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explanation of that is that he really was so. Now
Samos is right off the coast of Lydia in sight of
the mainland. The son of a wealthy merchant of
Samos would in all probability have interests in
Lydia, both financial and sentimental. He
would be specially likely to be there in times of
trouble. It is, therefore, a particularly reasonable
conjecture that it was then and there that
Pythagoras was taken prisoner by the Persians,
for it must have been then and there or
never and nowhere. So, then, we will suppose,
with great confidence, that this is what did
take place; and it perfectly explains the
assertion of Iamblichus who would most
likely have forgotten this temporary invasion