Chapter xiv.
System of the Arithmeticians—Predictions through Calculations—Numerical Roots—Transference of these Doctrines to Letters—Examples in particular Names—diiferent Methods of Calculation—Prescience possible by these.
Those, then, who suppose that they prophesy by means of calculations and numbers,[1] and elements and names, constitute the origin of their attempted system to be as follows. They affirm that there is a root of each of the numbers; in the case of thousands, so many monads as there are thousands: for example, the root of six thousand, six monads; of seven thousand, seven monads; of eight thousand, eight monads; and in the case of the rest, in like manner, according to the same [proportion]. And in the case of hundreds, as many hundreds as there are, so many monads are the root of them: for instance, of seven hundred there are seven hundreds; the root of these is seven monads: of six hundred, six hundreds; the root of these, six monads. And it is similar respecting decades: for of eighty [the root is] eight monads; and of sixty, six monads; of forty, four monads; of ten, one monad. And in the case of monads, the monads themselves are a root: for instance, of nine, nine; of eight, eight; of seven, seven. In this way, also, ought we therefore to act in the case of the elements [of words], for each letter has been arranged according to a certain number: for instance, the letter n according to fifty monads; but of fifty monads five is the root, and the root of the letter n is [therefore] five. Grant that from some name we take certain roots of it. For instance, [from] the name Agamemnon, there is of the a, one monad; and of the g, three monads; and of the other a, one monad; of the m, four monads; of the e, five monads; of the m, four monads: of the n, five
- ↑ The subject of the numerical system employed by the Gnostics, and their occult mysteries, is treated of by the learned Kircher, Œdipi Ægypt. tom. ii. part i. de Cabalâ Hebræorum; also in his Arithmolog. in the book De Arithmomantia Gnosticor. cap. viii. de Cabalâ Pythagoreâ. See also Mersennes, Comment. on Genes.
