Theos-Talk Archives (December 2006 Message tt00717)

Friends,  
 
Somewhere in the ‘Mahatma Letters’, a Master says, not without an irony, that charlatans, liars and the like are a natural protection for authentic Occultism and Wisdom,  as they prevent an undue amount of curiosity about this tremendously powerful theme.
 
One has to agree. OK. 
 
But perhaps there has been “too much protection”, in the last few thousands of  years, if we may say so.  Let’s see an example. 
 
Out of the ancient “Seven Sages” of Greece, all of whom were previous to Pythagoras, only five were actually wise. Two of them, or forty per cent, were infiltrated idiots,  but also astute and powerful politicians, according to Plutarch. 
 
One of the lists of names referring to the “Seven Sages” includes, as Plutarch says, two of  these pseudo-sages: 
 
“Cleobulus, the despot of the Lindians, and later Periander of Corinth, who had no part or portion in virtue or wisdom, but forcibly acquired their repute through power and friends and favours, invaded this name of Wise Men, and sent out and circulated throughout Greece certain sentiments and sayings very similar to those famous utterances of the Wise Men.....” (1)  
 
So the challenge presented by ancient Prothagoras as discussed by Plato,  and more recently by Prothagoras’ minor  disciples Henry Sidgwick, John Algeo, “Terry Hobbes” and  "David Green" –  is not an entirely new invention. It dates from before Pythagoras indeed.   
 
 
Regards,  Carlos. 
 
 
NOTE: 
 
(1) “Moralia volume V”, Plutarch,  Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, Cambridge/London, 2003, 516 pp., see p. 205. 
 
 
oooooooooooooooooo
 


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