Pythagoras, a Greek mathematician and philosopher born around 570 BC on the island of Samos, is famous for his contributions to geometry and the Pythagorean theorem. This theorem states that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides. Beyond mathematics, Pythagoras founded a philosophical and religious movement known as Pythagoreanism, which emphasized the importance of numbers and harmony in the universe. Pythagoras’s teachings influenced a wide range of fields, from mathematics and music to philosophy and spirituality, and his legacy continues to resonate in various disciplines to this day.

Pythagoras Quotes

1. “Number rules the universe.”
— Pythagoras

2. “Learn to be silent. Let your quiet mind listen and absorb.”
— Pythagoras

3. “The highest goal of music is to connect one’s soul to their Divine Nature, not entertainment.”
— Pythagoras

4. “As long as man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other.”
— Pythagoras

5. “Man know thyself; then thou shalt know the Universe and God.”
— Pythagoras

6. “No one is free who has not obtained the empire of himself. No man is free who cannot command himself.”
— Pythagoras

7. “In anger we should refrain both from speech and action.”
— Pythagoras

8. “God built the universe on numbers.”
— Pythagoras

9. “No man is free who cannot control himself.”
— Pythagoras

10. “Be silent or let thy words be worth more than silence.”
— Pythagoras

11. “Concern should drive us into action and not into a depression. No man is free who cannot control himself.”
— Pythagoras

12. “Silence is better than unmeaning words.”
— Pythagoras

13. “It is better to be silent, than to dispute with the Ignorant.”
— Pythagoras

14. “The oldest, shortest words – ‘yes’ and ‘no’ – are those which require the most thought.”
— Pythagoras

15. “Learn silence. With the quiet serenity of a meditative mind, listen, absorb, transcribe, and transform.”
— Pythagoras

16. “Do not go to bed until you have gone over the day three times in your mind. What wrong did I do? What good did I accomplish? What did I forget to do?”
— Pythagoras

17. “There is geometry in the humming of the strings, there is music in the spacing of the spheres.”
— Pythagoras

18. “Number is the ruler of forms and ideas, and the cause of gods and demons.”
— Pythagoras

19. “The wise man should be prepared for everything that does not lie within his control.”
— Pythagoras

20. “The beginning of every government starts with the education of our youth.”
— Pythagoras

21. “If there be light, then there is darkness; if cold, heat; if height, depth; if solid, fluid; if hard, soft; if rough, smooth; if calm, tempest; if prosperity, adversity; if life, death.”
— Pythagoras

22. “Rest satisfied with doing well, and leave others to talk of you as they please.”
— Pythagoras

23. “Number is the within of all things.”
— Pythagoras

24. “A stone is frozen music.”
— Pythagoras

25. “Above the cloud with its shadow is the star with its light. Above all things reverence thyself.”
— Pythagoras

26. “Some are slaves of ambition or money, but others are interested in understanding life itself. These give themselves the name of philosophers, and they value the contemplation and discovery of nature beyond all other pursuits.”
— Pythagoras

27. “Reason is immortal, all else mortal.”
— Pythagoras

28. “If you’re asked: What is the silence? Respond: It is the first stone of the Wisdom’s temple.”
— Pythagoras

29. “Let exercise alternate with rest.”
— Pythagoras

30. “Each celestial body, in fact each and every atom, produces a particular sound on account of its movement, its rhythm or vibration. All these sounds and vibrations form a universal harmony in which each element, while having it’s own function and character, contributes to the whole.”
— Pythagoras

31. “But respect yourself most of all.”
— Pythagoras

32. “The stars in the heavens sing a music, if only we had ears to hear.”
— Pythagoras

33. “Don’t try to cover your mistakes with false words. Rather, correct your mistakes with examination.”
— Pythagoras

34. “Friendship is one soul in two bodies.”
— Pythagoras

35. “None but God is wise.”
— Pythagoras

36. “Salt is born of the purest parents: the sun and the sea.”
— Pythagoras

37. “Geometry is knowledge of the eternally existent.”
— Pythagoras

38. “Educate the children and it won’t be necessary to punish the men.”
— Pythagoras

39. “Astonishing! Everything is intelligent!”
— Pythagoras

40. “Wisdom, thoroughly learned, will never be forgotten.”
— Pythagoras

41. “Choose rather to be strong of soul than strong of body.”
— Pythagoras

42. “Choose always the way that seems the best, however rough it may be; custom will soon render it easy and agreeable.”
— Pythagoras

43. “A thought is an idea in transit.”
— Pythagoras

44. “There is a good principle which created order, light, and man, and an evil principle which created chaos, darkness, and woman.”
— Pythagoras

45. “Time is the soul of this world.”
— Pythagoras

46. “Music is the harmonization of opposites; the conciliation of warring elements.”
— Pythagoras

47. “Lust weakens both body and mind.”
— Pythagoras

48. “Truth is so great a perfection, that if God would render himself visible to men, he would choose light for his body and truth for his soul.”
— Pythagoras

49. “There is no word or action but has its echo in Eternity.”
— Pythagoras

50. “The soul of man is divided into three parts, intelligence, reason, and passion. Intelligence and passion are possessed by other animals, but reason by man alone.”
— Pythagoras

51. “As soon as you awake, in order Lay the actions to be done the coming day.”
— Pythagoras

52. “Animals share with us the privilege of having a soul.”
— Pythagoras

53. “A man is never as big as when he is on his knees to help a child.”
— Pythagoras

54. “The wind is blowing. Adore the wind.”
— Pythagoras

55. “Numbers have a way of taking a man by the hand and leading him down the path of reason.”
— Pythagoras

56. “Alas, what wickedness to swallow flesh into our own flesh, to fatten our greedy bodies by cramming in other bodies, to have one living creature fed by the death of another!”
— Pythagoras

57. “So in life, some enter the services of fame and others money, but the best choice is that of those few who spend their time in the contemplation of nature, and as lovers of wisdom.”
— Pythagoras

58. “If you have a wounded heart, touch it as little as you would an injured eye. There are only two remedies for the suffering of the soul: hope and patience.”
— Pythagoras

59. “Anger begins in folly, and ends in repentance.”
— Pythagoras

60. “Strength of mind rests in sobriety; for this keeps your reason unclouded by passion.”
— Pythagoras

61. “Speak not nor act before thou hast reflected.”
— Pythagoras

62. “Government exists only for the good of the governed.”
— Pythagoras

63. “Hate and fear breed a poison in the blood, which if continued, affects eyes, ears, nose and the organs of digestion. Therefore, it is not wise to hear and remember the unkind things others might say about you.”
— Pythagoras

64. “Do not talk a little on many subjects, but much on a few.”
— Pythagoras

65. “It is better wither to be silent, or to say things of more value than silence. Sooner throw a pearl at hazard than an idle or useless word; and do not say a little in many words, but a great deal in a few.”
— Pythagoras

66. “Allow not sleep to close your eyes before three times reflecting on Your actions of the day. What deeds Done well, what not, what left undone?”
— Pythagoras

67. “Bless us, divine number, who generated gods and men. Number contains the root and source of eternally flowing creation.”
— Pythagoras

68. “Don’t disarrange my circles!”
— Pythagoras

69. “None can be free who is a slave to, and ruled by, his passions.”
— Pythagoras

70. “You should make great things, not promising great things.”
— Pythagoras

71. “Remind yourself that all men assert that wisdom is the greatest good, but that there are few who strenuously seek out that greatest good.”
— Pythagoras

72. “Let no one persuade you by word or deed to do or say whatever is not best for you.”
— Pythagoras

73. “As soon as laws are necessary for men, they are no longer fit for freedom.”
— Pythagoras

74. “Declining from the public ways, walk in unfrequented paths.”
— Pythagoras

75. “Every man has been made by God in order to acquire knowledge and contemplate.”
— Pythagoras

76. “Assist a man in raising a burden; but do not assist him in laying it down.”
— Pythagoras

77. “Thought is an Idea in transit, which when once released, never can be lured back, nor the spoken word recalled.”
— Pythagoras

78. “Friends are as companions on a journey, who ought to aid each other to persevere in the road to a happier life.”
— Pythagoras

79. “Practice justice in word and deed, and do not get in the habit of acting thoughtlessly about anything.”
— Pythagoras

80. “We ought so to behave to one another as to avoid making enemies of our friends, and at the same time to make friends of our enemies.”
— Pythagoras

81. “Above all things, respect yourself.”
— Pythagoras

82. “Ability and necessity dwell near each other.”
— Pythagoras

83. “The octave formed a circle and gave our noble earth its form.”
— Pythagoras

84. “Wealth is a weak anchor, and glory cannot support a man; this is the law of God, that virtue only is firm, and cannot be shaken by a tempest.”
— Pythagoras

85. “Let not sleep fall upon thy eyes till thou has thrice reviewed the transactions of the past day. Where have I turned aside from rectitude? What have I been doing? What have I left undone, which I ought to have done?”
— Pythagoras

86. “The experience of life in a finite, limited body is specifically for the purpose of discovering and manifesting supernatural existence.”
— Pythagoras

87. “Above all have respect for yourself.”
— Pythagoras

88. “To cognize the Divine Essence – this is the highest purpose of soul, sent by the Creator to the Earth!”
— Pythagoras

89. “There are in woman’s eyes two sorts of tears, – the one of grief, the other of deceit.”
— Pythagoras

90. “Write in the sand the flaws of your friend.”
— Pythagoras

91. “It is difficult to walk at one and the same time many paths of life.”
— Pythagoras

92. “Practice restraint over the following: appetite, first, as well as sleep, lust, and anger.”
— Pythagoras

93. “Respect gods before demigods, heroes before men, and first among men your parents; but respect yourself most of all.”
— Pythagoras

94. “He buries gold who hides the truth.”
— Pythagoras

95. “Don’t eat your heart.”
— Pythagoras

96. “Do not despise anyone: an atom shadowing.”
— Pythagoras

97. “We come from God. As the tree from the root and the stream from the spring; that’s why we should always be in contact with Him, as the trunk from the root. Because the stream dries up when it is separated from the spring and the tree dies when is uprooted.”
— Pythagoras

98. “Having departed from your house, turn not back; for the furies will be your attendants.”
— Pythagoras

99. “Govern your tongue before all other things, following the gods.”
— Pythagoras

100. “It is required to find the infinitely big inside what’s infinitely small to feel the presence of God.”
— Pythagoras

101. “It is only necessary to make war with five things; with the maladies of the body, the ignorances of the mind, with the passions of the body, with the seditions of the city and the discords of families.”
— Pythagoras

102. “When the wise man opens his mouth, the beauties of his soul present themselves to the view, like the statues in a temple.”
— Pythagoras

103. “Instruct thyself for time and patience favor all.”
— Pythagoras

104. “Do not even think of doing what ought not to be done.”
— Pythagoras

105. “Despise all those things which when liberated from the body you will not want; invoke the Gods to become your helpers.”
— Pythagoras

106. “I would have to say the probability of us dying seems extremely high.”
— Pythagoras

107. “Meditate upon my counsels; love them; follow them; To the divine virtues will they know how to lead thee. I swear it by the One who in our hearts engraved The sacred Tetrad, symbol immense and pure, Source of Nature and model of the Gods.”
— Pythagoras

108. “A blow from your friend is better than a kiss from your enemy.”
— Pythagoras

109. “Love that shines from within cannot be darkened by obstacles of the world of consequences!”
— Pythagoras

110. “Power is the near neighbour of necessity.”
— Pythagoras

111. “Without Justice, no realm may prosper.”
— Pythagoras

112. “The earth affords a lavish supply of richess of innocent foods, and offers you banquets that involve no bloodshed or slaughter; only beasts satisfy their hunger with flesh, and not even all of those, because horses, cattle, and sheep live on grass.”
— Pythagoras

113. “As the sea-crab swimmeth always against the stream, so doth wit always against wisdom.”
— Pythagoras

114. “Thou shalt likewise know that according to Law, the nature of this universe is in all things a like.”
— Pythagoras

115. “Step not beyond the beam of the balance.”
— Pythagoras

116. “He is not rich, that enjoyeth not his own goods.”
— Pythagoras

117. “A good Soul hath neither too great joy, nor too great sorrow: for it rejoiceth in goodness; and it sorroweth in wickedness. By the means whereof, when it beholdeth all things, and seeth the good and bad so mingled together, it can neither rejoice greatly; nor be grieved with over much sorrow.”
— Pythagoras

118. “In this theater of man’s life, it is reserved only for God and angels to be lookers-on.”
— Pythagoras

119. “Consider before acting, to avoid foolishness: It is the worthless man who speaks and acts thoughtlessly.”
— Pythagoras

120. “We ought not to quit our post without the permission of Him who commands; the post of man is life.”
— Pythagoras

121. “You should help a man to take up a burden, but you should not help him put it back down.”
— Pythagoras

122. “Truth is to be sought with a mind purified from the passions of the body. Having overcome evil things, thou shalt experience the union of the union mortal divinity with the mortal man.”
— Pythagoras

123. “Abstain from animals.”
— Pythagoras

124. “Those alone are dear to Divinity who are hostile to injustice.”
— Pythagoras

125. “He who knoweth not what he ought to know, is a brute beast among men; he that knoweth no more than he hath need of, is a man among brute beasts; and he that knoweth all that may be known, is as a God among men.”
— Pythagoras

126. “Disbelieve nothing wonderful concerning the gods, nor concerning divine dogmas.”
— Pythagoras

127. “Dear youths, I warn you cherish peace divine, And in your hearts lay deep these words of mine.”
— Pythagoras

128. “Do not spend in excess like one who is careless of what is good, nor be miserly; the mean is best in every case.”
— Pythagoras

129. “There are men and gods, and beings like Pythagoras.”
— Pythagoras

130. “Wind indeed increases fire, but custom love.”
— Pythagoras

131. “Envy has been, is, and shall be, the destruction of many. What is there, that Envy hath not defamed, or Malice left undefiled? Truly, no good thing.”
— Pythagoras

132. “It is requisite to defend those who are unjustly accused of having acted injuriously, but to praise those who excel in a certain good.”
— Pythagoras

133. “You will know that wretched men are the cause of their own suffering, who neither see nor hear the good that is near them, and few are the ones who know how to secure release from their troubles.”
— Pythagoras

134. “So tutor youth that the sins of age be not imputed to thee.”
— Pythagoras

135. “When going to the temple to adore Divinity neither say nor do any thing in the interim pertaining to the common affairs of life.”
— Pythagoras

136. “Let a man use great reverence and manners to himself.”
— Pythagoras

137. “One must choose in all things a mean just and good.”
— Pythagoras

138. “Begin thus from the first act, and proceed; and, in conclusion, at the ill which thou hast done, be troubled, and rejoice for the good.”
— Pythagoras

139. “Many words befall men, mean and noble alike; do not be astonished by them, nor allow yourself to be constrained.”
— Pythagoras

140. “Neither will the horse be adjudged to be generous, that is sumptuously adorned, but the horse whose nature is illustrious; nor is the man worthy who possesses great wealth, but he whose soul is generous.”
— Pythagoras

141. “He lived far from the gods, but in his mind he was at home with them.”
— Pythagoras

142. “A stranger, if just, is not only to be preferred before a countryman, but a kinsman.”
— Pythagoras

143. “A fool is known by his speech, and a wise man by silence.”
— Pythagoras

144. “Meaningful silence is better than meaningless words.”
— Pythagoras

145. “Do not take roads traveled by the public.”
— Pythagoras