Chambers's Papers for the People (Classic Reprint) - Tapa blanda

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Excerpt from Chambers's Papers for the People

Pythagoras was a philosopher of Samos, and lived in the sixth century before the Christian era; the details of his life and principles were not written until long afterwards, and consequently are involved in much obson rity. He conceived the idea of an intellectual magistracy, afterwards re produced in the works of St Simon, as the readiest means of elevating the people in the scale of intelligence and morality, and united an austere code of morals with his zeal for the diffusion of knowledge. His native isle was under the domination of Polycrates, and he therefore turned his thoughts to the Dorian colonies in the south of Italy, which were then in a flourishing condition, and the inhabitants of which were zealous in the pursuit of learning. The constitutions of the Dorian states of Greece were aristo cratic, but democracy prevailed in the colonies through the commercial genius of their inhabitants. Pythagoras wished to introduce the aristocratic element, but at the same time to make it an aristocracy of intellect, and not of birth alone. To efl'ect his purpose he gradually won over the people, both nobles and commonalty, by his learning and eloquence, and by the air of mystery which he purposely threw around his doctrines in order to inspire the latter with veneration, and the former with curiosity and zeal. Complete success attended his project; he obtained suflicient influence in the city of Croton to remodel the constitution, which became nearly Spartan, while its administration was intrusted to a senate of three hundred nobles, initiated by the sage of Samos into all the arcana of wisdom and science as then known. Religion, temperance, and obedience were inculcated, and Pythagorean missionaries went about preaching the new system of politics and morals, and proclaiming that the perfection of government was to rule by wisdom alone. But like many other innovators, Pythagoras was in advance of the age in which he lived; and thirty years after his arrival at Croton, the popular discontent rose at being refused a large Share of the booty obtained in the war with Sybaris. Cylon, a rejected candidate for admission into the society, fanned the flame of discontent, and instigated the people to a general massacre of the Pythagoreans. Democracy was re-established, and Pythagoras, forced to seek safety in flight, died far away from the place which had once received him as its lawgiver. His disciples sank at once into a mere sect of mystic philosophers, and made no further attempt to attain political power.

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