Arignote

Arignote or Arignota (Greek: Ἀριγνώτη, Arignṓtē) was a Pythagorean philosopher who flourished around the year 500 BC. She was known as a student of Pythagoras and Theano[1] and, according to some traditions, their daughter as well.[2][3][4]

According to the Suda,[1] she wrote a Bacchica concerning the mysteries of Demeter, which was also entitled the Sacred Narrative. The Suda mentions a separate work called The Rites of Dionysus,[1] which is also mentioned by Clement of Alexandria.[5] Writings attributed to her were extant in Porphyry's day.[4][6]

Among the Pythagorean Sacred Discourses there is a dictum attributed to Arignote:

The eternal essence of number is the most providential cause of the whole heaven, earth and the region in between. Likewise it is the root of the continued existence of the gods and daimones, as well as that of divine men.[7]

She was born in Croton and is said to have studied in Croton at the Pythagorean school. She wrote numerous works on worship of Dionysus. Some of her works include Τελεταί &Dιονυσίου (roughly translates into Teletai & Dionysiou), Επιγράμματα, &ακχικά (roughly translates into Epigrams , & akchika) and περί ων Μυστηρίων ης Δήμητρας. An advocate of the importance of math and science, she said that "...the eternal essence of numbers is the most providential cause of the whole heaven, earth, and the region in between. Likewise it is the root of the continued existence of the gods and demons, as well as that of divine men."[8][9]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Suda, Arignote
  2. ↑ Suda, Pythagoras
  3. ↑ Suda, Theano
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Porphyry, Life of Pythagoras, 4
  5. ↑ Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, iv. 19
  6. ↑ Gilles Ménage, (1984), The History of Women Philosophers, page 53. University Press of America
  7. ↑ Mary Ellen Waithe, A History of Women Philosophers. Volume 1, 600 BC-500 AD, page 12. Springer
  8. ↑ eds, Marilyn Ogilvie ... (2000). The biographical dictionary of women in science. New York [u.a.]: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-92038-8.
  9. ↑ "Greek women: Mathematicians and Philosophers". http://www.mlahanas.de/''. Retrieved 8 November 2014.