Timycha

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Timycha was a member of a group of 4th century B.C.E. Pythagorean philosophers who were attacked by Sicilian soldiers. Although they had the option of running through a field of beans to escape, they would not, as this was a taboo to them. Instead they fought and died, with the exception of the pregnant Timycha and her husband, who were captured. The tyrant of Sicily questioned her as to the reason for this taboo, but she refused to answer. Instead, she bit off her tongue and spat it at his feet in a gesture of defiance.