Pythagoras and the (Were)Wolf

Abstract

This article examines some complex connections between Pythagorean symbolism and related aspects of ancient Greek mythology concerning wolves, lycanthropy, colour white, music, Mt. Lykaion in Arcadia, gods Zeus, Apollo, Artemis and Pan as well as ancient mystical rites of initiation and philosopher Plato. These connections are at times obscure but well attested in sources. The article goes through each of them in turn and demonstrates their connectivity, along with broader implications in mythology of Near East. In course of researching another article on Pythagorean symbolism in Plato’s Philebus, I came across a number of interesting themes which did not fit easily into that overall discussion but which I felt were nonetheless significant enough to merit their own inquiry. These initially concerned symbolic nature of colour but further researches also led me down a curious path that included no less than werewolves (or first lycanthrope, to be precise), cannibalism and human sacrifice which connected with Pythagorean symbolism in Plato’s works and elsewhere. This article examines this symbolism, in context, and its broader associations in ancient Greek ritual and mystical practices. The etymology of colour in ancient Greek is itself significant. Leukos (viz LSJ) white can also mean shining or brilliant and leukos was used to refer to normal sunlight too. Thus previous assertion in another article that its symbolism related to Pythagorean central fire, Form of Whiteness itself and other aspects of divinity found in both Platonic and Pythagorean sources. 1 Leukos is derived from base lyk-, meaning light or shining. The Lykabantides, for instance, were hours that make up year, that is, the path of light, referring to course of sun throughout its annual cycle. The Greek word for wolf, lykos, also shares same base lykand it seems that this is no accident. Wolves were thought to appear at break of dawn (lykē) or at twilight, thus conceptual association. 2