Pythagoras: His Life and Teaching, a Compendium of Classical Sources (19 page)

CHAPTER 9

T
HE
P
ENTAD

T
he Pentad is the first combination of both kinds of number, even and odd—two and three.
⁴⁶²
Its names are these:

Reconciliation
,
⁴⁶³
because the fifth element, Aether, is free from the disturbances of the other four.
⁴⁶⁴

Alteration, Light
, because it changed that which was separated threefold into the Identity of its Sphere, moving circularly and engendering light.
⁴⁶⁵

Justice
,
⁴⁶⁶
because it divides ten into two equal parts.
⁴⁶⁷

The least and top of livelihood
.
⁴⁶⁸

Nemesis
,
⁴⁶⁹
because it distributes conveniently celestial, divine, and natural elements.
⁴⁷⁰

Bubastia
,
⁴⁷¹
because worshipped at Bubastus in Egypt.
⁴⁷²

Venus, Gamelia, Androgynia, Cytherea, Zoneia
,
⁴⁷³
Marriage,
⁴⁷⁴
because it connects a masculine and feminine number:
⁴⁷⁵
consisting of two (the first even), and three (the first odd).
⁴⁷⁶

,
President of Circles
.
⁴⁷⁷

Semi-Goddess
,
⁴⁷⁸
not only as being the half of ten (which is divine), but for that it is placed in the middle.
⁴⁷⁹

Tower of Jupiter
.

Didymaea
, or
Twin
,
⁴⁸⁰
because it divides ten into two.
⁴⁸¹

Firm Axis
.
⁴⁸²

Immortal, Pallas
, implying the fifth essence.
⁴⁸³

,
Cordial
⁴⁸⁴
from similitude with the heart.
⁴⁸⁵

Providence
, because it makes unequals equal.
⁴⁸⁶

Tρo
oς,
Sound
, the fifth being the first
diasteme.
⁴⁸⁷

Nature:
because multiplied by itself, it returns into itself. For as Nature, receiving wheat in seed—and introducing many forms by altering and changing it—at last returns it wheat at the end of the whole mutation, restoring the beginning; so, while other numbers multiplied in themselves are increased and end in other numbers; only five and six multiplied by themselves, represent and retain themselves.
⁴⁸⁸

This number represent all superior and inferior beings. For it is either the supreme God, or the mind-born of God, wherein are contained the species of all things; or the Soul of the World, which is the fountain of all souls, or celestials, down to us; or it is terrestial nature. And so the Pentad is replete with all things.
⁴⁸⁹

CHAPTER 10

T
HE
H
EXAD

T
he Pythagoreans held the number Six to be perfect, respecting (as Clement Alexandrinus conceives) the creation of the world according to the Prophet.

The names of the Hexad, are these:

Form of Form, Articulation of the Universe, Maker of the Soul, Harmony
,
⁴⁹⁰
because it has the power to produce a vital habit. Whence it is called
Hexad
,
; and
Harmony
, because all Souls are Harmonic.
⁴⁹¹

Regarding
, †
Perfection of Parts
,
⁴⁹²
the Pythagoreans called it thus, imitating Orpheus—either as being the only number under ten which is whole and equal in its parts; or because the whole Universe is divided into parts by it.
⁴⁹³

Venus
,
⁴⁹⁴
because it procreates harmony. Six to twelve is a
diapason concord.
Six to nine is a
hemiolius.
Six to eight is
epitrites
, that is a diatessaron concord. Whence it is named Venus, who was the Mother of Harmony.
⁴⁹⁵

[“yoke”],
⁴⁹⁶
[“wedding”],
⁴⁹⁷
Marriage
,
⁴⁹⁸
because of the mixture of the first even and first odd.
⁴⁹⁹
For as marriage procreates by a male and female, so this number is generated of three (which is odd and called male), and of two (which is even and called female); for two times three make six.
⁵⁰⁰
It produces children like the parents.
⁵⁰¹

[“central oarsman”],†
[“friendship”],
⁵⁰²
or
,
Conciliation
, because it conciliates the male and female.
⁵⁰³

Health
,
⁵⁰⁴
a triple triangle, which being alternately conjoined within itself constitutes a figure of five lines. They used it as a symbol to those of their own sect, and called it
, Health.
⁵⁰⁵

Anvil
;
⁵⁰⁶
quasi
unwearied;
because the principal triangles of the mundane elements have a share in it, being each of them Six, if measured by three perpendiculars.
⁵⁰⁷