Epinomis, Plato: 978.d

Since Heaven never stops making these bodies ply their course night after night and day after day, he never stops teaching humans one and two, until even the slowest person learns well enough to count. For each of us who sees them will also form the concepts of three, four, and many.

Commentary on 978.d

  1. Ambrose Mnemopolous Post author

    The above passage represents a formulation of the Pythagorean doctrine of the tetractys.

    Similar formulations can be found in the Upanishads and in the Chaldaean Oracles of Zoroaster.

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Themes
The Epinomis forms part of the traditional canon of Plato's works, although his authorship is doubtful. Diogenes Laertius attributed the work to Philip of Opus. Unlike the other doubtful dialogues, the Epinomis is a literary forgery, and likely a very early work of "Platonist" philosophy.