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Another contemplation. Or, this number signifies ethical, natural, and theological philosophy, as it is composed of four, five, and three. For the precise philosophy concerning conduct in practical matters is tetradic because of the four general virtues. And natural contemplation is pentadic for the reason stated, I mean, the sense that is naturally divided in five ways. And mystical theology is triadic, because of the three consubstantial holy hypostases of the all-holy monad, or in which the holy monad is, or, to speak more properly, which the holy monad is.

Another contemplation. Or, it signifies universal and most general virtue and knowledge—the former as being achieved here through the four virtues, the latter as mystically indicating through the eight the more divine state of things to come—from which the number twelve is formed by composition.

Another contemplation. Or, things present and things to come, as things present naturally admit the number four, which is elemental and material, while things to come, mystically contemplated upon them, admit the number eight, as a property that transcends the weekly cycle of time.

(1400) Another contemplation. Or, the number twelve clearly indicates the threefold principles concerning intelligible and sensible things, and of judgment and providence. For each of these, with respect to its own being what it is, admits three principles, as has become very clear from many things to the initiates and mystagogues of the highest principles of divine things through much practice in the sacred oracles. Therefore, the universal threefold principles of beings, being tripled for the four beings in which they are contemplated, or conversely, being themselves quadrupled by those things of which they are principles, make the number twelve. For if beings have essence and power and energy, they clearly possess a threefold principle of being. And if providence binds these principles to being, precisely as they are, its own principle is established as being in every way threefold. And if judgment is retributive for the violations of each of the aforesaid principles that have been transgressed—violations past, present, and future—as a chastisement for evil, it also has a threefold principle of contemplation for itself, according to which, by circumscribing the essence, power, and energy of beings, it remains, preserving its own indeterminacy for all eternity.

Another contemplation. Or again, this number signifies the perfect attainable knowledge of the Cause and of the things caused. For two added to ten makes twelve; and ten is Jesus the Lord

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Ἄλλη θεωρία. Ἤ τήν ἠθικήν καί φυσικήν καί θεολογικήν φιλοσοφίαν ὁ ἀριθμός οὗτος δηλοῖ, ὡς

ἐκ τεσσάρων καί πέντε καί τριῶν συναγόμενος. Τετραδική γάρ διά τάς δ᾿ γενικάς ἀρετάς ἐστιν ἡ ἐν τοῖς πράγμασι κατ᾿ ἦθος ἀκριβής φιλοσοφία. Πενταδική δέ ἡ φυσική θεωρία διά τήν εἰρημένην αἰτίαν, φημί δέ τήν πενταχῶς κατά φύσιν διαιρουμένην αἴσθησιν. Τριαδική δέ ἡ μυστική θεολογία, διά τάς ὁμοουσίους ἁγίας τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις τῆς παναγίου μονάδος, ἤ ἐν αἷς ἡ ἁγία μονάς, ἤ, κυριώτερον εἰπεῖν, ἅπερ ἡ ἁγία μονάς.

Ἄλλη θεωρία. Ἤ τήν καθόλου καί γενικωτάτην ἀρετήν καί γνῶσιν, τήν μέν ὡς ἐνταῦθα διά τῶν δ'

ἀρετῶν κατορθουμένην, τήν δέ ὡς διά τῶν ὀκτώ τήν θεωτέραν τῶν μελλόντων μυστικῶς παραδηλούσων κατάστασιν σημαινομένην, ἐξ ὧν ὁ δώδεκα κατά σύνθεσιν ἀριθμός ἀπαρτίζεται.

Ἄλλη θεωρία. Ἤ τά παρόντα τε καί τά μέλλοντα, ὡς τῶν μέν παρόντων τόν δ´ στοιχειώδη τε καί

ὑλικόν ἀριθμόν ὄντα φυσικῶς παραδεχομένων, τῶν δέ μελλόντων μυστικῶς ἐπιθεωρούμενον αὐτοῖς ἐπιδεχομένων τόν ὀκτώ ἀριθμόν, ὡς τῆς κατά χρόνον ἑβδοματικῆς ὑπερθετικῆς ἰδιότητος.

(1400) Ἄλλη θεωρία. Ἤ τούς περί νοητῶν καί αἰσθητῶν κρίσεώς τε καί προνοίας τριττούς λόγους ὁ

δώδεκα σαφῶς ἀριθμός παραδηλοῖ. Ἕκαστον γάρ τούτων ἐφ᾿ ἑαυτό τοῦ εἶναι τοῦθ᾿ ὅπερ ἐστί τρεῖς ἐπιδέχεται λόγους, καθώς τοῖς ἄκροις λόγοις τῶν θείων μύσταις καί μυσταγωγοῖς διά πολλήν ἄσκησιν τῶν λογίων ἐκ πολλῶν κατάδηλον γέγονε. Τριπλασιάζοντες οὖν ἑαυτοῖς οἱ καθόλου τριττοί τῶν ὄντων λόγοι τά ἐφ᾿ οἷς θεωροῦνται δ´ ὄντα, ἤ τό ἔμπαλιν τοῖς ὧν εἰσιν αὐτοί τετραπλούμενοι, τόν δώδεκα ποιοῦσιν ἀριθμόν. Εἰ γάρ τά ὄντα οὐσίαν ἔχει καί δύναμιν καί ἐνέργειαν, τριττόν τόν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς τοῦ εἶναι δηλονότι κέκτηνται λόγον. Εἰ δέ τούτους συνδεῖ τούς λόγους πρός τό εἶναι δηλονότι καθό εἰσιν ἡ πρόνοια, τριπλοῦς καί ὁ αὐτῆς πάντως ὑπάρχων καθέστηκε λόγος. Εἰ δέ τῶν λωβώσεων τῶν καθ᾿ ἕνα τῶν εἰρημένων παρατραπόντων λόγων, παρελθουσῶν τε καί παρουσῶν καί μελλουσῶν, ἡ κρίσις ἐστί τιμωρητική ὡς κακίας κολαστική, τριπλοῦν ἔχει καί αὐτή τόν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῇ τῆς θεωρίας λόγον, καθ᾿ ὅν οὐσίαν τε καί δύναμιν καί ἐνέργειαν τῶν ὄντων περιγράφουσα μένει τήν οἰκείαν εἰς τό διηνεκές ἀοριστίαν φυλάττουσα.

Ἄλλη θεωρία. Ἤ πάλιν τήν ἐφικτήν τοῦ αἰτίου καί τῶν αἰτιατῶν τελείαν ἐπίγνωσιν ὁ ἀριθμός

οὗτος δηλοῖ. ∆εκάδι γάρ προστεθεῖσα δυάς ποιεῖ τόν ιβ´· δεκάς δέ ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Κύριος