The Golden Verses of Pythagoras stand among the most enduring expressions of ancient Hellenic moral and spiritual philosophy. In this modern presentation, the finest and most reliable sets of ethical aphorisms attributed to the Pythagorean tradition have been gathered into a single, accessible volume—restoring the clarity, harmony, and contemplative power that guided seekers for over two millennia.

To achieve the most faithful rendering possible, this edition draws upon multiple historic translations. The seventeenth-century Greek translation by Hall (1657) and the early eighteenth-century French rendering by André Dacier (1707)—brought into English by Rowe—form the backbone of the text. While both sources illuminate the ancient verses, Dacier’s version, distinguished by its lucidity and precision, has been followed most closely to preserve the ethical clarity Pythagoras intended.

Beyond the core Golden Verses, this collection offers a broader window into the Pythagorean mystical-ethical tradition. Included are The Golden Sentences of Democrates, The Similitudes of Demophilus, and a series of Pythagorean Symbols—all translated by Bridgman in his 1804 Translations from the Greek. These works echo the Pythagorean emphasis on harmony, discipline, virtue, and the soul’s ascent through ordered living. Additional Pythagorean Sentences translated by Thomas Taylor, the great nineteenth-century Platonist, enrich the volume and extend its philosophical depth. His contributions—originally appended to his 1818 edition of Iamblichus’ Life of Pythagoras—provide a vital link to the esoteric and initiatory dimensions of the Pythagorean school.

The result is a comprehensive treasury of Pythagorean teaching: ethical maxims, symbolic reflections, and moral instructions refined over centuries and transmitted through some of the most respected translators of classical wisdom.