Plutarch, Quaestiones Convivales, ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs, 9.3.1

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[1] 5 πρὸς ταῦτα¹ τοῦ Ἑρμείου φήσαντος ἀμφοτέρους 738d ἀποδέχεσθαι τοὺς λόγους τί οὖν² ἔφην οὐ καὶ σὺ διῆλθες ἡμῖν, εἴ τις ἔστι λόγος τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ τῶν στοιχείων, ὥς γʼ ἐμοὶ³ δοκεῖ⁴; τεκμήριον δὲ ποιοῦμαι 10 τὸ μὴ κατὰ τύχην τῶν ἀφώνων καὶ ἡμιφώνων πρὸς τʼ ἄλληλα καὶ πρὸς τὰ φωνήεντα⁵ γεγονέναι τὸ πλῆθος, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν πρώτην ἀναλογίαν ἀν δὲ καλουμένην ὑφʼ⁶ ἡμῶν. ἐννέα γὰρ ὄντων καὶ ὀκτὼ καὶ ἑπτά, οὕτω⁷ τὸν μέσον ἀριθμὸν 15 ὑπερέχειν καὶ ὑπερέχεσθαι συμβέβηκε· τῶν δʼ⁸ ἄκρων ὁ μέγιστος πρὸς; τὸν ἐλάχιστον ἔχει λόγον, ὃν⁹ ὁ τῶν Μουσῶν πρὸς τὸν τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος· ἡ γὰρ ἐννεὰς δήπου ταῖς Μούσαις ἡ δʼ ἑβδομὰς τῷ Μουσηγέτῃ 738e προσκεκλήρωται· συντεθέντα¹⁰ δʼ ἀλλήλοις διπλασιάζει¹¹ 20 τὸν μέσον εἰκότως, ἐπεὶ καὶ τὰ ἡμίφωνα τῆς ἀμφοῖν τρόπον τινὰ κοινωνεῖ δυνάμεωσ.

Quaestiones Convivales. Plutarch. ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs. Leipzig. 1892.

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Current edition Perseus

Συμποσιακῶν προβλημάτων βιβλία (Greek) (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol. IV. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1892.)

Translations (1)

Symposiacs Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. III. Goodwin, William W., editor; Creech, Thomas, translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.) — 9.3.1 focus

[1] HERMEAS saying that he approved both reasons, why then (continued I) do not you explain the proportion, if there be any, of the number of the letters; for, in my opinion, there is; and I think so, because the number of mutes and semi-vowels, compared between themselves or with the vowels, doth not seem casual and undesigned, but to be according to the first proportion which you call arithmetical. For their number being nine, eight, and seven, the middle exceeds the last as much as it wants of the first. And the first number being compared with the last, hath the same proportion that the Muses have to Apollo; for nine is appropriated to them, and seven to him. And these two numbers tied together double the middle; and not without reason, since the semi-vowels partake the power of both.

Notes on the current edition

Συμποσιακῶν προβλημάτων βιβλία

1. ταῦτα] γὰρ τὰ iidem

2. οὐ Turnebus: αὖ

3. γ’ ἐμοὶ *: γε μοι

4. ib. δοκεῖτε mei

5. πρός τε πρὸς ἄλληλα καὶ τὰ ( κατὰ E) φωνήεντα mei

6. ὑφʼ Anonymus: ἀφʼ

7. καὶ ἑπτὰ οὕτω X: οὔπω codd. ταὐτῷ sc. μέρει Grafius coll. Plat. Tim. p. 36a

8. συμβέβηκε· τῶν δʼ X: συμβεβηκότων δὲ

9. ὃν S

10. συντιθέντα mei

11. διπλασιάζειν mei

Plutarch Quaestiones Convivales 9.3.1

ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs

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