Chapter XLIV.—Egyptian Theory of Nature; Their Amulets.

For the monad, therefore, as being beneficent, they assert that there are consequently268    Or, “names have been allocated,” or “distributed.” names ascending, and beneficent, and masculine, and carefully observed, terminating in an uneven number;269    Miller thinks it should be “even number” (περιττόν).  The Abbe Cruice would retain “uneven” (ἀπερίζυγον), on the ground that the duad being a περίζυξ ἀριθμὸς, the monad will be ἀπεριζυγος. whereas that those terminating in the even number have been supposed to be both descending, and feminine and malicious. For they affirm that nature is made up of contraries, namely bad and good, as right and left, light and darkness, night and day, life and death. And moreover they make this assertion, that they have calculated the word “Deity,” (and found that it reverts into a pentad with an ennead subtracted). Now this name is an even number, and when it is written down (on some material) they attach it to the body, and accomplish cures270    Servius on the Eclogues of Virgil (viii. 75) and Pliny (Hist. Nat., xxxviii. 2) make similar statements. by it.  In this manner, likewise, a certain herb, terminating in this number, being similarly fastened around (the frame), operates by reason of a similar calculation of the number. Nay, even a doctor cures sickly people by a similar calculation. If, however, the calculation is contrary, it does not heal with facility.271    This is Miller and Schneidewin’s emendation for “uneven” in the ms. Persons attending to these numbers reckon as many as are homogeneous according to this principle; some, however, according to vowels alone; whereas others according to the entire number. Such also is the wisdom of the Egyptians, by which, as they boast, they suppose that they cognise the divine nature.

[44] Τῇ οὖν μονάδι ἀγαθοποιῷ οὔσῃ [ὁμοίως τὰ] εἰς τὸν [ἀ]περίζυγον ἀριθμὸν λήγοντα ὀνόματα ἀνωφερῆ [τε καὶ ἀρσενικὰ καὶ] ἀγαθοποιὰ εἶναι παρατηρούμενα λέγουσι, τὰ δὲ εἰς τὸν ἄρτιον ἀριθμὸν λήγοντα κατωφερῆ τε καὶ θηλυκὰ καὶ κακοποιὰ εἶναι νενόμισται. τὴν γὰρ φύσιν ἐξ ἐναντίων συνισταμένην λέγουσιν, ἔκ τε καλοῦ καὶ κακοῦ: ὥσπερ δεξιὸν καὶ ἀριστερόν, φῶς καὶ σκότος, ἡμέρα καὶ νύξ, ζωὴ καὶ θάνατος. ἔτι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο λέγουσιν, ὡς τὸ θεὸς [ὄνομα], ψηφισθὲν καὶ μ[ερισθ]ὲν εἰς ἐννάδα, εἰς πεντάδα καταντᾷ, ὅ ἐστιν [ἀν]άρτιον: ὃ ἐπιγραφὲν περιάψαντες θεραπεύουσιν. οὑτωσὶ καὶ βοτάνη τις εἰς τοῦτο λήγουσα τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ ὁμοίως περιαφθεῖσα ἐνεργεῖ, διὰ τὴν ὁμοίαν τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ ψῆφον. ἀλλὰ καὶ ἰατρός [τις] ὁμοίᾳ ψήφῳ ἀρρώστους θεραπεύει: εἰ δὲ ἐναντία ἡ ψῆφος, οὐ θεραπεύει ῥᾳδίως. τούτοις τοῖς ἀριθμοῖς προσέχοντες, ὅσα ὅμοια ᾖ λογίζονται κατὰ τόνδε τὸν νοῦν, ο[ἱ] μὲν κατὰ φωνήεντα μόνα, οἱ δὲ κατὰ πάντα τὸν ἀριθμόν. τοιαύτη καὶ ἡ Αἰγυπτίων σοφία, δι' ἧς τὸ θεῖον δοξάζοντες γινώσκειν νομίζουσιν.