So, as we have seen, Kroton was somewhat depressed when, three or four years after the defeat, the Master arrived in the city.
His name was Pythagoras of Samos — mathematician, philosopher, initiate, thaumaturge, and who knows what else — and for Kroton, his arrival marked a rebirth. Let’s try to understand where this great man came from.
He was born on Samos, an Aegean island — no certain dates exist — the son of a merchant, and therefore of a wealthy class. To his father Mnesarchus, the Pythia (2) had foretold: “A beautiful and wise son will be born to you.” The father ensured that the boy received the best education.
He studied philosophy, music, and mathematics (he was a pupil of Thales). Thales himself said that he “saw in him exceptional qualities” (and coming from him, that says a lot!). He traveled extensively with his father, and these journeys, along with his studies in which he excelled, made him a mature young man.
As an adult, he embarked on a journey to Egypt, where he remained for twenty-two years. He attended temples, cults, and initiatory societies, and these experiences made him a complete man.
But something destroyed this idyll: King Cambyses (3) invaded Egypt, and among his prisoners — who were deported to Babylon — was the Master himself. He was held captive for twelve years in the city of the Hanging Gardens, though he enjoyed a certain degree of freedom to teach and study.
These years of solitude further matured him and directed him toward a life project that we will soon see.
When he was finally freed, he returned to Samos, but quickly realized that the wisdom he had acquired would be of little use on his native island. Pythagoras thus set out on a journey westward, visiting various poleis of Magna Graecia, until, guided by a premonition, he stopped in Kroton — not the richest nor the most powerful of cities.
He began to teach the youth, gradually gaining their trust. Then he approached the politicians — among the most skeptical toward his doctrine — but even they were eventually won over, allowing the Master to communicate also with women and children.
He founded his own order, which permeated the politics of the polis, recruiting the youth to make them first initiates, and later mature politicians and complete human beings.
“Harmony,” said the Master, “must be the foundation of every human organization.”
He personally carried out a very strict selection of all candidates, probing their vocations and giving great importance to the first impression they made — and one can hardly blame him for that!
In any case, the influence of this man on the city of Kroton — and beyond — was immense.
Envy and ingratitude, however, did not take long to appear… but that is another story.
Vilos himself, Leonimos’ eldest son, was among the apprentices who, after listening to the Master, were admitted to the grade of Acousmaticus.
Essentially, members of this grade were not allowed to see the Master: he would listen to their discussions from behind a curtain and assess their progress.
For the polis, the benefits were enormous — both in organization and in social life.
Milo, the great athlete from Kroton and winner of seven Olympiads, was one of these successes, and we will meet him again soon.
In addition to social principles, Pythagoras’ doctrine included healthy nutrition and physical exercise for all ages.
Perhaps a contemporary Pythagoras would not be a bad thing for Western societies!
In short, Kroton recovered from the terrible blow of the Sagra and began to flourish again.
Trade resumed, and the polis began exporting Pythagoreanism to neighboring cities.
Many poleis changed their appearance and political structure.
But not everyone welcomed these innovations, both within and outside the city. After all, Pythagoras — who surrounded himself with a swarm of disciples — sought to set straight a city in disarray, using his finest weapon: dialectic.
He built an initiatory order with very strict rules, meant to shape a multitude of students who, at the end of their training, would find their proper place in the world.
The Master prescribed dietary and physical training rules that created two generations of athletes — and also of warriors.
The polis was famous, as mentioned, for the beauty of its women and the strength of its men.
In the end, the Pythagorean treatment had benefited not only the minds but also the bodies of the citizens of Kroton.
All this, however, began to stir dissent — that envy-fueled discontent that always accompanies political success, and not only that.
But before this happened, our polis had to face yet another challenge — one that would redeem the bitter defeat of the Sagra.
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