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Animal Rights History Timeline » [BCE-CE] Antiquity » Pythagoras

Pythagoras

On Justice and Kinship to Animals

Excerpts from Biographies of the Life of Pythagoras

Excerpts from the biographies on the Life of Pythagoras by Diogenes Laertius (3rd c); The Life of Pythagoras by Porphyry (ca233-306); Iamblichus of Syrian Chalcis's Life of Pythagoras (ca280-333); and an Anonymous Biography on the Life of Pythagoras, Preserved by Photius (ca 820-891) in The Complete Pythagoras, translated by Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie

He taught that the soul was immortal and that after death it transmigrated into other animated bodies. After certain specified periods, the same events occur again; that nothing was entirely new; that all animated beings were kin, and should be considered as belonging to one great family. (Porphyry, Life of Pythagoras, 19)

Authors state that a trainer of the name of Pythagoras certainly did train his athletes on [meat], but that it was not our philosopher; for that he even forbade men to kill animals at all, much less would he have allowed his disciples to eat them, as having a right to live in common with mankind. (Diogenes, Life of Pythagoras, XII "Ages of Life")

Moreover Pythagoras is generally acknowledged to have been the inventor and legislator of friendship, under its many various forms, such as universal amity of all towards all, of God towards men through their pity and scientific theories, or the mutual interrelation of teachings, or universally of the soul towards the body and of the rational to the rational part, through philosophy and its underlying theories; or whether it be that of men towards each other, or citizens indeed through sound legislation, but of strangers through a correct physiology; or of the husband to the wife or brothers and kindred, through unperverted communion; or whether, in short, it be of all things towards all, and still farther, of certain irrational animals through justice, and a physical connexion and association; or whether it be the pacification and conciliation of the body which of itself is mortal, and of its latent conflicting powers, through health and a temperate diet conformable to this, in imitation of the salubrious condition of the mundane elements. (Iamblichus, Life of Pythagoras, XVI "Pythagorean Asceticism")

The most contemplative of the philosophers, who had arrived at the summit of philosophic attainments, were forbidden superfluous, food such as wine, or unjustifiable food such as was animated; and not to sacrifice animals to the Gods, nor by any means to injure animals, but to observe most solicitous justice towards them. He himself lived after this manner, abstaining from animal food, and adoring altars undefiled with blood. He was likewise careful to prevent others from destroying animals of a nature kindred to ours, and rather corrected and instructed savage animals, than injured them as punishment. Further, he ordered abstaining from animal food even to politicians; for as they desired to act justly to the highest degree, they must certainly not injure any kindred animals. How indeed could they persuade others to act justly, if they themselves were detected in an insatiable avidity in devouring animals allied to us. These are conjoined to us by a fraternal alliance through the communion of life, and the same elements, and the commingling of these. (Iamblichus, Life of Pythagoras, XXIV "Dietary Suggestions)

For the Pythagoreans rightly taught that (the natural) man is an animal. (Iamblichus, Life of Pythagoras, XXX "Justice and Politics")

In the next place, justice is introduced by association with other people, while injustice is, produced by unsociability and neglect of other people. Wishing therefore to spread this sociability as far as possibility among men, he ordered his disciples to extend it to the most kindred animal races, considering these as their intimates and friends, which would forbid injuring, slaying, or eating any of them. He who recognizes the community of elements and life between men and animals will in much greater degree establish fellowship with those who share a kindred and rational soul. (Iamblichus, Life of Pythagoras, XXX "Justice and Politics")

Friendship of all things towards all was most clearly enforced by Pythagoras…In short, he taught the friendship of all for all, and still further, of certain animals, through justice, and common physical experiences. Pythagoras is recognized as the inventor and summarizer of them in a single name, that of friendship. (Iamblichus, Life of Pythagoras, XXXIII)