Taylor - Theoretic Arithmetic.pdf - Platonic Philosophy

The same writer also observes, "that the hexad was called
the perfection of parts by the Pythagoreans, who in thus den6
minating it followed Orpheus, whether because six alone of all
the numbers within the decad is equal to its members or parts;
or because the whole and the universe is divided according to
this number, and is through it elegantly arranged." With respect
to its being denominated Venus herself, we learn from
Martianus Capella lib. 7. that it was thus called, "because it
may be shown that it is the source of harmony. For 6 to 12,
says he, forms the symphony diapason; 6 to 9 the symphony
diapente; and 6 to 8 the symphony diatessaron; whence it is
said to be Venus the mother of harmony."
Again, with respect to the epithets nuptial (YWW) and
Androgynaea, these in the anonymous author are YWOG marriage,
and ~ P P & v o ~ and ~ ~ ~ concerning s ; these he observes "that
the hexad is generated by the power and multiplication of the
first odd and the first even number which are male and female;
and hence it is called appevofJr;hu~, i.e. male and fern&
It is likewise called marriage, because it is itself equal to its
parts. But the work of marriage is to produce offspring similar
to the parents." The epithet lpcho~rjora benevolence, is in
the anonymous author c p friendship ~ and ~ love, ~ "which," ~ ~
says he, "it is appropriately called, because it connects together
the male and the female." The anonymous author further informs
us, "that the hexad was called health and beauty on account
of the entireness and symmetry of its parts." For health
is symmetry and a subsistence according to nature of the parts
of the body.
From the same author likewise we learn, "that it was called
Acmon, viz. as it were unwearied, ( 7 O~OV ~ ~XQIL~~OV) because
the most principal triangles of the mundane elements participate
of it, each of them becoming six, if they are distributed by
three perpendiculars."