New-York tribune., 1921-08-07
Racial Growth and Immigration Early Ideas of Deity
Pythagoras Revealed Through
Medium Of a French Diisciinle
New Light Cast on Theories of Greek Sage Who
Believed in Supreme Deity 500
Years Before Christ

tion but whole hearted rejoicing. II.
English translation, too, should co~.
in for its share Of commentator. h.
cause of its clarity and simplicity :,
end not lightly to be achieved in wow.
of this character.
D'Olivets Interpretation Of -.
Golden Verses, not being controy.,
slal-or perhaps we should sav ,.,.
so, for here We tread on dangerou.
ground is more in line with popp,.,
aspirations of the moment. We me,
differ on politics, but, IL no other siv,
were pointing in that direction. II.
number of books on the subject which
pour out each month would conv;nc.
us that the whole world is seeking n,
spiritual light. 1t may be rash to So,
we are in for spiritual Regeneration
but at least it is safe to say that ".
are willing to be regenerated. If Wa
don't need it ourselves, the other fei.
low does.
It is strange to think that seventh.
one lines of verse, which are all tb..
constitute the Golden Verses of Pythas.
cras, should have such tremendou.
effect as these esoteric verses have had
in the world since the time they we.
written, more than 500 years Be.
fore Christ. The secret Of tolerapc.
which the followers of Pythagoras, in
common with the followers of Kong.
Use, or Confucius, have shown toward
the gods of others is here revealed. Be.
hind polytheism, or, indeed, the wor.
ship of any god or gods, was thei,
belief in the essential unity of God.
Consequently it didn't matter which
quality the various cults deifed Py.
thagoreans could publicly worship the
gods of the country in which they
lived and know that they were really
worshiping the Supreme Deity.
The laws that Pythagoras laid down
for his followers were indicative of the
highest standards. Since they were
taught in secret, and their significance
revealed only after years of probation,
his doctrines were not for the general
public, which is a point against tho
Pythagoreans and one for the Chris
tians. Essentially, however, the moral
teachings of Christ do not differ.
Pythagoras used the language Of
numbers (Which was we'll known to the
ancients but perfected by him) to con.
ceal his teachings. D'OlIvet does not
go into this beyond few statements
which do not shed much light on the
symbols.
Our chief criticism Of this volume
is that so much of it (the first half
should have been devoted to disserta-
ton on poetry when there was SO much
left unsaid about Pythagoras. Not
that we underestimate D'Olivet's dis
cussion of poetry. 1t is a most ex-
haustive study and should be an eye
opener to the free versifers of to-day
who f1atter themselves that they have
discovered a new thing. But, enter
tanning as it Is, 1t seems to US that It
has no place in the volume. Beyond
dividing the book in two we fear that
the publishers have no choice but to
print 1t as 1t is-that is, unless
D'Olivet, who was firm believer In
the ransmigration of souls in their
progress toward Immortality, should
return to earth and reveal many things
concerning Pythagoras which he has
concealed.
There is one point in particular on
which we would like TO be enlightened
Pythagoras outlined diet for his fol-
lowers which D'Olivet mentions, hut
does not give in detail. Beans, how
ever, we're Pythagorean aversion. We
have q similar aversion. We recall the
time at the distant age of seven when
we went On hunger strike for twenty
four hours--the first hunger strike on
record, we believe. Our parents wers
Christians, but they were Pyshagorean
in that they respected other folks
principles. We can't help regretting
that we didn't have a principle-an
esoteric one at that-for them to re-
spect IN the matter of beans.