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7. The Orthodox Possibilities of the Theology of Arithmetic: Clement of Alexandria

7. The Orthodox Possibilities of theTheology of Arithmetic: Clement of Alexandria Clement, a Christian intellectual who flourished in late second-century Alexandria, offers a perspective on the orthodox theology of arithmetic that departs from, yet complements, that of Irenaeus. Unlike Irenaeus and his head-on refutation, Clement criticizes the Valentinians subtly, preferring to co-opt heretical number symbolism for orthodox ends. And Clement’s interest only begins with gnosticizing Christians. Just… Read more

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8. How the Early Christian Theology of Arithmetic Shaped Neo-Platonism and Late Antique Christianity

8. How the Early Christian Theology of Arithmetic Shaped Neo-Platonism and Late Antique Christianity After the early third century, the controversy over the theology of arithmetic disappeared from the Church. The dispute need not have died down. Gnosticizing writings well into the fourth century show a continued interest in speculative number symbolism. But the only orthodox Christian responses to be found come from recherché apologies like Epiphanius’… Read more

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Excursus A. One versus One: The Differentiation between Hen and Monad in Hellenistic and Late Antique Philosophy

Excursus A. One versus One: The Differentiation between Hen and Monad in Hellenistic and Late Antique Philosophy Theon of Smyrna’s Mathematics Useful for Reading Plato, written in the second century CE, collects arithmetical, geometrical, musical, and astronomical lore relevant to Plato’s writings. In one passage, Theon summarizes various ideas about the distinction between the terms ‘one’ (ἕν) and ‘unit’ or ‘monad’ (μονάς). The passage provides important background… Read more

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Excursus B. The Pythagorean Symbol of the Τετρακτύς

Excursus B. The Pythagorean Symbol of the Τετρακτύς The Pythagoreans symbolized the number ten with a special term for the first four numbers, the τετρακτύς. [1] The term is probably of Doric origin, but it is unclear exactly how this unusual word, which comes from the root meaning “four,” was coined. [2] The term is first attested… Read more

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Excursus C. The Dyadic Character of A Valentinian Exposition

Excursus C. The Dyadic Character of A Valentinian Exposition The Nag Hammadi text A Valentinian Exposition has been said to champion monadic rather than dyadic Valentinianism. Four reasons are generally given: First, the Father is described as being alone, and is called ‘Monad’ (NH 11.2:22.19–23.21). Second, Silence, the usual consort of the Father in Irenaeus’ reports, comes on the scene slowly, through synonyms such as ‘quietness’ (… Read more

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Appendix. Greek Texts

Appendix. Greek Texts Irenaeus Revelation to Marcus Chapter 4 above (pp. 62–80). (1.14.1) Οὗτος <οὐν ὁ> Μάρκος μήτραν καὶ ἐκδοχεῖον τῆς Κολαρ-βάσου Σιγῆς αὐτὸν μονώτατον γεγονέναι λέγων, ἅτε Μονογενὴς ὑπάρχων, [αὐτὸ] τὸ σπέρμα τὸ κατατεθὲν εἰς αὐτὸν ὧδέ πως ἀπεκύησεν. Αὐτὴν τὴν πανυπερτάτην ἀπὸ τῶν ἀοράτων καὶ ἀκατονομάστων τόπων Τετράδα κατεληλυθέναι σχήματι γυναικείῳ πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἐπειδή, φησί, τὸ ἄρρεν αὐτῆς ὁ κόσμος φέρειν οὐκ ἠδύνατο,… Read more

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Bibliography

Bibliography Editions and Translations Aelius Herodianus: see pseudo-Herodian. Aetius Placita: Diels 1879. Alexander of Aphrodisias Commentary on Aristotle’s “Metaphysics”: Hayduck 1891. Alexander Polyhistor, fragments and testimonies (including Successions of the Philosophers): Müller 1849:210–244. Anatolius of Laodicea On the Computation of the Pasch: McCarthy and Breen 2003. … Read more

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Acknowledgments

  Acknowledgments The groundwork for this manuscript began in 2005 while I was working on my doctoral thesis at UCLA and became intrigued with questions of architecture, particularly the permanence of monumental constructions and their status as material analogues to Homeric kleos aphthiton. Since then, the material that comprised but one part of my dissertation project has grown, with the assistance of many people, into a larger, self-contained… Read more

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Introduction. Homeric Durability: Time and Poetics in Homer’s Iliad

[In this on-line version, the page-numbers of the printed version are indicated within braces (“{” and “}”). For example, “{69|70}” indicates where p. 69 of the printed version ends and p. 70 begins. These indications will be useful to readers who need to look up references made elsewhere to the printed version of this book.] Introduction. Homeric Durability: Time and Poetics in Homer’s Iliad 1. Iliadic… Read more

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1. Decay, Disintegration, and Objectified Time: The Rhetoric of Time and Memory

Chapter 1. Decay, Disintegration, and Objectified Time: The Rhetoric of Time and Memory The terms that frame the discussion of κλέος ἄφθιτον and the durability of the poetic tradition as conceived by the tradition itself are time and memory. Time has disintegrating effects—physical objects and social obligations both decay over time; what is cohesive, whole, and pristine wears down, falls apart, and fades away over time. Memory… Read more