Pythagoras perhaps the most famous of the Pre-Socratic philosophers influenced commoners and philosophers alike; even the great Plato couldn’t help but get swayed by his ideas.

    Even those in opposition, either due to personal enmity or their disagreement with his ways of running a community, were not safe from his influence. Many believe that Pythagoras born in 580 B.C., was the son of the merchant Mnesarchus of Tyre, who had moved to Samos and married Pythais, a local girl. Pythogoras received a good education, which included how to play the lyre. Having attained manhood and feeling dissatisfied with the amount of knowledge to be gained at home, he left and spent years travelling, visiting and learning from the various centers of learning.

    On returning he wished to open a school in his native-land, but decided against the idea because of opposition from the turbulent ruler Polycrates. Leaving Samos, he on his....