Chapter XLIII--Letters, Symbols of the Heavens.
He has, however, employed the instrumentality of the aggregate of the seven numbers, in order that the result of the self-devised (counsel) [755] might be manifested. Understand, he says, for the present, that remarkable number to be Him who was formed by the illustrious one, and who was, as it were, divided, and remained outside. And He, through both His Own power and wisdom, by means of the projection of Himself, imparted, in imitation of the seven powers, [756] animation to this world, so as to make it consist of seven powers, and constituted (this world) the soul of the visible universe. And therefore this one has resorted to such all operation as what was spontaneously undertaken by Himself; and these minister, [757] inasmuch as they are imitations of things inimitable, unto the intelligence of the Mother. And the first heaven sounds Alpha, [758] and the one after that E[psilon], and the third Eta, and the fourth, even that in the midst of the seven (vowels, enunciates) the power of Iota, and the fifth of O[micron], and the sixth of U[psilon], and the seventh and fourth from the central [759] one, O[mega]. And all the powers, when they are connected together in one, emit a sound, and glorify that (Being) from whom they have been projected. And the glory of that sound is transmitted upwards to the Progenitor. And furthermore, he says that the sound of this ascription of glory being conveyed to the earth, became a creator and producer of terrestrial objects. And (he maintains) that the proof of this (may be drawn) from the case of infants recently born, whose soul, simultaneously with exit from the womb utters similarly this sound of each one of the elements. As, then, he says, the seven powers glorify the Logos, so also does the sorrowing soul in babes (magnify Him). [760] And on account of this, he says, David likewise has declared, "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise." [761] And again, "The heavens declare the glory of God." [762] When, [763] however, the soul is involved in hardships, it utters no other exclamation than the O[mega], inasmuch as it is afflicted in order that the soul above, becoming aware of what is akin to herself (below), may send down one to help this (earthly soul).
[755] Supplied from Irenæus.
[756] This should be altered into Hebdomad if we follow Irenæus.
[757] tade diakonei. This is the text of Irenæus, and corrects the common reading, ta di eikonon.
[758] phthengetai (Irenæus). The common reading is phainetai.
[759] mesou: in Irenæus we have merous.
[760] Irenæus has the sentence thus: "so also the soul in babes, lamenting and bewailing Marcus, glorifies him."
[761] Ps. viii. 2.
[762] Ps. xix. 1.
[763] Hippolytus here omits some passages which are to be found in Irenæus.
Chapter XLIV.--Respecting the Generation of the Twenty-Four Letters.
And so far for these points. Respecting, however, the generation of the twenty-four elements, he expresses himself thus: that Henotes coexists with Monotes, and that from these issue two projections, viz., Monas and Hen, and that these being added together [764] become four, for twice two are four. And again, the two and four (projections) being added together, manifested the number six; and these six made fourfold, produce the twenty-four forms. [765] And these are the names of the first tetrad, and they are understood as Holy of Holies, and cannot be expressed and they are recognised by the Son alone. These the Father knows which they are. Those names which with Him are pronounced in silence and with faith, are Arrhetus and Sige, Pater and Aletheia. And of this tetrad the entire number is (that) of twenty-four letters. For Arrhetus has seven elements, Sige five, and Pater five, and Aletheia seven. [766] And in like manner also (is it with) the second tetrad; (for) Logos and Zoe, Anthropos and Ecclesia, exhibited the same number of elements. And (he says) that the expressed name--(that is, Jesus) [767] --of the Saviour consists of six letters, but that His ineffable [768] name, according to the number of the letters, one by one, [769] consists of twenty-four elements, but Christ a Son of twelve. And (he says) that the ineffable (name) in Christ consists of thirty letters, and this exists, according to the letters which are in Him, the elements being counted one by one. For the (name) Christ [770] consists of eight elements; for Chi [771] consists of three, and R[ho] of two, and EI of two, and I[ota], of four, S[igma] of five, and T[au] of three, and OU of two, and San of three. Thus the ineffable name in Christ consists, they allege, of thirty letters. And they assert that for this reason He utters the words, "I am Alpha and Omega," displaying the dove, which (symbolically) has this number, which is eight hundred and one. [772]
[764] Literally, "being twice two:" some for ousai read ousiai. Irenæus has epi duo ousai, i.e., "which being (added) into two."
[765] Hippolytus has only the word "twenty-four," to which Schneidewin supplies "letters," and Irenæus "forms," as given above. Hippolytus likewise omits the word "produced," which Irenæus supplies. The text of the latter is tas eikositessaras apekusan morphas.
[766] Irenæus adds, "which being added together, I mean the twice five and twice seven, complete the number of the twenty-four (forms)."
[767] The parenthetical words had fallen into a wrong part of the sentence, and are placed here by Schneidewin.
[768] This is a correction for "expressed" from Irenæus. Marcus observes the distinction afterwards.
[769] kata hen grammaton. The ms.. has engramaton. Irenæus omits these words.
[770] This entire sentence is wanting in Irenæus.
[771] Corrected from Chri, which is in the ms.
[772] Irenæus has the passage thus: "And for this reason He says that He is Alpha and Omega, that He may manifest the dove, inasmuch as this bird (symbolically) involves this number (801)." See a previous note in chap. xlii. p. 95, supra.