Eurytus (Pythagorean)

Eurytos (Greek Εὔρυτος ) was an ancient Greek philosopher ( Pythagoras ). He lived in the second half of the 5th century and in the early 4th century BC

Life

About the origin of the Eurytos make the different sources of information; according to tradition he came from Croton (now Crotone), after another from Metapontum, by a third from Taranto. The philosopher Aristoxenus, a pupil of Eurytos knew personally, described him as Tarentines. Therefore, he is sometimes called " Eurytos of Tarentum ." Anyway, was his home one of the Greek cities in southern Italy, which were traditionally centers of the Pythagoreans ( followers of the teachings of Pythagoras ).

He was a pupil of Philolaus and teachers of Echecrates and Xenophilos of Chalkidiki. Archytas of Tarentum may also belonged to his pupils. From these relations to other philosophers, his approximate life time can develop; he was born around the middle of the 5th century or somewhat later, and was at the beginning of the 4th century still alive. The traditional of Iamblichus claim that he was a disciple of Pythagoras was ( which presupposes that he would have lived in the 6th century ), certainly applies not to. Maybe true, however, is communicated by Diogenes Laertius news that he met with Plato on one of his trips to Italy. In this case, he has not died before 389.

Teaching

Since no authentic works of Eurytos are obtained his teaching is largely unknown. Few details in later authors (especially Aristotle and Theophrastus, who refers to the statement made by Archytas ) provide insight into an apparently characteristic detail. Thus Eurytos was convinced every kind of living creature ( for example the human or the horse and also plants) was assigned by nature a certain number. This number corresponded to the number of stones ( psḗphoi, " counting stones " ), which Eurytos replicating the shape of that creature. This was a development of the Pythagorean thought, geometric figures such as triangles and squares to assign certain numbers. The details of the concept are unclear.

Reception

Aristotle rejected the reasoning of the Eurytos. Theophrastus praised his actions as consistent; this praise was earlier considered by some researchers as irony, but was meant seriously by the prevailing view today.

In the Hellenistic period a literature of pseudepigraphical letters and treatises emerged which addressed topics from the Pythagorean doctrine and life practice. The anonymous authors wrote their works in part to known Pythagoreans the distant past; the names of the alleged authors of the literary fictions should give attention. At this literature was a maybe in the 3rd century BC authored paper "On the fate ", which was distributed under the name of " Eurysos ", which apparently was meant Eurytos; it might be a typo. From the treatise written in Doric dialect a quote in John Stobaeus has been preserved. Another quote that Clement of Alexandria handed and " Eurysos " attributes, contains a formulation that appears in a different context in pseudo - Ekphantos, probably the work " On the fate of " used.

Swell

• Holger Thesleff (Ed.): The Pythagorean Texts of the Hellenistic Period. Åbo Akademi, Åbo 1965, p 87-88
• Maria Timpanaro Cardini: Pitagorici. Testimonianze e frammenti. Vol 2, La Nuova Italia, Florence 1962, pp. 250-257 ( Greek source texts with Italian Translation )