37. Early Vegetarians
In addition to abhorring beans, Pythagoras taught his followers that meat should never be eaten under any circumstances. That made him one of the earliest known vegetarians in Western civilization. His stance was based on a belief in the transmigration of souls – the notion that souls pass from one body to another, whether human or animal. As such, Pythagoras refrained from eating meat out of fear that he might end up accidentally eating a deceased friend or relative.
The belief in the transmigration of souls also led Pythagoras to advocate for kindness towards animals. In one instance, he came across a man beating a dog, and recognized in its yelps of pain the voice of a recently deceased friend. So he physically intervened and got the man to release the dog, thus sparing it a life of misery with a cruel owner.