History of Philosophy Series :Pythagoras of Samos .

Pythagoras of Samos (580 BC-500BC) : Born in the Greek island of Samos in the Northen Agean Sea , - Off the coast of Asia Minor of modern day Turkey ; It was around late 6th century BC ! He settled in Croton , a Doric Greek colony - Of southern Italy , in 529 BC . Lectured mostly in philosophy and mathematics . Started a secret society called the Order of the Pythagorians ; They followed rigid ascetic practices and were strict vegetarians ! Pythagoras is said to have traveled extensively – visiting foreign lands ; And in him the traditional knowledge of other classical civilizations blend ; Wherein we can also find , a mystical trend ! He is said to have picked up geometry from the Egyptians ; Arithmetic from the Phonesians , and astronomy from the Chadeans ! His mystical trends and religious practices came from the Orient ! These mystical believes include the belief in the transmigration of the soul ; While his pupils carried on his noble traditions ! He had taught verbally , and is quoted by Plato and Aristotle frequently ! And alluded to by Neoplatonist philosophers of later history ! His Musical Theory :- His number theory was rather unique and exotic , His mystical thoughts blending with mathematics ! Even numbers were said to be feminine , And odd numbers stronger and masculine ! Since even plus odd always gives odd , While two evens could never produce an odd ! But the numbers that impressed him the most , Were found by him in the Musical Ratios - as we can see ; As I had mentioned in my poem “Pythagoras and his Music of the Spheres” already ; From which I now proceed to quote liberally ! Pythagoras is generally known for his famous theorem of geometry , Had a scientific bent of mind which did blend with his philosophy ! He is the first Greek philosopher credited to have heard , - Cosmic music of the heavenly bodies in their diurnal orbit round the sun ! The Book of Job speaks of a time when the stars of the morning sang together while afloat ! And in his ‘The Merchant of Venice’ , Act V, Shakespeare wrote :- “There is not the smallest orb that thou beholdest But in their motion like an angle sings , Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins , Such harmony is in the mortal souls , But whilst this worldly vesture of decay Doth grossly close it in , we cannot hear it !” (Musical Theory of Pythagoras : to be continued.)