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Article THE PHILOSOPHER AND HIS PUPIL. ← Page 4 of 7 →
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The Philosopher And His Pupil.
garments he had hitherto worn , he appeared in a robe of unbleached wool , carefully girded round his person ; while with an ivory staff he guided Ills steps with decent gravity . On his entrance into the assembly , the old men scoffed at him , and refused him his seat amongst them , exclaiming , " Who is this in the garb of a sage ?—the drunkard , Heros ! —back , your place is not here . "
Instead of resenting this marked insult with the intemperance that had formerly characterised him , he meekly bowed his head , saying , that youth was honoured in the reproof of age . The young men of his own standing , emboldened by the example of their elders , refused to receive him , reviling him for an hypocrite ; even the maidens , who had formerly courted his smile , thinking to gratify their parents by a display
of modesty , drew their veils closely , as he passed them . Heros looked around , no one smiled upon him ; none moved for him : ashamed , at length , ivith being the object of the public gaze , he quietly seated himself at the feet of the assembly , with the outcast , the beggar , and the slave .
Pythagoras , who , with his disciples , had been honoured with a public seat , beheld the conduct of Heros with secret satisfaction , and , advancing in the centre of the assembly , exclaimed aloud , "Know , oh ! ye men of Crotona , that humility is the first step to wisdom ; " and giving his hand to the overwhelmed but delighted youth , he led him to a seat amongst his pupils . The citizens loudly applauded the judgement of
the sage , exclaiming , "Hail to Pythagoras!—honour to the crowned victor of the Olympic games ! " The ceremonies of the day passed on and Heros had the satisfaction of twice laying the prize of his skill at the feet of his distinguished master . Pythagoras demanded from his disciples a noviciate of five years , before he admited them to a participation of tbe higher mysteries of
his science . The reformed Heros had , for as long a period , been one of the most zealous of his pupils ; the first to await his instruction , the last to depart . As the favoured of the philosopher , the good no longer shunned him , men ' s tongues were loud in his praise ; and he waited impatiently for the hour that was to admit him to a participation of that knowledge his soul thirsted to attain .
Returning from the contemplation of the heavenly system , whose many worlds proclaim the existence of an eternal principle , he encountered a party of his former dissolute companions with Theon at their head . The wine-cup had been drained , and the madness of its strength was manifest in their actions . " What , " exclaimed Theon , scornfully , " virtue and philosophy at this late hour . A convert , friends , a convert—Minerva is deserted , and Venus is now * he ascendant star . "
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Philosopher And His Pupil.
garments he had hitherto worn , he appeared in a robe of unbleached wool , carefully girded round his person ; while with an ivory staff he guided Ills steps with decent gravity . On his entrance into the assembly , the old men scoffed at him , and refused him his seat amongst them , exclaiming , " Who is this in the garb of a sage ?—the drunkard , Heros ! —back , your place is not here . "
Instead of resenting this marked insult with the intemperance that had formerly characterised him , he meekly bowed his head , saying , that youth was honoured in the reproof of age . The young men of his own standing , emboldened by the example of their elders , refused to receive him , reviling him for an hypocrite ; even the maidens , who had formerly courted his smile , thinking to gratify their parents by a display
of modesty , drew their veils closely , as he passed them . Heros looked around , no one smiled upon him ; none moved for him : ashamed , at length , ivith being the object of the public gaze , he quietly seated himself at the feet of the assembly , with the outcast , the beggar , and the slave .
Pythagoras , who , with his disciples , had been honoured with a public seat , beheld the conduct of Heros with secret satisfaction , and , advancing in the centre of the assembly , exclaimed aloud , "Know , oh ! ye men of Crotona , that humility is the first step to wisdom ; " and giving his hand to the overwhelmed but delighted youth , he led him to a seat amongst his pupils . The citizens loudly applauded the judgement of
the sage , exclaiming , "Hail to Pythagoras!—honour to the crowned victor of the Olympic games ! " The ceremonies of the day passed on and Heros had the satisfaction of twice laying the prize of his skill at the feet of his distinguished master . Pythagoras demanded from his disciples a noviciate of five years , before he admited them to a participation of tbe higher mysteries of
his science . The reformed Heros had , for as long a period , been one of the most zealous of his pupils ; the first to await his instruction , the last to depart . As the favoured of the philosopher , the good no longer shunned him , men ' s tongues were loud in his praise ; and he waited impatiently for the hour that was to admit him to a participation of that knowledge his soul thirsted to attain .
Returning from the contemplation of the heavenly system , whose many worlds proclaim the existence of an eternal principle , he encountered a party of his former dissolute companions with Theon at their head . The wine-cup had been drained , and the madness of its strength was manifest in their actions . " What , " exclaimed Theon , scornfully , " virtue and philosophy at this late hour . A convert , friends , a convert—Minerva is deserted , and Venus is now * he ascendant star . "