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| Marcus' Mystic Interpretation of the Alphabet.
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Chapter
XLI.—Marcus’ Mystic Interpretation of the
Alphabet.
Know, (therefore,) that these letters which with
you are (reckoned at) twenty-four, are emanations from the three
powers, and are representative746
| 746
εἰκονικὰς.
This is Irenæus’ reading. Miller has εἰκόνας
(representations). |
of those (powers) which embrace even the entire number of the
elements. For suppose that there are some letters that are
mute—nine of them—of Pater and Aletheia, from the fact that
these are mute—that is, ineffable and unutterable. And
(again, assume) that there are other (letters that are)
semi-vowels—eight of them—of the Logos and of Zoe, from the
fact that these are intermediate between consonants and vowels, and
receive the emanation747
| 747
ἀπόῤῥοιαν:
some read ἀπορίαν, which is
obviously erroneous. |
of the (letters) above them, but the reflux of those below
them.748
| 748
ὑπ᾽ αὐτὰ:
Irenæus reads ὑπέρ
αὐτὴν, and Massuet ὑπένερθεν. | And
(likewise take for granted) that there are vowels—and these are
seven—of Anthropos and Ecclesia, inasmuch as the voice of
Anthropos proceeded forth, and imparted form to the (objects of the)
universe. For the sound of the voice produced figure, and
invested them with it. From this it follows that there are Logos
and Zoe, which have eight (semi-vowels); and Anthropos and Ecclesia,
which have seven (vowels); and Pater and Aletheia, which have nine
(mutes). But from the fact that Logos wanted749
| 749 The
deficiency consisted in there not being three ogdoads. The sum
total was twenty-four, but there was only one ogdoad—Logos and
Zoe. The other two—Pater and Aletheia, and Anthropos and
Ecclesia—had one above and one below an ogdoad. | (one of being an ogdoad), he who is in
the Father was removed (from his seat on God’s right hand), and
came down (to earth). And he was sent forth (by the Father) to
him from whom he was separated, for the rectification of actions that
had been committed. (And his descent took place) in order that
the unifying process, which is inherent in Agathos, of the Pleromas
might produce in all the single power that emanates from all. And
thus he who is of the seven (vowels) acquired the power of the
eight750
| 750
τῶν
ὀκτὼ has been substituted for τῷ νοητῷ,
an obviously corrupt reading. The correction is supplied by
Irenæus. | (semi-vowels); and
there were produced three topoi, corresponding with the (three) numbers (nine,
seven, and eight),—(these topoi) being
ogdoads. And these three being added one to the other, exhibited
the number of the twenty-four (letters). And (he maintains), of
course, that the three elements,—(which he himself affirms to be
(allied) with the three powers by conjugal union, and which (by this
state of duality) become six, and from which have emanated the
twenty-four elements,—being rendered fourfold by the
Quaternion’s ineffable word, produce the same number
(twenty-four) with these. And these, he says, belong to
Anonomastus. And (he asserts) that these are conveyed by the six
powers into a similarity with Aoratus. And (he says) that there
are six double letters of these elements, images of images, which,
being reckoned along with the twenty-four letters, produce, by an
analogical power, the number thirty.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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