--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pythagoras used to say that he had…" description: "\"Pythagoras used to say that he had received as a gift from Mercury the perpetual transmigration of his soul, so that it was constantly transmigrating a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/diogenes-laertius-13984_animal_pythagoras-used-to-say-that-he-had-recei_27396.jpg" --- # Pythagoras used to say that he had received as a gift from… ![“Pythagoras used to say that he had received as a gift from Mercury the perpetual transmigration of his soul, so that it was constantly transmigrating and passing into all sorts of plants or animals.” quote by Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/diogenes-laertius-13984_animal_pythagoras-used-to-say-that-he-had-recei_27396.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/diogenes-laertius-13984_animal_pythagoras-used-to-say-that-he-had-recei_27396.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/diogenes-laertius-13984_animal_pythagoras-used-to-say-that-he-had-recei_27396.jpg) > “Pythagoras used to say that he had received as a gift from Mercury the perpetual transmigration of his soul, so that it was constantly transmigrating and passing into all sorts of plants or animals.” [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pythagoras claimed his soul, gifted by Mercury, continuously migrates through living forms, illustrating a belief in perpetual rebirth. **In simple terms:** The soul repeatedly inhabits plants and animals. Key Takeaway Soul undergoes endless transmigration. Themes philosophy metaphysics ancient belief spirituality Mood mystical contemplative Type mythological philosophical When to use this quote - discussions on afterlife concepts - comparative religion studies - literary analysis of mythic motifs Key Concepts reincarnation theory cosmic symbolism Practical Applications - use as metaphor for ecological interconnectedness - inspire creative storytelling Questions to Reflect On - What does continual rebirth suggest about identity? - How might this view affect ethical treatment of nature? A Different Perspective No empirical evidence supports literal soul migration; it remains symbolic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercury/) [Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) ## Related quotes > [“Constant transmigration of the soul from one body to another is the cause of suffering in material existence. 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I never knew that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-clark/freddie-mercury-said-years-later-that-he-got-the-idea-for-we-will/) [Dave Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-clark/) > [Learning is like mercury, one of the most powerful and excellent things in the world in skillful hands; in unskillful, the most mischievous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/learning-is-like-mercury-one-of-the-most-powerful-and-excellent/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [In a moment when criticism shows a singular dearth of direction every man has to be a law unto himself in matters of theatre,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dos-passos/in-a-moment-when-criticism-shows-a-singular-dearth-of-direction-every/) [John Dos Passos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dos-passos/) > [Given that I can't sing like Freddie Mercury, obviously I'm not going to pursue it as a career. 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Michelson ## More by Diogenes Laertius > [Anarcharsis, on learning that the sides of a ship were four fingers thick, said that "the passengers were just that distance from death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/anarcharsis-on-learning-that-the-sides-of-a-ship-were-four-fingers/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [Courage, my boy! that is the complexion of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/courage-my-boy-that-is-the-complexion-of-virtue/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [Aristippus said that a wise man's country was the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/aristippus-said-that-a-wise-man-s-country-was-the-world/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [Arcesilaus had a peculiar habit while conversing of using the expression, "My opinion is," and "So and so will not agree to this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/arcesilaus-had-a-peculiar-habit-while-conversing-of-using-the/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [Bion used to say that the way to the shades below was easy; he could go there with his eyes shut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/bion-used-to-say-that-the-way-to-the-shades-below-was-easy-he-could/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [Diogenes said once to a person who was showing him a dial, "It is a very useful thing to save a man from being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/diogenes-said-once-to-a-person-who-was-showing-him-a-dial-it-is-a/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [“Step out of my sunlight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/step-out-of-my-sunlight/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [Plato affirmed that the soul was immortal and clothed in many bodies successively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/plato-affirmed-that-the-soul-was-immortal-and-clothed-in-many-bodies/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [When asked what learning was the most necessary, he said, “Not to unlearn what you have learned!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/when-asked-what-learning-was-the-most-necessary-he-said-not-to/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [Anaximander used to assert that the primary cause of all things was the Infinite,-not defining exactly whether he meant air or water or anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/anaximander-used-to-assert-that-the-primary-cause-of-all-things-was/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [If appearances are deceitful, then they do not deserve any confidence when they assert what appears to them to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/if-appearances-are-deceitful-then-they-do-not-deserve-any-confidence/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [There is a written and an unwritten law. 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Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Pythagoras used to say that he had received as a gift from Mercury the perpetual transmigration of his soul, so that it was constantly transmigrating and passing into all sorts of plants or animals.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Diogenes Laertius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/pythagoras-used-to-say-that-he-had-received-as-a-gift-from-mercury/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/pythagoras-used-to-say-that-he-had-received-as-a-gift-from-mercury/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/diogenes-laertius-13984_animal_pythagoras-used-to-say-that-he-had-recei_27396.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/diogenes-laertius-13984_animal_pythagoras-used-to-say-that-he-had-recei_27396.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/diogenes-laertius-13984_animal_pythagoras-used-to-say-that-he-had-recei_27396.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Pythagoras used to say that he had received as a gift from Mercury the perpetual transmigration of his soul…” — Diogenes Laertius", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Diogenes Laertius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Pythagoras used to say that he...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/pythagoras-used-to-say-that-he-had-received-as-a-gift-from-mercury/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/pythagoras-used-to-say-that-he-had-received-as-a-gift-from-mercury/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```