Before (pythagoras) the fol­lowers of science were called, not philosophers, but wise men, such as were those seven most ancient sages whose names are still known to fame; the first of whom was called solon. Pythagoras, being asked if he called himself a wise man, denied himself that name, and said that he was not wise, but a lover of wisdom. And thence it hap­pened afterwards that all students of wisdom were called lovers of wisdom, that is, philosophers; for philo and sophia in greek are equivalent to love and wisdom. Whence we may see that these two words make up the name philosopher, that is to say, lover of wisdom; which we may observe is not a term of Arrogance, but of humility.

- Dante