78

138

himself to Italy. So, then, after he returned to Samos,
there would be first a period during which his
discontent was growing to the point of causing
his resolve to emigrate. Next there would
be a period during which he was disposing
of his varied possessions and deciding
whither he would go. Having decided, he
would have to wait for summer before he couold
go. Two years seems to be the most reasonable period
to allow a man like Pythagoras to go through
all this. It cannot be much too long or much
too short. Add that to the 12 years that
Iamblichus says he was away, and we
have 14 which precisely carries us from
546 B.C. when he was captured to 532 B.C.