Taylor - Theoretic Arithmetic.pdf - Platonic Philosophy

mentioned particulars, but also to the best of the sciences, to
grammar and music. For the lyre indeed consisting of seven
chords, analogous to the choir of the seven planets, produces
the most noble harmonies, and is nearly the leader of all instrumental
music. Among the elements also of the grammatical
art, the vowels truly so called are seven, since they are seen to
produce a sound from themselves, and when they are conjoined
with other letters, they form articulate sounds. For they supply
indeed, what is wanting in the semivowels, by furnishing
entire sounds; but they turn and change the natures of the
mutes, by inspiring them with proper power, in order that
things which were before ineffable may become effable. Hence
those who first gave names to letters, as being wise men, appear
to me to have denominated this number ET~CX, from the veneration
and inherent sanctity pertaining to it, (ax0 ~ 0 T~Q! 3 aoso.+
c~Ba~ou, 7rj~ Q O U O ~ O W+VOVW.)
~ ~ S But the Romans adding
the letter 0, which is wanting in the Greek, more clearly exhibit
its origin, by calling it septem, from, as I have said, veneration
and sanctity."
Again, according to Herophilus, as we are informed by Theo
of Smyrna,* the human intestine is 28 cubits long, i.e. four
times seven; and 28 is a perfect number. The moon also is
said to impart from the etherial to the sublunary regions celestial
powers while she uses the tetrad and the hebdomad. The
increase likewise and decrease of things, and especially of such
as are humid, follow the phases of the moon. Hence, a Greek
poet cited by Baptista Carnotius, in his Comment on the Metaphysics
of Theophrastus, says of the moon, "that when she
increases she augments, and when she decreases, injures all
things."
This number too is the shortest boundary of the birth of
children. And according to the Theban Hephzstion, the long-
*: Mathemat. p. 162.