Page:The battle of the books - Guthkelch - 1908.djvu/152

 that has purposely written the life of Pythagoras: according to Menagius's calculations he lived in Marcus Antoninus's time: and all that we learn from Diogenes is only that we know very little certainly about Pythagoras. He cites, indeed, great numbers of books, but those so very disagreeing in their relations that a man is confounded with their variety. Besides, the Grecians magnified everything that they commended so much that it is hard to guess how far they may be believed, when they write of men and actions at any distance from their own time. Graecia mendax was almost proverbial amongst the Romans. But by what appears from the accounts of the life of Pythagoras, he is rather to be ranked among the law-givers, with and Solon, and his own two disciples  and, than amongst those who really carried learning to any considerable height. Therefore as some other legislators had or pretended to have supernatural assistances, that they might create a regard for their laws in the people to whom they gave them; so Pythagoras found out several equivalents which did him as much service. He is said, indeed, to have lived many years in Egypt, and to have