(December 5, 2011 at 12:02 am)Epimethean Wrote: 'Ware the greasy bean of Pythagoras, indeed..
ΟΚ, you are right! It was beans (actually broad beans [κουκιά]) if that’s what you mean.
Diogenes Laertious wrote that Pythagoras’s advice was:
To abstain from beans because they are flatulent and partake most of the breath of life ; and besides, it is better for the stomach if they are not taken, and this again will make our dreams in sleep smooth and untroubled. (VIII,24)
The translation is from “Perseus” site and it obviously is biased in favor of Pythagoras (trying to cover Pythagoras nonsense).
The Greek text has “μετέχειν του ψυχικού” meaning that the beans for being flatulent take part in the spiritual!! The sentence “They partake most of the breath of life” has no meaning. Ψυχή (soul) is just the breath of life for the ancient Greeks but not for Pythagoras and his dualistic dogma.
I hope you understand what I mean, that you agree and that you will explain it in the correct way for the sake of those reading.