The Origins of Pythagoras

Yamblicus sees Plato as a venerable branch growing from even more ancient roots. He assumes that a primordial wisdom has been passed down not only in Greek culture, but also in Egypt and further east. Yamblicus so esteemed Pythagoras that he wrote an enormous series of Pythagorean books. In this system, the transcendent causes of Platonist metaphysics are personified as divine characters.