Pythagoras the philosopher & mathematician of Samos

Pythagoras the philosopher & mathematician of Samos.

Pythagoras of Samos was a great Greek philosopher and mathematician, founder of mathematics and a philosophical movement called Pythagorism. He created a system for the science of celestial bodies and is mostly known for his Pythagorean Theorem.

Samos was the island he was born, but his ancestry is a controversial issue. Most historians agree he was the son of Mnesarchus, a merchant. Pythagoras grew up and became a handsome, wise man just as Pythia (prophet of god Apollo) had predicted.

Samians, young and old, showed him great respect. Around the age of 18, as Samos entered the tyrannical regime, he realized his plans and love for learning would be suppressed.

So, he left the island to study at the Ionian School. He journeyed to many places before returning to Samos at the age of 60 years old. Upon his return, he built the “Pythagorean Semicircle”, a school to teach his theory. Later, citizens used it to congregate and named it “Pythagoras’ semicircle”.

While still on the island, Pythagoras the philosopher & mathematician of Samos passed on his knowledge to the youth, even if it had to be with tricks. His attempts however proved futile and no matter how hard he tried to teach his fellow countrymen, very few showed interest so Pythagoras eventually gave up.

Samians still admired him though and gave him many titles. There was also a place reserved for him in all liturgies. He blamed tyranny for his compatriots’ apathy in mathematics and philosophy. Feeling discouraged he decided to leave the island and never come back.

Something not readily known about Pythagoras is his discovery that musical notes could be translated into mathematical equations.

Pythagoreans elaborated on a theory of numbers. Others attributed the revelation of the harmony of the spheres to Pythagoras which states the planets and stars move according to mathematical equations which correspond to musical notes and produce a symphony.