Damo (philosopher) facts for kids

Damo (Greek: Δαμώ) was a Pythagorean philosopher who lived around 500 BC. Many people believe she was the daughter of the famous philosopher Pythagoras and his wife, Theano.

Discovering Damo's Life

Damo was born in a city called Crotone in what is now Italy. She was the daughter of Pythagoras, who founded the Pythagorean school of thought, and Theano, who was also a philosopher.

Family and Connections

According to ancient stories, Damo married a man named Meno from Croton. Some accounts say she was Pythagoras's only daughter. Other stories suggest she had two sisters, Arignote and Myia, and a brother named Telauges. Damo and her brother Telauges both became part of the Pythagorean group, following their father's teachings.

Damo's Role in Philosophy

We don't know a lot about Damo's daily life. However, ancient writers like Diogenes Laërtius and Iamblichus mentioned her in their works.

Protecting Ancient Writings

The Pythagorean school often gave credit to Pythagoras for all the ideas developed by its members. This means Damo likely helped create some of the ideas that were later linked to her father. One famous story tells us that Pythagoras gave his important writings to Damo. She kept them very safe and refused to sell them, even when she was poor. She believed her father's instructions and the value of the writings were more important than any amount of gold.

Passing on Knowledge

Damo then passed these important writings to her own daughter, Bitale, and to her brother, Telauges. Sadly, none of Damo's own writings, or the ones she inherited, are known to exist today.

See also

• Damo (filósofa) para niños (in Spanish)