Alphanumeric Cosmology From Greek into Arabic: The Idea of Stoicheia Through the Medieval Mediterranean

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Cover Title Acknowledgements Contents Notes to the Reader A. Transliterations I. Hebrew Transliteration II. Arabic Transliteration Abbreviations Introduction A. The Concept B. Overview C. Survey of Scholarship D. Methodology Matters I Defining the Concept Chapter 1: Notes on Early Alphabetic Cosmology A. Starting from Aristotle’s ‘Lexicon’ I. First Glimmerings 1. Etymology 2. The Definition 3. Atoms and Letters II. Platonic Corpus III. The Constellations IV. Latin Correspondences B. Greek Grammarians I. The Opening Anacoluthon II. Simplicity and Pedagogy III. The Semitic Origin 1. Naturegiven or Created IV. More Etymologies 1. Number and Order 2. Walls and Ramparts 3. What about γράμματα? V. Attributes of the στοιχεῖον VI. The Four Cosmic Elements 1. Why Twenty-Four? More Cosmic Correspondences 2. The Moon and the Stars 3. The Planets 4. Astrological Correspondences 5. Microcosmic Correspondences VII. Graphical Layout VIII. Sanchuniathon and the Snakes C. Latin Grammarians D. Conclusion Chapter 2: On the Tracks of Arithmetical Cosmology A. Number and Letter I. Isopsephism, Onomatomancy and Gematria 1. Choeroboscus on the Names of Numbers B. Reckoning and Science of Numbers C. Pythagoras and Pythagoreanism 1. Lore & Science and Further Developments 2. Imitation or Participation 3. On Creation and Order 4. The Pythagorean Logos 5. The Fundamental Decad I. Philolaos 1. Fragments of Philolaus II. ‘Pythagorean’ Milestones 1. Nicomachus and his Introduction III. Nicomachus’ Introduction Tables D. Conclusion II Alphanumeric Cosmology in the Abrahamic Scriptures Chapter 3: Jewish Sources and Exegesis A. Tanakh and Translations I. Genesis – Creation by Speech 1. Psalm 33:6 II. Exodus – Bezalel III. Counting the Glory IV. The Potter of Light V. Acrostics VI. Summary B. Philo I. On the Making of the World 1. Archetype and Noetic Creation 2. The Model is Λόγος 3. Numbers: the Tetrad and the Decad II. Chapter Summary: Philo in Perspective Chapter 4: Christian Sources and Exegesis A. Letters-Numerals of the Christic Word-Number I. Mysteria litterarum: Textual History 1. Mysteria litterarum – the text 2. 22 or 24 Letters II. Apocryphal Gospels III. A Spiritual ABC in Monastic Literature IV. Measure, Number, Weight, and Augustine Chapter 5: Hermetica, Magic and Gnostic Sources I. Who is Hermes? II. Thoth and the Letters in Philebus III. The Creation Elements in the Hermetica IV. Magic Phonemes V. Magical Papyri VI. The Twenty-Four Alphabetic Names of Gods A. Gnostic Writings I. Evangelium Veritatis II. Marsanes III. Marcus the Valentinian B. Conclusion Chapter 6: Alphanumeric Cosmology in Islamic Scripture and Exegesis A. Introduction I. The Linguistic-Logical Aspect B. Starting Point and Influences I. The Arabic Alphabet Order 1. The Arabic Letters as Numerals C. The Development of the Science of Letters I. ʿAlī: The Common Source II. Letters in the Ḥadīth Literature III. The Two Branches IV. Some Key Texts 1. Jawāmiʿ alkalim 2. ‘A limit and a summit’ 3. ‘Beyond utterance’ D. Back to Basics: Philosophy & Physics I. The Metaphysics II. Jabir and ‘The Element’ III. The ‘Element’ of the Foundation IV. The Balance of the Letters III World Construction: Systems of Cosmic Design Chapter 7: Sefer Yetsirah: The Bright Jewel of Alphanumeric Cosmopoiesis A. Selections from the Text I. The Thirty-Two Wondrous Paths of Wisdom II. The Three Modes of Inscribing III. The Absolute Numerations – Sefirot IV. The Twenty-Two Elemental Letters B. The Title: ‘Creation’ or ‘Formation’? C. Authorship and Conclusion Chapter 8: Alphabetic Consecration & Metaphysical Foundation A. The Abecedarium in Church Dedication I. The Roman Gromatici II. Christening the Land: mensuratio/γεωδαισία 1. Rabanus Maurus B. The Celtic Connections I. Eriugena Ramon Llull C. Psellos: Letters and Matter I. Aquinas and the Second ‘Signified’ Matter D. Dante and Hildegard Chapter 9: Islamic Systematisation and the Sublime Letters That We Were A. Abū Ḥātim’s Letter Cosmogony B. A Pure Brotherhood I. How Pythagorean are the Ikhwān? II. Magic Squares in the Epistles III. Music: Prosody: Grammar IV. ‘Letters’ in the Rasā’il V. Risāla al-Jāmi ʿa – The Comprehensive Epistle C. A ‘Sufi’ Interim D. Al-Buni and The Sun of Divine Sciences I. The Letter-Elements in al-Buni II. The First Paragraph 1. The Basics of Letter Cosmology 2. Letter-Number Relation 3. Joining the Letters III. ‘Magic’ Squares in the Light of Alphanumeric Cosmology E. Ibn ʿArabī I. The Place of the Letters II. Letters and Numbers III. The Three Modes IV. The Living Letters F. Conclusion to Part III Conclusion A. Conceptual Conclusion: Echoes and Ramifications I. Art, Artistry and the Arts II. The Universe as Book III. Physics and Modern Physics IV. Linguistics, Psychology and Cosmology V. Metaphysics and Theology B. Historical Conclusion: The Alphanumeric End Appendix A: Latin Grammarians Bibliography Primary Sources General Sources Index