Observations placeholder
Pythagoras - Iamblichus's Life - Talking to his dead father
Identifier
014636
Type of Spiritual Experience
Inter composer communication
Hallucination
Background
A description of the experience
Iamblichus – Life of Pythagoras [translated by Thomas Taylor]
A certain person told Pythagoras that he appeared to himself once to converse with his father, who was dead, and that he asked Pythagoras what this indicated? Pythagoras replied that it indicated nothing; but that he had in reality conversed with his father.
As therefore, said he, nothing is now signified by my now discoursing with you, so neither is anything signified by your conversing with your father.
Hence in all particulars of this kind, they did not think that they were stupid, but only those that disbelieved them. For they did not conceive that some things are possible to the Gods, but others impossible, as those fancy who reason sophistically; but they believed that all things are possible to the Gods. And this very assertion is the beginning of the verses, which they ascribe to Linus and which are as follows:
All things may be the objects of our hope
Since nothing hopeless any where is found
All things with ease Divinity effects
And nought can frustrate this almighty power