Plutarch, De E apud Delphos, Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator), 17

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[17] Ammonius, inasmuch as he plainly held that in mathematics was contained not the least important part of philosophy, was pleased with these remarks, and said, It is not worth while to argue too precisely over these matters with the young, except to say that every one of the numbers will provide not a little for them that wish to sing its praises. What need to speak of the others? Why, the sacred Seven of Apollo will consume the whole day before the narration of all its powers is finished. Then again, we shall be branding the wise men as warring with common custom, as well as with the long years of time,¹ if they are to oust Seven from its place of honour and make Five sacred to the god, on the ground that it is in some way more closely related to him. I am therefore of the opinion that the significance of the letter is neither a numeral nor a place in a series nor a conjunction nor any of the subordinate parts of speech. No, it is an address and salutation to the god, complete in itself, which, by being spoken, brings him who utters it to thoughts of the god’s power. For the god addresses each one of us as we approach him here with the words Know Thyself,² as a form of welcome, which certainly is in no wise of less import than Hail; and we in turn reply to him Thou art, as rendering unto him a form of address which is truthful, free from deception, and the only one befitting him only, the assertion of Being.

De E apud Delphos. Plutarch. Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1936.

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Current edition Perseus

The Ε at Delphi (English) (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. 5. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1936 (printing).)

Editions (1)

Περὶ τοῦ Ε τοῦ ἐν Δελφοῖς Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol 3. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1891.) — 17 focus

[17] ὁ δʼ Ἀμμώνιος, ἅτε δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς οὐ τὸ φαυλότατον ἐν μαθηματικῇ φιλοσοφίας τιθέμενος, ἥσθη τε τοῖς λεγομένοις καὶ εἶπεν οὐκ ἄξιον πρὸς 20 ταῦτα λίαν ἀκριβῶς ἀντιλέγειν τοῖς νέοις, πλὴν ὅτι 391f τῶν ἀριθμῶν ἕκαστος οὐκ ὀλίγα βουλομένοις ἐπαινεῖν καὶ ὑμνεῖν παρέξει. καὶ τί δεῖ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων λέγειν; ἡ γὰρ ἱερὰ τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος ἑβδομὰς ἀναλώσει τὴν ἡμέραν πρότερον ἢ λόγῳ τὰς δυνάμεις 25 αὐτῆς ἁπάσας ἐπεξελθεῖν. εἶτα τῷ κοινῷ νόμῳ πολεμοῦντας ἅμα καὶ τῷ πολλῷ χρόνῳ¹ τοὺς σοφοὺς ἀποφανοῦμεν ἄνδρας, εἰ τὴν ἑβδομάδα τῆς προεδρίας παρώσαντες τῷ θεῷ τὴν πεμπάδα καθιέρωσαν² ὡς μᾶλλόν τι προσήκουσαν. οὔτʼ οὖν ἀριθμὸν 5 οὔτε τάξιν οὔτε σύνδεσμον οὔτʼ ἄλλο τῶν ἐλλιπῶν 392a μορίων οὐδὲν οἶμαι τὸ γράμμα σημαίνειν· ἀλλʼ ἔστιν αὐτοτελὴς τοῦ θεοῦ προσαγόρευσις καὶ προσφώνησις, ἅμα τῷ ῥήματι τὸν φθεγγόμενον εἰς ἔννοιαν καθιστᾶσα τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ δυνάμεως. ὁ μὲν γὰρ θεὸς 10 ἕκαστον ἡμῶν ἐνταῦθα προσιόντα οἷον ἀσπαζόμενος προσαγορεύει τὸ³ γνῶθι σαυτόν, ὃ δὴ τοῦ χαῖρε οὐδὲν μεῖόν ἐστιν. ἡμεῖς δὲ πάλιν ἀμειβόμενοι τὸν θεὸν εἶ φαμέν, ὡς ἀληθῆ καὶ ἀψευδῆ καὶ μόνην μόνῳ προσήκουσαν τὴν τοῦ εἶναι προσαγόρευσιν 15 ἀποδιδόντες.

Translations (1)

Of the word ΕΙ engraven over the gate of Apollo's temple at Delphi Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. 4. Goodwin, William W., editor; Kippax, R, translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.) — 17 focus

[17] But Ammonius, who had himself also bestowed not the worst part of his time in mathematical philosophy, was delighted with what had been spoken, and said: It is not meet too eagerly to oppose these young men about these things, except by saying that every one of the numbers will afford you, if you desire to praise it, no small subject of commendations. And what need is there to speak of others? For the septener, sacred to Apollo, will take up a day’s time, before one can in words run through all its powers. We shall therefore pronounce, that the Sages do at once contest both against common law and a long series of time, if, throwing the septenary out of its seat, they consecrate the quinary to the God, as being more suitable to him. I am therefore of opinion, that this syllable signifies neither number, order, nor connection, nor any other of the deficient parts, but is a self-perfect appellation and salutation of the God, which brings the speaker to the conception of the power of the God at the very moment of uttering it. For the God in a manner calls upon every one of us who comes hither, with this salutation, Know thyself, which is nothing inferior to All hail. And we again, answering the God, say to him Εἶ, thou art; attributing to him the true, unfeigned, and sole appellation of being, as agreeing to him alone.

Notes on the current edition

The

1. Cf. Bergk, Poet. Lyr. Graec. i. p. 522, Simonides, no. 193, and Edmonds in Lyra Graeca, ii. p. 340, in L.C.L.; Plutarch refers to this also in 359 f, supra, and in his Life of Theseus, chap. x. (p. 4 f).

2. Cf. Plato, Charmides, 164 d-e.

Plutarch De E apud Delphos 17

Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator)

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