men; even how far the
different Beings extend, and what contains and binds them together.
Thou shalt likewise know, in accord with Cosmic Order, that the
nature of this Universe is in all things alike, so that thou shalt not
hope what thou oughtest not to hope; and nothing in this world shall
be hid from thee.
Thou wilt likewise know that men draw upon themselves their own
misfortunes, voluntarily and of their own free choice.
Wretches that they are! They neither see nor understand that
their good is near them. There are very few of them who know how to
deliver themselves out of their misfortunes.
Such is the Fate that blinds mankind and takes away his senses.
Like huge cylinders, they roll to and fro, always oppressed by ills
without number; for fatal contention, which is innate in them,
pursues them everywhere, tosses them up and down, nor do they
perceive it.
Instead of provoking and stirring it up, they ought by yielding
to avert it.
Great Jupiter, Father of men, you would deliver them all from the
evils that oppress them, if you would show them what is the Daimon
of whom they make use.
But take courage, the race of men is divine. Sacred Nature
reveals to them the most hidden Mysteries.
If she impart to thee her secrets, thou wilt easily perform all
the things which I have ordained thee, and healing thy soul, thou wilt
deliver it from all these evils, from all these afflictions.
Abstain thou from all that we have forbidden in the
Purifications; and in the Deliverance of the Soul make a just
distinction of them; examine all things well, leaving thyself always
to be guided and directed by the understanding that comes from above,
and that ought to hold the reins.
And when, after having divested thyself of thy mortal body, thou
arrivest in the most pure Aether, thou shalt be a God, immortal,
incorruptible, and death shall have no more dominion over thee.
The Golden Verses of Pythagoras
--
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we
are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and
servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." - Theodore
Roosevelt (1918)
