Note 4 — POEMS
Reading edition
What they were is expressed by Laertius, Suidas, Hierocles, Agellius, &c. Hierocles affirms that in these words ὧν εἴπομεν, he cites his sacred Apothegms: τὰ δὲ ἐπὶ μέρους ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἀποφθέγμασιν, ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ παρεδίδοιτο, Concerning meat is particularly delivered in his holy Apothegms, that which was not lawful to make known to every one. Which is a great testimony that Pythagoras, and not any of his disciples, writ these verses; for if the author had cited him before in the third person (as they argue from παραδόντα τετρακήν4), he would have cited him now in the first.