Curve 8. The Unknown Knowledge that Was Tragically, Untimely, and Unwillingly, but not fully, Unconcealed

Agnesi Maria Caetana is still in the middle of a verbal question-and-answer session with her private tutor, Nuvolo Ardito Figliuoli. This time, in front of the fifty-four-year-old teacher, Agnesi will discuss an event that occurred approximately two thousand years earlier.

Agnesi responded to Nuvolo's final question by saying, "Very well, Mr. Figliuoli. I'll tell you what I remember. How did the knowledge of Aecte and Aecte Arts become known to the public? It all started with a conflict."

Agnesi took a sip of her Vin Cotto, emptying the pomegranate beverage mixed with cold water from her glass. Then she began to speak a long explanation, “I will tell you about an incident that happened when Pythagoras came to a city-state or polis called Kroton. There, Pythagoras managed to gain followers and founded the Pythagorean Order. Because Pythagoras and the Pythagorean members were intelligent people, they were able to gain positions in the government of the polis of Kroton.”

Nuvolo took another sip of his whey-based beverage named siero di latte and commented, “That’s right, Miss Agnesi.”

Agnesi continued her history-themed talk, “The government in the polis of Kroton, dominated by members of the Pythagorean Order, was running well. Economically and militarily, they were on a good curve. Kroton even defeated a military attack by another polis whose troops were three times the size of Kroton’s. Milo, a member of the Pythagorean Order and friend of Pythagoras, was a Krotonian general who led the Krotonian army to victory.”

Nuvolo nodded his head as a sign that Agnesi's words were true.

Agnesi continued her talk, "But there were two figures. Two figures who both tried to join the Pythagorean Order. However, both were rejected for the same reason: both were deemed to have character traits that didn't align with the Order's requirements. Those two figures are named Ninon and Kylon."

Nuvolo instructed, “You can explain first who Kylon is, Miss Agnesi.”

Agnesi carried out Nuvolo's instructions by saying, "Kylon is a member of the nobility of the Kroton polis. As an upper-class citizen, he naturally possesses wealth, influence, and connections within the polis. However, all of these attributes still do not qualify him for membership in the Pythagorean Order. Kylon is considered to possess traits that a philosopher should avoid, such as authoritarianism, rudeness, harshness, and emotional instability."

Nuvolo commented, “That's the history of it.”

Agnesi continued her long words of facts, “Ultimately, Kylon used his privilege to strike back at the Pythagorean Order. He leveraged his wealth and political influence to rally anti-Pythagorean mobs. He was the one who provided the funding and led the first wave of attacks on Pythagorean Order meeting places. In that attack, it was estimated that the ratio of the anti-Pythagorean mob compared to the members of the Pythagorean Order was about a thousand to one.”

Nuvolo asked, “What place was one of the targets of the attack?”

Agnesi replied, "One of the targets of the attack was the home of Milo, the General, who was also an athlete and a six-time Olympic wrestling champion. There is a story that says that during the attack on Milo's house, he used his extraordinary physical strength to prevent the roof and pillars of his house from collapsing so that his friends, including Pythagoras, could escape safely."

Nuvolo commented and asked, “There’s nothing I need to correct, Miss Caetana. I’m sure you remember Milo’s accomplishments.”

Agnesi replied, "Milo won Olympic wrestling once in the youth category and five times in the adult category. He also won dozens of other sporting events during that time, such as the Isthmian Games, the Nemean Games, and the Pythian Games."

Nuvolo commented and gave further instructions, “Good answer, Miss Caetana. Next, you can elaborate on the character of Ninon.”

Agnesi continued her long words of facts, "Compared to Kylon, Ninon could be said to come from a more humble background. However, despite not being of noble birth, he possessed a talent for public speaking, making him a skilled orator. However, he was rejected from joining the Pythagorean Order because he was considered dishonest and manipulative."

Nuvolo commented, “That's the history of it.”

Agnesi continued her explanation, “Just like Kylon, Ninon used his rhetorical talent to attack the Pythagorean Order. Through his speeches, he vexed the citizens of the Kroton polis by twisting the records and teachings of the Pythagorean Order. Ninon, with his rhetoric, accused the Pythagorean Order of being an exclusive group that wanted to establish a tyranny and destroy democracy in the Kroton polis. Ninon incited the citizens of the Kroton polis to attack the Pythagorean Order, and his propaganda was successful.”

Nuvolo did not deny Agnesi's explanation, and he asked, “What happened next, Miss Caetana?”

Agnesi replied, “It was during the mob attacks that the anti-Pythagorean leaders finally learned that the Pythagorean Order was researching and developing the sciences and practices related to Aecte and Aecte Arts.”

Nuvolo commented, “That's the history of it.”

Agnesi continued her recounting of what she remembered, “The anti-Pythagorean leaders tried to hide information about Aecte and Aecte Arts from the masses they led. In addition, the leaders continued to provoke the masses into eliminating all members and destroying all places belonging to the Pythagorean Order. The leaders thought that the more secrets of Aecte and Aecte Arts they learned—from the confiscated records and the forced interrogation of members of the Pythagorean Order—the greater their chances of obtaining extraordinary power.”

Nuvolo commented, “That’s the story. Next up, Miss Agnesi?”

Agnesi replied, “Because of something—I can call it a connection between political elites—some—I need to emphasize the word 'some,' because not all—some political elites in other poleis were able to learn the secret of Aecte and Aecte Arts, and as politicians, they of course also wanted and sought that new power.”

Nuvolo nodded his head.

Agnesi continued, “Some members of the Pythagorean Order managed to escape from the polis of Kroton to other poleis, including Pythagoras himself. Pythagoras fled to the polis of Locris, but he was rejected by the polis ruler because the polis ruler did not yet know the secret of Aecte and Aecte Arts. Pythagoras then fled to Metapontum, but the masses who opposed Pythagoras were able to hunt him down in Metapontum. Pythagoras was desperate and felt guilty because his followers were being pursued, so he chose to lock himself in the Temple of the Muses and did not eat for forty days until he finally died.”

Nuvolo commented and asked, “That’s the story. So what happened to the members, Miss Agnesi?”

Agnesi replied, “Members of the Pythagorean Order were interrogated and forced to reveal the secrets of Aecte and Aecte Arts, but they refused because, according to the members, their research was still ongoing and it was too premature to reveal it to the wider public. One of the female members of the Pythagorean Order, named Timycha, bit her own tongue and spat it out at the ruler who forced her to reveal the secrets of Aecte and Aecte Arts.”

Nuvolo asked, “Who was the ruler, Miss Agnesi?”

Agnesi answered, “The ruler was named Dionysius II of Syracuse, and he was one of the earliest political elites to hear about the secrets of Aecte and Aecte Arts.”

Nuvolo said, “Nice explanation, Miss Agnesi. Now, let us discuss how the Pythagoreans were finally accepted back into the polis by the rulers.”