In Bed With Pythagoras
Almost every child on Earth attending elementary school and studying geometry must have heard the name Pythagoras, associate with theorem bearing his name. I came across his name at the age of six, then much later studying philosophy under the Communist system in Poland realised, that his theories served as a model for teaching the young generation the pseudo-egalitarian society pretending the socialist justice. I didn’t embrace their doctrine and escape the Communist System choosing the Western World.
My wife Barbara Ferri inherited an ancestral estate in Calabria, which was a part of Magna Grecia (Great Greece) from 700BC until 200BC. Borgo Ferri is located in short distance from Crotone (ancient Kroton) where in the year 530BC Pythagoras founded his school. Even today his name is well remembered in the region.
Several years ago, I became a founding member of philosophical society called Nuova Scuola Pitagorica (New Pythagorical School) from Crotone.
My passion for history and philosophy was a driving force to study more profoundly Pythagorism.
I visited the places associate with him: Athens, Samos, Crete in Greece; Egypt, then Crotone, Sybaris, Metapontum in South of Italy, everywhere participated in many symposiums, conferences, besides reading substantial number of books and historical documents about Pythagoras.
Few years ago, my wife obtained Theano (Pythagoras wife) prize for outstanding achievements in Calabria, then at the same time I met a scholar lecturing Greek mythology and embracing Pythagorean philosophy.
Since more than two years, together, we are carrying a continues debate (sometimes stormy) regarding Pythagorean philosophy from his epoque and its influence, positive or negative over the time of 25 centuries.
The subject is so fascinated, that I decided to write a book about it.
“In bed with Pythagoras” is the story of Pythagoras; his contradicting personal life, his school, teaching the philosophy, the way of life and its influence during 2500 years of history with its consequences.
We may not notice that his philosophy, not only geometry of theorem is affecting every day of our life, even today.
Some of the most well-known philosophers, scientists, writers, politicians like Plato, Aristoteles, Cicero, St Augustin Copernic, Galileo, Newton then Marx, Lenin, Mao and Pope Francis were his followers and influenced by his theories.
“In bed with Pythagoras” is based on debates about documents written by his disciples, later historians and many legends, because no one document written by Pythagoras survived to our times.
This book contains stories of his ascetic life, his wife and children, disciples, members of ruling society, finally his tragic end.
Historic war (510 BC) and destruction of Sybaris (Sibari), which even today is the synonym of wealth, luxury and promiscuity, by Kroton (Crotone) was the culminant point of his life and death.
In our days, when according to Davos Economic Forum, 1% of world richest have more than twice as much wealth as 6.9 billion of total Earth population, Pythagorism preaching egalitarian and just society is more than ever alive.
