Telauges

Telauges (Greek: Τηλαύγης; c. 500 BC) was a Pythagorean philosopher and, according to tradition, the son of Pythagoras and Theano. Little is known about his life and works other than a scattering of remarks from much later writers.

Life

Little is known about the life of Telauges. According to tradition, he was the son of Pythagoras and Theano.[1][2][3] Iamblichus claims that Pythagoras died when Telauges was very young, and that Telauges eventually married Bitale the daughter of Damo, his sister.[4] It was said that Telauges was a teacher of Empedocles,[1][5][6] perhaps in an attempt to link Empedocles to Pythagoras.

Works

Diogenes Laërtius says that Telauges wrote nothing,[1] but then makes use of a supposed letter from Telauges to Philolaus for some information concerning Empedocles.[7] Iamblichus claims that a work of Pythagoras concerning the gods was said by some to have been composed by Telauges, using the notes which Pythagoras bequeathed to Damo.[4] The Suda claims that Telauges wrote four books on the tetractys.[8] Marcus Aurelius, in his Meditations, contrasts Telauges with Socrates.[9]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 43
  2. ↑ Porphyry, Life of Pythagoras, 4
  3. ↑ Suda, Telauges τ481, Pythagoras π3120, Theano θ84
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Iamblichus, Life of Pythagoras, 146
  5. ↑ Suda, Telauges τ481, Empedokles ε1002
  6. ↑ Eusebius, Preparatio Evangelica, x. 14
  7. ↑ Diogenes Laërtius, viii. 53, 74. Although even in antiquity the credibility of the letter was doubted, viii. 55.
  8. ↑ Suda, Telauges τ481
  9. ↑ Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, vii. 66