"Stir not the fire with a sword:" that is, aggravate not men who are angry.
"Place not a lamp under a bushel:" conceal not the truth from men.
"Abstain from beans:" frequent not popular assemblies, in which votes were given by white or black beans.
"Have no swallows about your house:" keep away babblers.
"During a tempest, worship the echo:" while civil broils endure, withdraw into retirement.
"Never write on snow:" throw not away instruction upon weak and imbecile minds.
"Never devour either your heart or your brains:" never give yourself up to useless anxiety or intense study.
Such are the maxims of Pythagoras, the meaning of which is sufficiently obvious.
The most beautiful of all emblems is that of God, whom Timæus of Locris describes under the image of "A circle whose centre is everywhere and circumference nowhere." Plato adopted this emblem, and Pascal inserted it among his materials for future use, which he entitled his "Thoughts."
In metaphysics and in morals, the ancients have said everything. We always encounter or repeat them. All modern books of this description are merely repetitions.