Pythagoreanism described an equilibrium on “cosmos” you to displays order and you may beauty. Amounts you will establish everything in the new market. Given that number become one another chances and evens, everything have a paradox- light and black, new limited and you will unlimited, a great and you will evil, men and women. The reconciliation ones opposites creates balance (Kersey 199-200). For person choices, it was balance lead off operating temperately otherwise by indicating moderation. Extremely Pythagorean ladies’ writings displayed you to definitely lives are unified. Brand new Pythagoreans along with typed for the concept from harmonia otherwise “of the things that will be.” These philosophers brought the conversation in the theory on the girls to help you explain the relationships “between marital fidelity, child-rearing, parental piety, spiritual worship, and you will public attitude into the one hand, plus the character out of [the woman’s] soul, on the other” (Waithe 56). Nonetheless they wrote emails to other girls throughout the certain females habits and you may requirement- ladies chastity, ladies responsibilities, and you may ladies’ practices in the event the its partner was to to get a mistress. The message of these letters have been subject areas “dear on minds of males” (Lefkowitz). Phintys, a lady person in brand new Pythagorean people summed it of the saying:
Now some individuals think that that isn’t befitting an excellent girl to be an effective philosopher, just as a lady really should not be an effective cavalry otherwise a good politician. I agree that boys will be generals and you may area officials and you will politicians, and you will ladies need to keep house and start to become inside and you may found and maintain its husbands. However, I believe one to courage, fairness, and you will intelligence is actually attributes that men and women have in common. Bravery and you can cleverness be appropriately male services because of the power regarding men’s regulators plus the electricity of their brains. Chastity is more correctly women.
When the a lady has actually gender along with her husband, she remains “pure,” while the “in the context of matrimony, chastity and you can advantage are not understood that have abstinence” (Waithe fourteen)
This type of female realized their devote area although leftover in this this type of limits, they carved out their brands of them all.
Theano is actually the best woman of the Pythagoreans. She authored towards the “amount theory” and you can explained it a principle in order to make acquisition you to definitely helped to distinguish things from another. The woman notion of replica shows you that if questioned regarding the nature of an item, it’s possible to reply “both by the attracting an analogy anywhere between you to definitely target plus one more, otherwise. . . explain the object” (Waithe thirteen). Everything is like numbers once the because of the their contribution in the universe they’re sequenced along with other objects and measured. It’s important to credit Theano with speaking about it from inside the the brand new 6th millennium BCE since it set her since first literary representative of Pythagorean beliefs (Kersey dos). A keen apothegm related to Theano concerns the new immortality out-of souls, plus the transmigration from souls. She verifies your Pythagoreans believed inside the “divine justice”, the fresh new afterlife, plus the “transmigration from souls immediately following death on the an alternate human anatomy that was not necessarily people” (Waithe thirteen). When you look at the a harmonious universe, things have a specific place and function predicated on particular statutes- the fresh new statutes off physics, reasoning, morality or religion. If for example the soul is not immortal this may be manage disturb the fresh new harmony as perpetrator do refrain punishment at the cost of people which was in fact wronged. As the balance is going to be recovered, when the guilty welcomes discipline, souls need to be immortal (Waithe 14). The fresh analytical proportion is actually once more demonstrated as it’s it is possible to that the return to equilibrium is possible after an immoral act.
She usually do not have any other partners
Theano also had written concerning the ethics a woman will be follow when you look at the everyday life. In her own guide, Into Piety, she told me that 
people keeps other natures and you will good female’s special virtue try temperance (Kersey two hundred). A few of Theano’s basics introduce Pythagorean thinking towards the lady . But a woman will never be “pure” when the she has gender that have someone aside from this lady husband. This lady view of intimate love try it absolutely was simply “the newest natural desires off an empty soul” (Waithe 14). A woman’s obligation is exclusively to steadfastly keep up rules, justice and you will harmony at home. A female just who did not abide by this led to brand new in pretty bad shape and you will ailment from community. Theano believed that it’s “better to get on good runaway horse than to become a good girl who does perhaps not echo” (Waithe fifteen). She meant that a lady must be conscious of this lady methods as well as the outcomes contained in this area. Even if Theano was able to generate great benefits so you’re able to the girl husband’s college and you will become successful, she is actually well aware of woman’s invest society and you can thought strongly adequate to maintain those ideals.