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of Samos,— and Egypt, it is certain that any
youth desirous of a superior education would
go to Egypt, if he could afford it, as Pythagoras evidently could.
Far more certain than it is
today that any American doctor of philosophy
has studied in Germany. Pythagoras,
however, was renowned for his extensive
travels. Egypt would be the very first country
he would visit. Iamblichus, then, was familiar
with that fact; and also knew of the famous
conquest of Egypt by Cambyses. One might
more easily be ignorant today of the massacre of St. Bartholemew's.
His assertion shows that he had often heard
among his Pythagorean brethren that Pythagoras had
been taken prisoner by the Persians, and had
been carried into captivity. How are we to