The Egyptian Oedipus, Volume II

[iden]tity’s original: "identitatis" — the text begins mid-word equality, since it is produced neither from unity by repetition, nor by multiplication; and although the equality of unity is produced from unity, and a connection proceeds from both, it is as if one were to say of the same thing: this, that, the same. That which is called that refers back to the first; but that which is called the same connects and joins the related thing to the first. And from such a similarity, however distant, the Father is called Unity, the Son Equality, and the Connection is called Love, or the Holy Spirit. And these are the things which I wished to present to the curious Reader regarding the investigation by Trismegistus Hermes Trismegistus, a legendary Hellenistic figure associated with ancient wisdom and the "Hermetic" tradition and Pythagoras into the trinity in unity, and unity in trinity.

CHAPTER II.

Concerning the Outpouring of the Monad into the four Worlds, or from the exterior.

The fourfold Unity is explained.

We have decided to set forth the fourfold unity in this place; the first is the most simple, or Monadic original: "Μοναδική" — relating to the Monad, or the number one; the second is decadic original: "Δεκαδική" — relating to the number ten, or denary; the third is hecatontadic original: "Ἑκατονταδική" — relating to the number one hundred or centenary; the fourth is chiliatic original: "Χιλιαδική" — relating to the number one thousand or millenary. The first looks upon the most simple and undivided unity, namely 1; the second looks upon the denary unity, which is also called the root of those following, and is 10; the third contemplates the centenary unity, and is the "squaring" of the preceding denary unity, namely 100; The nature of each Unity is declared. the fourth looks toward 1000, that is, the millenary unity, and is the "cube" of the preceding denary unity. Just as these four Monads beautifully explain the flow of a point into a line, a line into a surface, and a surface into a body; so the first can be rightly named the central monad, the second the superficial In the sense of a line or surface level, the third the squared, and the fourth the solid. And by this reasoning, with the two extremes established—unity and the thousand—the Pythagoreans defined all other numbers by their approach to or retreat from them; and this is that varied and mysterious tetractys original: "τετραϰτύς" — a triangular figure consisting of ten points, sacred to the Pythagoreans of Pythagoras. But between these two, they established two means, namely 10 and 100; and they called the denary the "root," the centenary the "square," and the millenary the "cube." Unity is without division, and is like a point; the denary is the root of the millenary with a single division, for it is "even-odd" A term in Pythagorean arithmetic for numbers that can be divided once by two but not twice, and is like a line; the centenary is with a double division, and is like a surface, for it is divided into 50 and 50, and then 50 into 25 and 25; the millenary indeed is with a triple division, and is like a body, for 1000 is first divided into 500 and 500; then 500 into 250 and 250; again 250 into 125 and 125, and there the division stops. Therefore, just as the monad is devoid of all division, so 10, admitting only one division, is aptly applied to the Intelligences Angelic or celestial beings; 100, by its twofold division, shows the Soul; and 1000, by its threefold division, aptly shows the Corporeal World. But let us explain each one.

The four unities are explained.

In the monadic unity, we contemplate the most simple Mind, the producer of all things, the divine essence; in the second radical unity, the Angelic intelligence; in the squared unity, the soul; finally, in the cubic, we behold the body; so that in these four distinct unities, we find distinct ratios of properties in each. For in God, all things are God,