APPENDIX II: THE PYTHAGOREAN TITLES OF THE FIRST
TEN NUMBERS
FROM THE THEOLOGY OF NUMBERS BY IAMBLICHUS
TRANSLATED BY DAVID R. FIDELER
PLUTARCH AND PLOTINUS inform us that the
Pythagoreans called the One Apollo because of its lack of
multiplicity -- this is both a clever pun and a revealing statement,
for a-pollon
in Greek means literally "not of many."
Such, then, was the Greek style of "theological
arithmetic." This form of number symbolism became quite popular in
late antiquity and much of it was transmitted by Christian writers
through Medieval times. The symbolism finds its basis in the
Pythagorean observation that the primary numbers represent far more
than quantitative signs: each one of the primary numbers is a
qualitative, archetypal essence, possessing a distinct, living personality.
This personality can be directly intuited
by studying the archetypal manifestations of these principles in the
realms arithmetic (number in itself), geometry (number in space) and harmonics (number in time).
The following list represents a compilation of the
titles from the anonymous Theology of
Arithmetic which was based closely on a
work by Iamblichus. Since the first printing of this volume,
however, a complete, fully annotated translation of The Theology of
Arithmetic has appeared, which represents
the first translation of this work into any European language (The Theology
of Arithmetic, translated by Robin Waterfield, Phanes Press, Grand Rapids, 1988.) In the text,
explanations are given for the various appellations. For more on arithmology also see book three of Thomas Taylor's Theoretic Arithmetic
of the Pythagoreans and the section on
number symbolism in Thomas Stanley's Pythagoras.
THE MONAD
Instrument of Truth
Obscure
Not-Many
A Chariot
Male-Female
Immutable Truth and Invulnerable Destiny
A Seed
Fabricator (demiurge)
True Happiness (eudaimonia)
Zeus
Life
God
The Equality in Increase and |Decrease
Memory
A Ship
Essence (ousia)
The Innkeeper (pandokeus), "that which takes in all"
The Pattern or Model (paradeigma)
The Moulder
Prometheus
The First (Proteus)
Darkness
Blending
Commixture
Harmony (symphonia)
Order (taxis)
Materia
A Friend
Infinite Expanse (chaos)
Space-Producer
THE DYAD
Inequality
Indefinite (aoristos)
The Unlimited (apeiron)
Without Form or Figure
Growth
Birth
Judgment
Appearance
Anguish
The Each of Two
Falling Short, Defect
Erato
Equal
Isis
Movement
The Ratio (logos) in Proportion (analogia)
Revolution
Distance
Impulse
Excess
The Thing with Another
Rhea (the wife of Kronos, but also "flow")
Selene
Combination
That Which is To Be Endured; Misery, Distress
Boldness, Audacity (tolma)
Matter
Obstinacy
Nature
THE TRIAD
Proportion (analogia)
Harmonia
Marriage
Knowledge (gnosis)
Peace
Every Thing
Hecate
Good Counsel
Piety
The Mean Between Two Extremes
Oneness of Mind
The All
Perfection
Friendship
Purpose
THE TETRAD
Nature of Change
Righteousness
Hercules
Holding the Key of Nature
THE PENTAD
Alteration
Immortal
Androgyny
Lack of Strife
Aphrodite
Boubastia (named after the Egyptian divinity Boubastis)
Wedding
Marriage
Double
Manifesting Justice
Justice
Demigod
Nemesis
Pallas
Five-Fold
Forethought
Light
THE HEXAD
Resembling Justice
The Thunder-Stone
Amphitrite (Poseidon's wife; a verbal pun: on both sides [amphis]
three [trias])
Male-Female
Marriage
Finest of All
In Two Measures
Form of Forms
Peace
Far-Shooting (name of Apollo)
Thaleia
Kosmos
Possessing Wholeness
Cure-All (panacea)
Perfection
Three-Fold
Health
Reconciling
THE HEPTAD
The Forager (epithet of Athena)
Athena
Citadel (akropolis)
Reaper
Hard to Subdue Defence
Due Measure (kairos)
Virgin (parthenos)
Revered Seven (septas + sebomai = heptas)
Bringing to Completion
(Telesphorus)
Fortune, Fate
Preserving
THE OCTAD
Untimely Born
Steadfast
Seat or Abode
Euterpe
Cadmia
Mother
All Harmonious
THE ENNEAD
Brother and Consort of Zeus
Helios
Absence of Strife
Far-Working (epithet of Apollo)
Hera
Hephaestus
Maiden (kore)
Of the Kouretes
Assimilation
Oneness of Mind
Horizon (because it limits the series of units before returning to
the Decad)
Crossing or Passage
Prometheus
Consort and Brother
Perfection
Bringing to Perfection (Telesphorus)
Terpsichore
Hyperion
Oceanus
THE DECAD
Eternity (aeon)
Untiring
Necessity
Atlas
Fate
Helios
God
Key-Holding
Kosmos
Strength
Memory
Ourania
Heaven
All
All Perfect
Faith
Phanes
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