Pythagoras (yes, the one responsible for making high school geometry a nightmare) had a dark secret. He wasn’t just a mathematical genius; he was also utterly and irrationally terrified of beans. Specifically, fava beans. And not just in an I-don’t-like-their-texture kind of way. He believed they were portals to the underworld, conduits for lost souls, and, perhaps most offensively, they caused distracting gases. Legend has it that Pythagoras was so committed to avoiding beans that, when fleeing from attackers, he and his followers refused to run through a blooming fava bean field. Instead of making their great escape, they chose to stand and fight. Spoiler alert: It didn’t end well for them. THE PHILOSOPHER VS. THE BEAN So, why was Pythagoras so scared of a simple legume? One of the more eyebrow-raising explanations is that he believed fava beans bore an uncanny resemblance to human reproductive organs. Apparently, the connection was so strong in his mind that he once declared, “Eating beans and eating the head of one’s parents are the same thing.” That is quite the leap, even for a philosopher. Another theory suggests Pythagoras believed beans were literal doors to the underworld. He wasn’t alone in this, as the ancient Greeks and Romans were suspicious of fava beans, perhaps because they could cause a rare and severe genetic reaction called favism. Unbeknownst to the ancients, some people (especially in Mediterranean regions) have a genetic deficiency that makes fava beans potentially deadly. So, weirdly, Pythagoras may have been onto something , but not for the reasons he thought. THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE GOLDEN THIGH Of course, bean phobia wasn’t Pythagoras’s only claim to strangeness. His followers believed he was a demigod, possibly the son of Hermes or Apollo. They claimed he could tame wild animals just by speaking to them and that he had the power to write messages on the Moon. But the most outrageous legend? He supposedly had a golden thigh . He would flash his shimmering leg whenever someone doubted his divine status and instantly gain a new believer. And yet, despite all this mysticism, Pythagoras’s biggest fear was beans. This just goes to show that even history’s greatest minds had their odd quirks; some were just more odd than others. THE PHILOSOPHER WHO FEARED BEANS MORE THAN DEATH ANCIENT WISDOM OR LEGUME LUNACY?
WHO GETS THE HOUSE?
1 Home, 2 People, Big Decisions
When a marriage ends, one of the biggest questions is what happens to the house. Will one spouse keep it? Will it be sold and the profits divided? Or, will there be a months-long battle over what becomes of the family home when this significant change happens? In a divorce, your home isn’t just brick, mortar, and a roof over your head — it’s all the memories, emotions, and likely one of your most valuable financial assets. Understanding your options and the way the process works can make all the difference as you make this decision. ONE SPOUSE KEEPS THE HOUSE If one or both spouses are interested in keeping the home, a couple can either come to an agreement in their divorce settlement on who gets it or can have the court make that determination. The person who wants to stay needs to prove they can afford it and have solid reasons why it makes the most sense for them to take over the asset. If you will be the primary custodial parent to your children after the divorce, it’s a valid point to bring up that it’s in their best interest for you to stay. It will ultimately make the process smoother, faster, and less expensive if you can agree together. A judge will aim for the fairest and most equitable choice for the whole family. SELLING THE HOME If neither of you wants to keep the house or cannot afford the costs and mortgage on your own, then it can be sold. This is typically the option the courts will pick for couples, with the profits being split as equally as possible between you. This is a good option if refinancing isn’t an option or if the upkeep of the home would be challenging for both parties. PRO TIP If your spouse keeps the home, you must ensure that your divorce settlement considers whether the house will be refinanced. If there is a mortgage, you’ll need to get your name removed from it. Typically, in a divorce settlement, the person keeping the home can assume the mortgage and become exclusively responsible for making payments.
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