Pythagoras the Mathemagician

by Karim El Koussa

  “And,” Lacon interfered. “They couldn’t wait to spread the news the moment they stepped on firm land!” He commented in a jovial tone. “I heard them announcing the news of your arrival in the harbor!”

  Pythagoras rubbed his beard with a simple comment, “I see… but it still does not make my wish come true.”

  “Maybe not,” Eratocles replied evenly. “But wait until you hear about the eagerness of the Crotoniates to meet you.”

  “The holy and mysterious man,” Lacon quoted respectfully.

  Unaffected by the glorious praise and the patent admiration in the eyes of his neophytes, Pythagoras murmured musingly, “I see….”

  All that he could focus on, for the moment, was his mission ahead. By this time, his other disciples had caught up with them.

  “Master,” Heloris approached him in a confidential manner. “The news is spreading fast all around. We overheard some citizens speculating about you, and your wisdom!”

  “Yes, Master,” Archippus asserted in turn. “Rumor has it that an official delegation is looking for you right now!”

  Gathered around him, his disciples seemed excited.

  “Not now!” Pythagoras decided out loud. “The trip was long and we are all exhausted. We rest for a couple of days. Then we will start our mission with a clear head.”

  “But…,” Glorippus exclaimed in disappointment.

  “No buts! They have waited all their lives for a change. Two more days will not make a difference at this stage. We need to be prepared.”

  And so they did…

  Two days later, a beautiful sunny morning saw the Master all dressed in white, meandering the streets of the city with his group of young neophytes. Puzzled looks followed them, heads turned in their direction, and murmured questions drifted from here and there. Pythagoras greeted all these citizens with courtesy. Conscious of the crowd increasing behind him, he continued towards a small hill. Only then did he halt to sit down on the green grass. His disciples, the early Pythagorean neophytes, followed suit and settled into their habitual semi-circle position.

  The crowd, mostly youth, assembled around them with curiosity. Muttered comments and speculations emerged from among them.

  Despite the vibrations of excitement that filled the air, Pythagoras remained mutely engrossed in his meditation for some time. He collected his thoughts. He breathed in and out his sense of profound serenity. He knew such energy would surge from him to reach the mass and grab their spirits. He harbored no doubt that his own aura acted as magnetism. He could feel it attracting their attention, which hooked on him.

  When he felt the multitude ready for him, he stood up with the calmness of his sound confidence. His move brought about total stillness from the people. Talks ceased at once. He fathomed the hunger for knowledge in their eyes that pleaded for him to speak. It did not surprise him. After all, that was the reason which brought him here in the first place.

  “My friends,” he greeted them in a gentle yet strong voice. “Let me tell a story. There was once a man, young in age as most of you here. He lived in Saydoun; the city where I was born, in my homeland – Phoenicia,” he added in explanation. “His father was a well-known fisherman who wished that his son assumed the same profession. And so, he trained him in the art of fishing. However, the young man was not happy at all. And do you know why?” He paused for his question to sink in their minds and draw their speculations. “Simple, my friends! It is because he failed in the business and its practices! Of course, we can all fathom his unhappiness at that failure.”

  Nods in the audience confirmed his statement.

  He continued, “Despite it all, the young man abided faithfully to the insistence of his father. Every single morning at sunrise, he would sail in his small boat towards the far sea, and every single sunset, he would return empty handed. Things remained as unproductive for a long, long time. Until one day…,” he waited for the moment of suspense to ensure their eagerness for more.

  “Until one day, he felt deeply fed up!” He intoned with fervor. “Yes, my friends, he was so wretched by such a fruitless life that he decided to take his destiny into his own hands. He, therefore, sought to find something more successful to do.”

  He went for a silent break, in order for them to absorb the first part of the story. He sensed the tension of their anticipation. He let it be. He intended to give them enough time to identify themselves with the young character of his story. Only then would their mind formulate an outcome or a solution.

  “What happened next?” A voice rose from the mass.

  “Yeah, what happened? What did he do then?” Another question surged, eager for the remainder of the story.

  Encouraged, many others enjoined with their questions.

  Satisfied at the reaction of his audience, Pythagoras proceeded, “On his last day of fishing there, in the far-distanced sea, he faced in awe a sudden thick mist. A boat broke through the fog slowly and edged closer to him. The sailor, an old fisherman, greeted him. The young man noticed at once the baskets full of fish in the other boat while his were completely empty. He felt miserable. His shoulders sagged in defeat.

  ‘What’s wrong with you, young man?’ The old man asked him gently.

  Extremely frustrated, the youngster decided to confide in him. ‘I’ve been sailing the seas for months now hoping to fish, and I have never been successful! Look at your baskets! They are full! Tell me, I beg you. Is it luck? How do you do it?’

  With the calm patience known only to old fishermen, the fellow replied, ‘Listen to me, young man. I went through the same thing when I first started fishing. I was actually as young as you are now! I spent many days and months trying in vain, until one day I found the answer. No, my son, it is not luck! It is a matter of love!’

  ‘Love!’ The youngster prompted in dismay. ‘How is that? What has love to do with it anyway?’

  ‘A lot, actually!’ The old fisherman replied with passion. ‘It has a lot to do with it! The answer to all the queries in life is always love. You have to love the sea to a great extent in order for it to reward you with the same sentiment!’

  Before the young man managed to add another word, the boat disappeared in the mist, and the mist in the atmosphere.

  Gasps ensued from the audience. People shared their thoughts and conclusions. Pythagoras waited for a while then concluded with a final statement, “And so it happened, young fellows, that the young man put his heart into his work with the sea. He therefore loved the sea, and the sea loved him in return.”

  He met fascination on their faces.

  The tale was so simple and yet so profound. His sagacity informed him that some people among the audience might have understood the message literally. On the other hand, some others might be speculating on a connection that related them to the story.

  He spoke then and a soft breeze in the air carried his voice. It touched their faces ever so gently to refresh them. It dispersed all around them and through the green grass. The leaves of the trees swayed to the musical sound.

  “Fair brothers and sisters, there is an allegory behind this legend. The Truth I tell you! The sea is Sophia; Wisdom. Nobody can ever reach its Essence, or even get close to it, no matter how much one tries. Truly, one must love Sophia in order to come to know it. We could only realize such wisdom when we create a balance of the tri-une nature of our beings. Know thyself for the kingdom of Sophia is inside each one of you. And so, on your path, you must shed the light that leads you to it; for Sophia is the Science of the Truth!” the Master proclaimed with passionate faith. A divine grace brightened his sermon – his words of wisdom – that radiated energy; the way his smile and dignified god-like figure did.

  “Are you the Wise One?” A young man asked him, his eyes widened with curiosity.

  “No…, no! I’m not the Wise One, son. I’m the Philo-Sophia[31], the Lover of Wisdom…,” Pythagoras proclaimed with modesty. “And I invite you all to share with me this beautiful love.” He
smiled divinely.

  From that very first sermon, Pythagoras managed to capture the attention of the youth of Crotona. He lifted their minds towards the realm of Truth, and relieved them from the chains of fear that had impeded their search for the unknown.

  After that first encounter with the Master, life in Crotona changed drastically for the local youth. They would follow him by the hundreds to the hill, perhaps even by the thousands. Young men and women would join him from every corner of the city to heed a new constructive speech every day.

  Their minds attentive and their hearts willing to receive new edification, they listened to the Lover of Sophia addressing them with affectionate care. The Master knew very well that only his own language of love could reach their hearts, minds, and spirits. In his approach, he simply practiced what he preached.

  Yet, to his surprise, some of the young Crotoniates there present at his daily speech insisted in comparing him to the god Jupiter. Others called him the Son of Apollo. To his big displeasure, some claimed him to be the manifestation of the God Apollo himself. He ached to explain that he was a simple man who had reached divinity through many years of preparation and purification of his innermost self. Yet, he judged the time inappropriate for such an honest announcement, whose profound meanings extended far beyond their understanding. He dreaded to be accused of blasphemies against the gods of Greece through ignorance. Hence, he decided to proceed slowly and wisely in relaying his teachings. Once done, he could connect the missing links behind the structure of the hidden Truth.

  With his popularity increasing, and the meetings extending way up the hill, worry and anxiety unsettled the political body of Crotona. The Senate deliberated on some drastic actions to impede his sermons. Yet, they ended opting for more astuteness when someone suggested that this could simply be a momentary socio-cultural phenomenon.

  Pythagoras disregarded this information that reached him. He prevailed with devotion in his role as Initiate. He had never intended to conspire against the State Council at all. His primary objective, in fact, was to urge the youth to cultivate their knowledge through constant search of the occult meanings behind the phenomenal world. The young Crotoniates in question proved a persistent commitment to his teachings.

  The early mornings would witness his enthusiasm on his way up the hill, followed closely by his faithful disciples. As the sun resumed its kingly throne in the celestial realm, it would illuminate Pythagoras’ path towards his own throne of mastership.

  On that particular day though, Pythagoras felt driven by a new energy. Upon reaching the usual spot, he halted in astonishment, so did his disciples who expressed their awe out loud. The widespread field appeared jammed with a crowd larger than ever. Pythagoras sensed their passion in the vibrations drifting to him. As he moved forward, murmurs rose like a wave then settled into stillness. The circle of humans opened up to allow his way through, as he greeted them with a sincere smile of approval. It then closed instantly behind his disciples.

  Upon reaching the center of their circle, he closed his eyes to absorb in his being the strange feeling that engulfed him. He felt so close to each one of them. His energy spread in all directions then fused with theirs. By the deed of a miraculous phenomenon, both dynamic streams fused and embraced to become one in the presence of the Divine Will.

  “I wish you all a good and healthy life, fellow brothers and sisters,” he addressed them with his typical tranquil strength. “You might wonder about me. You might wish to know the intentions behind my previous lectures and my future ones. You might harbor some doubts as well. Yes, you might! Yet, know this, my friends; I speak in the name of Sophia. I speak the Truth!”

  Hails of encouragement responded him.

  “Today, my message to you is of major significance. I ask you my friends that in your daily life, now and forever, you honor first the Supreme God El-Apollo in complete silence. Then, honor the Immortal gods and the Divine Law that has dispensed them. Always remember your oath in the act of worship. Next, honor the demi-gods[32], and lastly, the men of great deeds!”

  “You surely dwell with lots of questions on life itself. Let me tell you: life is a continuity of events, shapes, and numbers that manifest in the course of time and space. The Truth I tell you! Evolution is the law of life! You must know, brothers and sisters, that in some way, you owe evolution to your parents. Thus, you are urged to take care of your elders!”

  Pythagoras extended his hands out; one to the East and one to the West. “Respect your parents, and think highly of them. Love them and never give them grief, for they have loved you and cared about you, even before your birth. Listen to this, and listen carefully! You owe them gratitude akin a dead man to the savior who has resurrected him back to the light; to life!”

  “Every morning, the sun rises from the East to eventually set in the west in the evening. This happens every single day. In truth, after the act of creation occurred and the process of evolution followed, this cycle of manifestation, which is taken for granted, is one of the greatest laws of nature. I tell you this: the East is much more honorable than the West, and so is the morning if compared to the evening. The beginning, which is the half of the whole, is more valuable than the end, the same way that life is more precious than death – its second half.”

  At that, he ended his speech with a vision for them to adopt.

  Once again, the large audience expressed their delight on his lecture and moral code. Certainly, his lectures initiated a difference in their thinking method. Their duties towards their parents, as well as the burdens of life and its many complications, appeared less complex! The youth started to absorb his philosophical introduction to matters. They, in fact, comprehended the truth his messages conveyed. His disciples relished in the success of their Master.

  * * *

  Pythagoras traveled with his disciples to the adjacent regions; from the closest city of Sybaris to the farthest one of Rhegium. He knew from the elders of each city he visited that, at some point in the past, these cities had endured unjust practices and slavery, and that the residents had turned against each other with brutality. At the time of his visit, corrupt manners still inhabited Rhegium, the last station in his journey before returning to Crotona. Acting at once, he sent his disciples to call on the citizens to assemble in the city square.

  “Citizens of Rhegium, heed me! Our instinctive desires coerce us often into harmful deeds that destroy our families and societies,” the Master introduced the issue at once. Standing firm in front of the multitude, he spoke with his distinctive poise. “My friends, the need to control and possess, cripples and dishonors our souls. Once we yield to these destructive impulses, disaster becomes the doom of our societies!”

  “I tell you this: human beings tend to seek protection from the unknown, and all that they deem dangerous. To ensure their safety, they react in whatever way they consider valuable to their own security. That includes force at times! And force, my friends, always gives rise to aggression. Such perversity of the human mind triggers prejudice, and eventually enslaves the powerless.”

  “Listen and listen carefully! You should unite at once and adopt peaceful and loving manners. Reconcile with your enemies. Discard hostility, injustice, and slavery. This requires courage, so be courageous! But do it with humility and restraint. Commit yourselves to the love of liberty, to the practice of justice, and to a life of equality, for these are the true basis of Sophia!”

  At that, he ended his message regarding a pertinent solution to their social issues, and ultimately for a better life.

  Motionless, the citizens stood abashed by the strength of his wisdom that seemed to have struck their minds. Truthful and clear, his lexis of reform went straight to the point. It shook them to the last bone, to the last neuron, and to the last thought. He had just inspired them to seek a new horizon, and open up to a new adherence; an allegiance to a nonviolent and devoted humanity within the scheme of an evolving existence.

  Pythagoras waite
d patiently for their reactions. Their eyes reflected a fiery ache to improve their life for the better. He read a new kind of desire in their pensive and moist looks. The dreamy nostalgia switched to a glow of hope, and then veered to fierce determination. Their faces brightened and their chins lifted. Women wept with emotion. Men turned to each other with a friendly smile. Some slapped each others’ backs. Some shook hands. The elderly nodded several times with a sense of relief. The youngsters among them drew nearer to gawk at him in adoration.

  Sensitive to their joyful vibrations, Pythagoras smiled with affection. Eratocles whispered in his ear, “Master, you have just succeeded in creating a new feeling in them; a new life!”

  “Yes indeed!” he murmured in a husky tone. He turned to discern the same emotion in his disciples.

  Lacon cleared his throat and asked, “Now what, Master?”

  “We move on!”

  “Where to?

  “To the next city!” He commanded with a grin of triumph that all his disciples returned at once.

  And so they fared back from one city to another with the same faith and determination. Delighted, they experienced equal emotional reactions in every city they visited. From Catanes to Himaera, Agrigentum, and Tauromenium – ending in Sybaris – Pythagoras made sure to leave the people with the profound mark of his philosophy. Satisfaction and contentment escorted them back to Crotona.

  On their trail, all doubts about his nature and capabilities waned away; a path of light, strongly and surely, diffused far beyond the physical boundaries of the cities. He and his disciples preached a better life.

  Wide and far, the news spread that the Master, with his profound wisdom, had surpassed the Greek sages and all the Mediterranean Hierophants known to humankind at that time. From then on, Pythagoras stood forth as the synthesis of the human Hokmah par excellence.

  * * *