Pythagoras — "When abroad, don't turn back at the border."
When abroad, don't turn back at the border.
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More from Pythagoras
"There is geometry in the humming of the strings. There is music in the spacing of the spheres."
"The soul of man is divided into three parts, intelligence, reason, and passion. Intelligence and passion are possessed by other animals, but reason by man alone."
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About Pythagoras (c. 570-495 BCE)
Greek philosopher and mathematician whose school in Croton combined geometry (the Pythagorean theorem), number-mysticism, and a religious-vegetarian way of life. Closely associated with Thales of Miletus (earlier pre-Socratic and the first philosopher). For an intellectual contrast, see Heraclitus, pre-Socratic Greek philosopher of flux — Heraclitus called Pythagoras 'the chief of swindlers' — among the founding insults of the philosophical-rivalry tradition. Their 'all is flux' vs 'all is number' poles still organize the philosophy of mathematics today (Platonist vs anti-realist).
Details
A Pythagorean 'Symbol', interpreted as not clinging desperately to life when leaving it.
Date: c. 570-495 BCE (interpreted 3rd century CE)
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Understanding this quote
What it means
Once you've set out on a path, don't retreat out of fear or hesitation. Starting a journey creates commitment — turning back mid-course signals indecision and wastes the courage it took to leave in the first place. The maxim urges decisiveness: if circumstances justified departure, they still do. Commit fully to what you've begun, push through uncertainty, and trust the direction you chose before doubt crept in.
Relevance to Pythagoras
Pythagoras embodied this principle personally — he left his birthplace of Samos, studied in Egypt and Babylon, and eventually settled in Croton to build his philosophical brotherhood rather than return home. His community demanded total commitment; initiates swore years-long silence before full membership. A man who staked his life on radical intellectual and spiritual journeys would naturally preach against the cowardice of retreating once a course was set.
The era
In 6th-century BCE Greece, turning back after departing was considered a terrible omen — bad luck that could doom the entire journey. Travelers performed elaborate pre-departure rituals, and reversing course mid-trip required restarting those rites from scratch. This was also the age of Greek colonization, when thousands permanently left their home cities for new settlements abroad. Decisive, irreversible commitment wasn't just philosophy — it was a survival necessity for colonists who couldn't second-guess their exodus.
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