OUSEION - Memorial University of Newfoundland DAI

3 I B
CRAIG COOPER
Polykrates and Harpagos. the Mede. It is clear from fro 16. which has
Pythagoras in Samos during the reign of Polykrates. that at least the
synchronism between Polykrates. Anakreon and Pythagoras in fro 12
goes back to Aristoxenos. 53 This synchronism first established by Aristoxenos
and elaborated by later biographers was introduced to account
for Pythagoras' travels. Hence the tyranny of Polykrates would justify
his travel to Italy. while his flight from tyranny was consistent with his
political activities among the Greek cities of Italy where he called for
general freedom (fr. 17).54 The tendentious nature of many of these
synchronisms can best be seen in the anecdote of Simichos. who is said
by Aristoxenos to have laid down his tyranny after hearing Pythagoras
(fr. 17). In a similar vein. the capture of Pythagoras by Kambyses
during his Egyptian campaign (fr. 12) helps account for Pythagoras'
journey to Babylon. where he was initiated into Persian rites.
Here he also met up with the Chaldaean Zaratas (fr. 13).
This concern for precise chronology may indicate that Aristoxenos
was equally concerned with relating the events of Pythagoras' life
from its beginning (birth) to its end (death). which by our definition
would make the nep\ nv8ay6pov a bios. As we have noted. Aristoxenos
went into Pythagoras' origins (fr. IIa). The precise length of each
transmigration is given at 216 years (fr. 12). no doubt to account for
Pythagoras' claim that he had once resided in the body of Euphorbos.
55 The length of his natural life is given at 82 years (fr. 12). His
departure from Samos is precisely dated to his fortieth year (fr.I6).
while Kylon's insurrection in Kroton against the Pythagoreans there is
explicitly said to have taken place in Pythagoras' old age (fr. 18). The
trouble in Kroton led to Pythagoras' withdrawal to Metapontion.
where Aristoxenos depicts the end of his life: we do not know whether
Aristoxenos went on to narrate the details of his death. but this seems
likely. since he had already included an account of the death of
Pherekydes and his burial by Pythagoras. his student (fr.I4).
Thus it would seem that Aristoxenos gave an account of Pythagoras'
life from birth to death. which we suggest constitutes a bios. The chronology
was arranged around Pythagoras' travels which took him far
and wide to Delphi. Babylon and finally to Italy. The accounts of his
travels allowed Aristoxenos to bring Pythagoras into contact with various
teachers. from whom he derived many of his own teachings. Thus
we find him in Babylon where he is instructed by Zaratas the Chal-
53 Wehrli II (1945) 50.
54 Wehrli II (1945) 51-52.
55 See Wehrli II (1945) 50 for his discussion on whether Pythagoras had two or
three such transmigrations.