Who was Pythagoras of Samos?

Most of what is written about Pythagoras of Samos is hearsay. Wecan say little with confidence about his life and teachings. We do know that Pythagoras and his students believed that everything was related to mathematics and that numbers were the ultimate reality. We also know that he was not standing in much harmony with Polykrates the Tyran of Samos. As history tells he had to hide a great deal of his life in a cave at the foot of mount Kerkis, in the south, near today’s Votsalakia. You can still visit this cave today and get a strange feeling in the belly, thinking about all this old stories.

Pythagoras of Samos though is best known for for the Pythagorean theorem which bears his name. Most of us remember it barly from school or have forgotten it all along.

Let us go back in history a couple of years. Pythagoras was born on the Greek island of Samos. His mother was Pythais, a native woman of Samos. His father was Mnesarchus, a Phoenician merchant from Tyre (Today’s Lerbanon).

As a young man, he left his native city for Croton, Calabria, in Southern Italy, to escape the tyrannical government of Polycrates. According to Iamblichus, Thales, impressed with his abilities, advised Pythagoras to head to Memphis in southern Egypt and study with the priests there who were renowned for their wisdom. He also was discipled in the temples of Tyre and Byblos in Phoenicia . It may have been in Egypt where he learned some geometric principles which eventually inspired his formulation of the Pythagorean Theorem that is now called by his name.

The religious side of Pythagors of Samos

We get some insight into the lives of the Pythagoreans, the rleigion of the followers of Pythagoras, when we realize that they believed in the transmigration of souls (the belief that on death we return as another) and that they had many taboos.

Their rules where strict; amongst other practices they had:

1. To abstain from beans.
2. Not to break bread.
3. Not to stir the fire with iron.
4. Not to eat from a whole loaf.
5. Not to eat the heart.
6. Not to walk on highways.
7. Not not look in a mirror beside a light.
8. And when you rise from the bedclothes, roll them together and smooth out the impression of your body on the bed.

The Pythagoreans taught that the purpose of life was to purify the soul and body. They expanded on their Orphic beginnings to include “purification” through science and knowing. To reach purification they taught that one had to discover the “harmonies” of the cosmos - and scientific (mathematical) enquiry was the vehicle with which to find them.
Arguably the greatest scientific achievement of the Order was the discovery (attributed to “The Master” as Pythagoras was called) of the mathematical order in the musical scale and the harmonies so produced. It is not difficult to appreciate how the Pythagoreans would extrapolate from this success to the belief that, in the quest for the secrets of the cosmos all is numbers.

While you are here on samos you have to visit the Cave of Pythagoras in Votsalakia. Beneeth Mount Kerkis on the way to the Monastery Evangelistria is a pathway leading to the cave where Pythagoras is sayed to have lived during the times Polikrates was hard on his tail. I guess they didn’t agree on some numbers. See a Picture of the Pythagoras Monument in Pythagorion.

The Eupalinos Tunnel in the south of the Greek island Samos,Greece, was built around 550 - 520 BC by the Greek Architect Eupalinos of Megara,son of Naustrophos. Eupalinos or in the Greek way spelled ‘Eypalinos’ was one of three great men living at the same time on the same Greek island. One of them was the tyrant Policrates, who ruled Samos Island at the time and the third man here was Pythagoras of Samos, whom we all remember barely from our math lectures at school. This is, amongst many others, a strong indicator of how important Samos was around 550 BC.

A Man Needs a Plan

Eupalinos of of Megaras saw himself in front of quite a challenge and water was urgently needed since Samos doesn’t have any rainfall at all during summer time and the city was growing at a steady rate. To save time Eupalinos planned the tunnel to be started from both sides of the mountain and the two pipes would meet at half way. Working space was a problem; labor was not. There where enough slaves to be used. At the time of the construction, Samos was ruled by the famous tyrant Policrates and he himself had ordered the tunnel to be built. The estimated building time of the Eupalinos Tunnel ranges from five to fifteen years. Like most of Samos Island, the mountain they had to digg through is solid limestone and it was surly hard labor with very limited tools in a terrible closed space. Many of the slaves must have died in these tunnels.

The Greek Historian Herodotus (484 -425 BC) named the Eupalinos Tunnel “The Third Wonder of Samos Island”. In Histories 3.60 he states:

“And about the Samians I have spoken at greater length, because they have three works which are greater than any others that have been made by Hellenes: first a passage beginning from below and open at both ends, dug through a mountain not less than a hundred and fifty fathoms [200 m] in height; the length of the passage is seven furlongs and the height and breadth each eight feet, and throughout the whole of it another passage has been dug twenty cubits in depth and three feet in breadth, through which the water is conducted and comes by the pipes to the city, brought from an abundant spring: and the designer of this work was a Megarian, Eupalinos the son of Naustrophos.”

How to Build A Tunnel - 3′000 Years Ago

Two groups working under the direction of the architect and engineer Eupalinos of Megara dug the tunnel through Mount Castro to build an aqueduct for fresh water supply of the ancient capital of Samos, Tigani, today called Pythagoreion. The tunnel measures 1030 meters - 3432 feet - in length and it was tricky to make a plan.

Since two parallel lines never meet, Eupalinos recognized that a mistake of more than two meters horizontally (approximate cross section was 1.8 by 1.8 m), would make him miss the meeting point. Having calculated the expected position of the meeting point, he changed the direction of both tunnels, as shown in the picture (one to the left and the other to the right), so that a crossing point would be guaranteed, even if the tunnels were previously parallel and far away.

There was also the possibility of deviations in the vertical sense, even though his measurements were quite accurate with only four centimeters of vertical difference in the opening of the tunnels, Eupalinos could not take a chance. He increased the possibility of the two tunnels meeting each other, by increasing the height of both tunnels. In the north tunnel he kept the floor horizontal and increased the height of the roof, while in the south tunnel, he kept the roof horizontal and increased the height by changing the level of the floor. His precautions in the vertical sense proved unnecessary, since measurements show that there was practically no mistake.

Hide a Tunnel

Hiding the tunnel was of utmost defensive importance. The aqueduct ran underground and was not easily found by an enemy who could otherwise cut off the water supply of the city. And if it was found it was easy to defend within the hills. Tigani was in desperate need of fresh water supply, the city was inhabited by 300′000 people plus a steady flow of ships arriving empty and leaving Samos Harbor with full water tanks.

“Keffi” means something like “to do it just for the fun of it”. And that’s what it is all about here, fun.

The fish tavern “Nick the Greek” is located at the very eastern end of Votsalakia, the first tavern of Votsalakia Beach, coming from Marathokampos or Ormos. The distance to the center of Votsalakia is about 1 kilometer. You can walk the whole way along the beach though and especially at sunset it is a beautiful walk.

Nikos, the owner, speaks perfect English and German and you will feel at home, the minute you arrive at “nick the Greek”. Even though the specialty of the restaurant is fresh fish, you can also get all kinds of fresh cooked Greek dishes here.

Traditional Greek Service

Nick the Greek works still in the old traditional way of running a Greek Restaurant: Go in the kitchen, lift the lids of the pot an have a look what dinner looks and smells like. The same goes for your fish, first nicely decorated on a display of crushed ice, the fish will be weighed and price tagged according to your appetite.

Nick the Greek is a very family friendly place, the family has kids themselves, with a play ground and a sandy beach right in front of the restaurant. Speaking of the beach; this is a very quite part during daytime, provides umbrellas and beach beds and you can find a beautiful snorkel spot a bit to the left. you can spot octopus and shrimps, squid and crabs around the reef as well as tirades of small fish who seek the shelter of the reef to grow up. Much of the fish in the “Tavernas” on Greek islands are probably not even out of Greek waters these days. The much over-fished Mediterranean Sea just hasn’t that much to offer anymore. That’s why you can find Nikos early in the morning, chatting with fishermen and sorting out to the best fish of the latest catch right of the fishing net.

My overall rating of the fish Tavern “Nick the Greek” goes as follows:

If you’re looking for a quite place where you can let the kids run and enjoy a glass of wine and a great dinner. this is the place to go. you must try “Garides Saganaki” Shrimps, backed with cheese and fresh tomatoes.

your dinner is accompanied by relaxed and quite music and sometimes Greek live music with Bouzuki and Guitar, Candlelight and always very friendly staff.

Bon Appetit

Once upon a time on a Greek island called Samos …. this is the way the story of Eleni and Dimitri must begin. A Swiss gal and a Greek guy who have made their dream come true in Votsalakia. Studio Eleni offer six causy studios in a layed back atmosphere. Restaurant and Taverns are in walking distance and so are shopping posibillities.

Studio Eleni is located on the back street near the center of Votsalakia (Kambos - Marathokambos) The distance to the main town of Samos island is 40km and the airport of Pytgagorion is 44km away. Studio Eleni is a children and family friendly holiday resort. The village offers all you need on shopping. Car rentals, motorbike and bycicle rentals are near by. You will find a place that welcomes you with a big heart and i’m sure you will enjoy your stay at Studio Eleni Samos.

Dimitri and Eleni are also the funders and the driving force of the largest volunteer fire brigade in Greece. Without those two great people, Samos would not look as beautiful as it does today and i’m proud to have them as friends.

Eliane und Dimitri Apostolou-Hostettler

STUDIO ELENI

Kampos Marathokampos

83102 N. Samos

Tel. +30-22730-37381

E-Mail: kontakt@studio-eleni.com

CONTACT INFORMATION:

APHRODITE STUDIOS & APARTMENTS

SUMMER TEL.: +30-22730-37036, +30-22730-32182

WINTER TEL.: +30-22730-32182, +30-22730-32834

FAX: +30-22730-38180, MOBILE: +30-6947442014

KAMPOS MARATHOKAMPOS SAMOS ISLAND - GREECE

E-mail: info@aphroditesamos.com