The Ε at Delphi (16-17)

Following upon all this that has been said to you, I continued, I shall sing one short verse[*] for Nicander and his friends, men of sagacity. On the sixth day of the new month, namely, when the prophetic priestess is conducted down to the Prytaneum, the first of your three sortitions is for five, she casting three and you casting two, each with reference to the other.[*] Is not this actually so?

Yes, said Nicander, but the reason must not be told to others.

Then, said I, smiling, until such time as we become holy men, and God grants us to know the truth, this also shall be added to what may be said on behalf of the Five.

Thus, as I remember, the tale of arithmetical and of mathematical laudations of E came to an end.

Ammonius, inasmuch as he plainly held that in mathematics was contained not the least important part of philosophy, was pleased with these remarks, and said, It is not worth while to argue too precisely over these matters with the young, except to say that every one of the numbers will provide not a little for them that wish to sing its praises. What need to speak of the others? Why, the sacred Seven of

Apollo will consume the whole day before the narration of all its powers is finished. Then again, we shall be branding the wise men as warring with common custom, as well as with the long years of time,[*] if they are to oust Seven from its place of honour and make Five sacred to the god, on the ground that it is in some way more closely related to him. I am therefore of the opinion that the significance of the letter is neither a numeral nor a place in a series nor a conjunction nor any of the subordinate parts of speech. No, it is an address and salutation to the god, complete in itself, which, by being spoken, brings him who utters it to thoughts of the god’s power. For the god addresses each one of us as we approach him here with the words Know Thyself,[*] as a form of welcome, which certainly is in no wise of less import than Hail; and we in turn reply to him Thou art, as rendering unto him a form of address which is truthful, free from deception, and the only one befitting him only, the assertion of Being.