Page:History of Greece Vol IV.djvu/422

 404 HISTJRY OF GREECE. Rl;d the Pythagorean order at its first formation was the most efficient of all clubs ; since it presented an intimacy of attach inent among its members, as well as a feeling of haughty exclusiveness against the public without, such as no other frater- nity could parallel. 1 The devoted attachment of Pythagoreans towards each other is not less emphatically set forth than their contempt for every one else. In fact, these two attributes of the order seem the best ascertained, as well as the most permanent of all : moreover, we may be sure that the peculiar observances of the order passed for exemplary virtues in the eyes of i(3 members, and exalted ambition into a duty, by making them, sincerely believe that they were the only persons fit to govern. It is no matter of surprise, then, to learn that the Pythagoreans gradually drew to themselves great ascendency in the government of Kroton. And as similar clubs, not less influential, were formed at Metapontum and other places, so the Pythagorean order spread its net and dictated the course of affairs over a large portion of Magna Graecia. Such ascendency of the Pythagoreans must have procured for the master himself some real, and still more supposed, influence over the march of government at Kroton and elsewhere, of a nature not then possessed by any of his contem- poraries throughout Greece. 9 But his influence was probably exercised in the background, through the medium of the brother- hood who reverenced him : for it is hardly conformable to Greek manners that a stranger of his character should guide personally and avowedly the political affairs of any Grecian city. On this important passage, in which Thucydides Lotes the political clubs of Athens as sworn societies, numerous, notorious, and efficient, I shall speak farther in a future stage of the history. Dr. Arnold has a good note on the passage. 1 Justin, xx, 4. " Sed trecenti ex jnvenibus cum sodalitii juris sacra- mento quodam nexi, scparatam a ceteris civibus vitam exercerent, quasi coetum clandestine conjurationis haberent, civitatem in se converterunt." Compare Diogen. Laert. viii, 3 ; Apollonius ap. Jamblich. c. 254 ; Por- phyry, Vit. Pyth. c. 33. The story of the devoted attachments of the two Pythagoreans Damon and Phintias appears to be very well attested : Aristoxcnns heard it frora the lips of the younger Dionysius the despot, whose sentence had elicited such manifestation of friendship (Porphyry. Vit. Pyth. c. 59-G2, Cicero, De Officiis, iii, 10; and Davis ad Cicero, Tusc. Disp. v. 22).
 * Plutarch, Philosoph. cum Principib.c.i. p. 777. ui> <F U/IVOITOJ- uvdpjf icut