Chapter 7

Text of the Alphabet Oracle

This chapter presents the text of the Greek Alphabet Oracle with additional aids to help you use it. The bulk of the chapter is devoted to the oracles for each of the twenty-four letters, and this is what you will consult when you do divinations. Since each of the oracles is organized in the same way, the next section explains this organization. Some of you may want to memorize the oracular text (it’s only twenty-four lines), and so the following section gives a few hints on how to do so. Next comes Table 6, which is the key to consulting the oracle by means of dice, astragaloi, beads, etc., as described in Chapter 5. The remainder of the chapter comprises the twenty-four oracles with their interpretive aids. They are preceded by Figure 6, which shows how the Oracle would appear engraved on a stone tablet.

Interpreting the Oracles

On the following pages you will find the texts of the alphabet oracles along with additional information to help you interpret them. Since I will be explaining the format of the oracles, you may want to look at the oracle for Alpha, which follows this explanation (page 94).

You will see that each oracle is headed by a Greek letter and its name, for example, “A (Alpha).” Following this is a verse translation that begins with a similarly sounding letter of the Roman alphabet, or one that suggests the Greek letter. For example, for Alpha the verse is: “All these things, he says, you’ll do quite well!” (These verses are collected in Table 7, which follows the oracles.) I suggest that you eventually memorize these verses so that you don’t need this book to read the oracle, but it’s best to work with the book until you are very familiar with the oracles and their meanings (see “Memorizing the Alphabet Oracle,” on page 91).

Although I have tried to capture the essence of the oracles in these verses, the translations are somewhat free, in order to fit the meter and to have the verse begin with an appropriate Roman letter. Therefore, following the verse translation I provide my own literal translation of the oracle, for example, “The god [Apollo] says you will do everything {} successfully.” The Greek word in {curly braces} is the first word of the Greek oracle, for example, (hapanta), which I have translated “everything.” You don’t need to know anything about Ancient Greek to use the oracle, but I have provided this information for those who want to know the Greek word that begins with the relevant letter (also shown in Table 7). If you’re not interested, ignore the text in curly braces.

Like English words, Ancient Greek words have a range of meanings, which any Greek reader would have known. Moreover, the enigmatic character of an oracle often arises from these different meanings. Since the English words I have used to translate the Greek might not have the same range of meanings, I have provided the meanings of the Greek word for the English reader. For example, the translation of the Alpha oracle is followed by “successfully: prosperously, luckily, with good fortune,” which means that the Greek word I have translated “successfully” can also be translated “prosperously,” “luckily,” or “with good fortune.” Read over these alternate meanings to get an understanding of the possible interpretations of the oracle. This is especially useful if an oracle does not seem to apply to the question asked. By looking at these alternate meanings, you will often find a fitting answer. I’ve added to these a “key phrase,” which is suggested by the first word of the oracle in Greek, and can be thought of as the essence of its meaning. (These are collected in Table 7.)

Following these word definitions, I have supplied several paraphrases of the oracle, which state common interpretations. One of these, for the Alpha oracle, is “You will have good luck in all your activities, or prosperous business transactions and negotiations.” As you can see, this is just an alternate, more specific interpretation of the primary translation. These alternate interpretations are not intended to be exhaustive, and no doubt you will find your own. You may want to write them in this book.

Next, I provide a more open-ended discussion of the oracle and what it means to me in divination. Sometimes I add cultural or esoteric lore, which you may find useful for interpreting the oracle or for explaining readings to others. I might suggest talismans corresponding to the letters, as described in Chapter 6.

Finally, I give a few useful correspondences: the letter’s numerical value; its Olympian god; its zodiac sign; the part of the Body of Truth according to Marcus; its correspondence (planet, zodiac sign, or element) according to Agrippa; its lunar phase and day of month; its hieroglyph; its hour of the day; and finally its vox magica (the name of its spirit).

This may all seem a bit overwhelming, but it is just to help you get started. Just as with tarot reading or rune casting, with time and practice you will acquire an intuitive understanding of the oracles, which will be enriched by your own experience using them for divination.

I should also mention that in nine cases () the text of the Olympos oracle differs from the Common Alphabet Oracle text. Therefore, under the heads for those letters I have also included the Olympos text in the same format. You can ignore it if you like, but it sometimes will provide a more meaningful answer if the Common text does not. In general, however, I think it is better to pick either the Olympos Oracle or the Common Oracle and stick with it (otherwise, you might be tempted to pick the most appealing reading).

Memorizing the Alphabet Oracle

As I mentioned, I do not recommend that you bother memorizing the Alphabet Oracle verses right away. As you learn the Alphabet Oracle, it is best to consult this book so you can see the range of Ancient Greek meanings of each verse. Before long, you will develop an intuitive grasp of the meanings, and you will be able to interpret readings without looking them up. Then, you may find it worthwhile to memorize the verses, but it is by no means necessary to do so. (You will probably learn many of them just by using them.)

If you do want to learn them, I recommend that you use the ancient “art of memory,” which was invented by Simonides of Ceos (ca. 556–468 BCE) and has been practiced ever since. To apply it to the Alphabet Oracle, you imagine a memorable, vivid, ridiculous, exaggerated, action-packed vignette that incorporates the letter and suggests its verse. For example, to remember the verse for A (Alpha), “All these things, he says, you’ll do quite well,” I picture Apollo stabbing a giant awl (for “All”) into a giant stack of paper (“thesis,” suggesting “these”) and throwing them into an old-fashioned water well (for “well”). A large wooden “A” stands over the well with a bucket hanging from its crossbar. Therefore, the image associates the letter “A” with the first couple words of the verse (“All these”) and also picks up another word (“well”). The image of Apollo helps me remember “he says,” since in this case Apollo is the speaker. This is just an example, and I suggest you come up with your own images. First, include the Greek letter, either its shape (e.g., the wooden “A” in the example) or, if you know it, the letter’s name (e.g., a pie for Pi). In addition, try to encode the first few words of each verse. (In principle, you can encode the whole verse, but that is usually impractical and unnecessary.) Try also to include the key phrase. Make the image vivid and include some action. Practice visualizing the entire image in your mind’s eye. When you have all twenty-four verses encoded, rehearse them from time to time in order to keep the memories secure. Test yourself by drawing alphabet stones (or otherwise casting lots) and seeing if you can remember the corresponding verse. As I said before, however, you can use the Alphabet Oracle quite well without memorizing it at all.

Letter	Astragaloi		Coin	24-Sided Die	Three-Out-of-Four	Dice
	Sum of 5 Increasing	Sum of 5 Decreasing				Sum of 5 Increasing	Sum of 5 Decreasing
A	5	30	1.OOO	1	123	5	30
B	7	28	1.OOI	2	124	6	29
	8	27	1.OIO	3	132	7	28
	9	26	1.OII	4	134	8	27
E	10	25	1.IOO	5	142	9	26
Z	11	24	1.IOI	6	143	11	24
H	12	23	1.IIO	7	213	12	23
	13	22	1.III	8	214	13	22
I	14	21	2.OOO	9	231	14	21
K	15	20	2.OOI	10	234	15	20
	16	19	2.OIO	11	241	16	19
M	17	18	2.OII	12	243	17	18
N	18	17	2.IOO	13	312	18	17
	19	16	2.IOI	14	314	19	16
O	20	15	2.IIO	15	321	20	15
	21	14	2.III	16	324	21	14
P	22	13	3.OOO	17	341	23	12
	23	12	3.OOI	18	342	24	11
T	24	11	3.OIO	19	412	25	10
Y	25	10	3.OII	20	413	26	9
	26	9	3.IOO	21	421	27	8
X	27	8	3.IOI	22	423	28	7
	28	7	3.IIO	23	431	29	6
	30	5	3.III	24	432	30	5

Table 6. Key for Consulting the Alphabet Oracle.

Figure 6. Text of the Alphabet Oracle as it would appear engraved on a stone tablet.

A (Alpha) 

All these things, he says, you’ll do quite well!

“The god [Apollo] says you will do everything {} successfully.”

Do: achieve, bring about, effect, accomplish, make, manage, negotiate, transact, practice, fare. Successfully: prosperously, luckily, with good fortune.

Key Phrase: All things.

Your entire project will turn out well and you will meet all your goals. You will have good luck in all your activities, or prosperous business transactions and negotiations. Your management activities or practice will result in success.

In the oracle, “the god” says that you will be successful, and in this context “the god” must be understood as Apollo, the deity who oversees all prophecy and divination, and in particular this Alphabet Oracle. In effect, all the oracles are oracles of Apollo.

This in an entirely positive oracle. The implication is that there is some activity or project that you have underway, and that you will succeed in all aspects of it. You may have asked the oracle about this project specifically, in which case you have a welcome answer. Remember too that the oracle is addressed to pilgrims who are engaged in some enterprise, quest, or adventure. You are in the midst of a long journey (perhaps a lived life), and this oracle tells you that it will be brought to a successful conclusion. If you did not ask about some project, then the oracle may be providing an answer to a question you did not ask. Because the gods know more than we do, they sometimes answer the questions we should have asked, or provide information that we did not know we needed. In this case, the oracle is telling you that you will succeed in some (probably significant) activity that you have underway or are contemplating. This is important information, even if you expect to succeed, but especially if you’re pessimistic or have some doubts about it. You have this added guarantee from Apollo. So if you have not asked about some project, then ask yourself (or the querent) what important activities are in progress or being contemplated. See if this oracle from the god is helpful.

For a talisman to reinforce this good oracle, you might invoke Apollo to guide you so that you achieve the beneficial outcome he has predicted.

Numerical value = 1

Planet: Moon

Olympian: Athena

Zodiac: Aries

Body: Head

Agrippa: Moon (*Saturn)

Lunar symbol: Ox (1)

Hieroglyph: (Egyptian vulture: a symbol of divine power)

First hour of the day (Augê, Daybreak): Salute to King Helios

Vox magica: 78

B (Beta) 

Briefly wait; the time’s not right for thee.

“Wait a little {}; it’s not opportune for you.”

Wait: abide. Opportune: the right time, the critical time, the season, opportunity, advantage, fitness, due measure (see discussion of kairos below).

Key Phrase: Brief delay.

Patience is recommended. A little delay, and the time will be right. Timing is everything. Stay where you are until it’s time. It’s to your advantage to wait, but be alert for the opportune moment. Wait until matters are appropriate for you. There is a time for everything, and everything has its season.

This oracle cautions you to wait just a little, because it’s not the right time for you (it might be right for someone else). The implication seems to be that your kairos will arrive soon.

Kairos is an important word in Ancient Greek, but it is difficult to translate. The general meaning is a circumstance that is just right, fit, or in proper measure. It commonly, as here, refers to a time or moment that is perfect or advantageous. It is the moment or season when it’s best to do something, the opportunity that will come and then be gone. Wise action consists in knowing the kairos. Pythagoras said, “Nothing is better than kairos,” and Hesiod said, “Kairos is best in everything.” Chilon (ca. 500 BCE), one of the Seven Sages, said, “All good things belong to kairos,” 79 and attention to kairos is recommended in several of the Oracles of the Seven Sages (10, 98, 111; see Chapter 10). The Pythagoreans said that recognizing kairos is “a complex and many-faceted art,” which is “to some extent teachable and subject to calculation (technologia),” but is better learned through sensitive practice and experience.80

“Kairos” was also a Pythagorean name for the number seven, because many processes come to completion in the seventh stage; Iamblichus called it “the most critical number.” 81 The heptad (number seven) is considered the second monad—that is, an image of The One—because it is not a product of any other number but The One. Nor does it produce any numbers in the decad (the manifestation of the monad), so it defines a critical juncture between potentiality and actuality. It is irrational (not subject to reason), for it is neither a product nor a divisor of the other numbers in the decad. (See also the discussion of the number seven in Chapter 8.)

For a talisman appropriate to this oracle, I suggest you invoke Hermes to grant you patience and the wisdom to perceive the kairos. I think Hermes is especially helpful in matters of timing and opportunity.

The Olympos Oracle has this text:

Both Apollo, Fortune bring thee aid.

“You will have Tychê [Fortune] and the Pythian [Apollo] as a helper {}.”

Helper: assistant, auxiliary, one who hastens (theô) to the battle cry or other call for help (boê).

Key Phrase: Helper.

You are at a critical point, but if you are fortunate, Apollo the Far-shooter will help you if you call on him. Even with luck, the god will only assist; ultimate responsibility is yours. “Pythian” refers to Apollo as the god at Delphi (which was in Pytho), one of the most important oracular sites (see Chapter 2). Therefore, the help to be expected might be of a prophetic nature.

It would be very appropriate to invoke Tychê and/or Pythian Apollo to bring you the divine aid offered in this oracle.

Numerical value = 2

Olympian: Aphrodite

Zodiac: Taurus

Body: Neck

Agrippa: Aries

Lunar symbol: Vulture (2)

Hieroglyph: (leg: movement)

Second hour of the day (Anatolê, Rising): Solitary walk in nature

Vox magica:

(Gamma)

Gaia gives thee ripe fruit from thy work.

“Gaia [the Earth] {} will give you the ripe fruit of your labors.”

Ripe: complete, final. Fruit: produce, returns, profits, results.

Key Phrase: Gaia.

You will have a successful harvest, or you will reap all your profits from the Earth. The Mother of All will bring your labors to a fruitful conclusion. Gaia will give you your just deserts.

The concrete meaning of this oracle is that Mother Earth will grant a good harvest as a reward for your hard work, but this is a metaphor with much broader meaning. More broadly it seems to say that we will get what we have worked for, whether crops, a good yield, profits, or other desired results. Notice, however, that the oracle does not guarantee a desirable outcome. Rather, it says Gaia will give you the final results that are a consequence of your work. That is, she will give you what you have earned. The implication is that if you have not worked very hard, you will not have a good return. Thus it can be read as a law of consequences or even of retribution. “As ye sow, so shall ye reap” is a wisdom saying in many cultures. For example, a well-known ancient Hindi proverb, Jaise karni, waise bharni, has the same meaning. It is like karma, but in this oracle it is Mother Earth who metes out justice.

One can hardly avoid seeing global climate change as an instance of this oracle. Gaia is bringing us the consequences, the final results, of our industry. However, the oracle balances this prediction with a more hopeful one: If we work diligently to use less and recycle more, and strive for conservation and recovery of the environment, then Gaia will reward our efforts. Just as farmers who care for their land will be rewarded by fruitful harvests.

A talisman for this oracle could invoke Gaia to aid you in your work and to grant you the good results that you deserve.

Numerical value = 3

Olympian: Apollo

Zodiac: Gemini

Body: Shoulder and hands

Agrippa: Taurus

Lunar symbol: Bull (3)

Hieroglyph: (jar-stand)

Third hour of the day (Mousikê, Music): Spiritual practices in temples and similar places

Vox magica:

(Delta)

Dodge the dreadful deeds, avoiding harm.

“Desist from dreadful {} deeds, so that you avoid harm.”

Desist: keep away, abstain. Dreadful: fearful, terrible, strange, wonderful, mighty, powerful, skillful, clever. Deeds: affairs (public or private), matters, circumstances, expediencies, annoyances, troubles. Harm: damage, hurt.

Key Phrase: Dreadful.

Avoid matters that are terrible, fearful, or uncanny. Beware of the excessively wonderful, skillful, or clever. Don’t commit terrible deeds. Stay away from strange circumstances and affairs. Don’t make bad choices for the sake of expediency. In these ways you may escape harm.

The basic meaning of this oracle is, I think, clear and common sense: you will be at less risk if you avoid terrible or bizarre behavior. So if you were contemplating such things, this oracle would be a warning. However, the word deinos has a wide range of meanings that encompasses things that inspire dread and awe, including some that we value, such as power, skill, and cleverness. I think that this oracle is warning us that their overuse, or use in the wrong circumstances, can backfire and harm us.

A talisman for this oracle might be directed toward bolstering your willpower in order to abstain from these harmful activities. Athena is a good god to invoke for prudence and good sense. Like Ares she is a war god, but whereas he is aggressive and rash, she is defensive and smart; she often prevails.

The Olympos Oracle has this text:

Drive ill-timed is weak before the rules.

“In customs, inopportune strength {} is weak.”

Customs: rules, laws, allotments. Inopportune: ill-timed, unreasonable, importunate, undue, not kairos (fit, in due measure, exact, at the appropriate or critical time, etc.). Strength: power, ability, authority.

Key Phrase: Strength.

Ill-timed force will be ineffective; act with precision; timing is everything. Knowing where and when to strike is more important than strength; misapplied ability is disability. Blind conformity to customs is spineless; overly strict adherence to rules is self-defeating. Unreasonable or undue force will defeat itself; a tyrant must fall.

See the discussion of kairos under the oracle for B (Beta). A talisman might invoke Hermes to show you the kairos to exercise your strength. Alternatively, Athena can grant the practical wisdom to know what strength is appropriate.

Numerical value = 4

Olympian: Hermes

Zodiac: Cancer

Body: Breast

Agrippa: Gemini

Lunar symbol: Cantharus-beetle or scarab (4)

Hieroglyph: (hand)

Fourth hour of the day (Gymnastikê, Gymnastics): Exercise and massage as suited to the individual

Vox magica:

E (Epsilon)

Eager art thou for right wedding’s fruits.

“You desire {} to see the offspring of righteous marriages.”

Desire: love, are in love with. Offspring: seed, sowing. Righteous: fitting, well-balanced, legitimate.

Key Phrase: Desire.

This is a statement of fact, not a command or prediction. The obvious meaning is that the querent wants children or grandchildren from suitable marriages. However, it can also mean he or she is in love with seeing this, that is, obsessed by the idea. The “rightness” of the marriage admits many interpretations; it could be a terrible marriage if that was fitting and righteous (i.e., deserved). The oracle may also refer to seeds, other than children, sown by the marriage (e.g., family alliances, marrying into wealth or influence, status). Or to other benefits of marriage, such as love, companionship, support, and sex. Finally, marriage may be taken metaphorically to refer to any alliance or union.

E (Epsilon) is the Greek numeral for five, and in Pythagorean numerology, the pentad (number five) is called “Marriage” (Grk., Gamos) and “Androgyny” (Grk., Androgynia), for it unites the female (2) with the male (3).82 In the context of ancient Greek homosexual relations, it would refer to the lover (3, Grk., erastês) and the beloved (2, Grk., erômenos).

An appropriate talisman could provide guidance on marital affairs or strengthen a future with children. Appropriate deities to invoke are Zeus, “Father of Gods and Mortals,” and Hera, who rules lawful marriage.

Numerical value = 5

Planet: Mercury

Olympian: Zeus

Zodiac: Leo

Body: Diaphragm

Agrippa: Mercury (*Jupiter)

Lunar symbol: Falcon (5)

Hieroglyph: (reed)

Fifth hour of the day (Nymphê, Nymph or Bride): Morning ablutions

Vox magica:

Z (Zeta)

Zealously avoid the harmful storm!

“Flee the very great storm {}, lest you be disabled in some way.”

Storm: surge, distress. Disabled: hindered.

Key Phrase: Storm.

Don’t make a sea voyage in bad weather. It is futile to fight the force of the ocean; likewise, bucking the inevitable will weaken you and hinder your progress. Avoid raging storms of any kind; save your energy for when it can be effective. Escape from the chaos or controversy. Sometimes flight is wiser than fight. Go with the flow.

Although a literal interpretation might apply, usually you will want to interpret the storm metaphorically. It could be an argument or controversy, or some groundswell, for example. The predicted consequences of allowing yourself to become involved are that you will be hindered or disabled in some way. This could, of course, refer to physical injury but more generally that you will be disempowered or perhaps prevented from achieving your aims.

Poseidon is a storm god; invoke him for a talisman to protect you from this storm, whatever it might be.

Numerical value = 7

Olympian: Demeter

Zodiac: Virgo

Body: Back

Agrippa: Cancer

Lunar symbol: Dog (7)

Hieroglyph: (door bolt: closure, secret)

Sixth hour of the day (Mesêmbria, Midday): Lunch

Vox magica:

H (Eta)

Helios, all-watcher, watches thee.

“Bright Helios [Sun] {}, who watches everything, watches you.”

The life-giving Sun will care for you. He is the divine overseer. Helios is an enforcer of oaths and promises, and he knows the deceit in your heart.

Key Phrase: Helios.

Because he witnesses everything that takes place on earth, Helios enforces oaths and is especially concerned with truth. He witnessed the abduction of Persephone by Hades and revealed her fate to her mother Demeter. Neoplatonists teach that Helios is in the line or series of emanation from Apollo, who oversees oracles and divination.

You can reinforce Helios’s oversight with a talisman to invoke his protection, to reveal or guard the truth, or to guarantee a promise.

Numerical value = 8

Planet: Venus

Olympian: Hephaistos

Zodiac: Libra

Body: Belly

Agrippa: Venus (*Mars)

Lunar symbol: Wolf (8)

Hieroglyph: (forearm: offering pose)

Seventh hour of the day (Spondê, Libation): Libations and other offerings to the gods

Vox magica:

(Theta)

Thou hast gods as comrades and as aides.

“You have the gods {} as assistants and defenders.”

Assistant: helper, aide, advocate, defender. Defender: one who stands by, comrade, supporter.

Key Phrase: Gods.

You have divine assistance at hand. The gods will aid and defend you. Call on the gods for help, and they will be there for you. Have confidence!

This oracle offers divine aid and protection, so you could construct a talisman for those purposes. You might invoke Athena, Ares, or any other defensive gods, including gods who oversee the issues for which you need aid.

The Olympos Oracle has this text:

Thou hast gods as helpers on this path.

“You have the gods {} as assistants of this path.”

Assistant: helper, aide, advocate, defender. Path: road, course, way.

Key Phrase: Gods.

The “path” may be an actual road, a plan of action, a spiritual path, a way of life, etc. In any case, the gods who oversee this path will help and defend you, so you may go forward with confidence; you are under divine care because you are following your destiny.

Hermes is the god who most frequently aids people on the path, and he would be a good choice to invoke for a talisman for assistance and protection. However, the oracle tells you that multiple gods are helping you, so you can invoke others, such as Athena or Ares for defense. Think about where you need aid or assistance.

Numerical value = 9

Olympian: Ares

Zodiac: Scorpio

Body: Thighs

Agrippa: Earth

Lunar symbol: Dragon (drakôn) (9)

Hieroglyph: (tethering rope or hobble: restraint)

Eighth hour of the day (Êletê): Prayer and civic affairs

Vox magica:

I (Iota)

In all things thou shalt excel—with sweat!

“There is sweat {}, but you will surpass everything.”

Sweat: gum, exudation of trees. Surpass: excel, be superior to, outlive, survive.

Key Phrase: Sweat.

Although you are working hard, you will accomplish everything. Hard work is the surest means of success. When you have lost all other possessions, you still have your labor as an asset. The oracle recommends elbow grease. If you work hard, you will succeed in the end. You are sweating it now, but you will prevail. Although you are worried, you will survive and do well.

I (Iota) is the Greek numeral for ten (see Chapter 6), which is the end of the archetypal numbers, according to the Pythagoreans, and thus limits and completes them. Therefore, they call the decad (number ten) “Power” (Grk., Kratos), “All-fulfiller” (Grk., Panteleia), and “Atlas,” because this Titan god holds aloft the heavens that encompass all the planetary spheres.83

When I think of sweat, I think of Hephaistos pounding away on his anvil, beating red-hot bronze into beautiful forms. You could make a talisman to ask him to grant you strength and energy so that you succeed.

Numerical value = 10

Planet: Sun

Olympian: Artemis

Zodiac: Sagittarius

Body: Knees

Agrippa: Sun (*Sun)

Lunar symbol: Horse (10)

Hieroglyph: or (pair of reeds)

Ninth hour of the day (Aktê, Grain; Cypris): Pleasant dining in small groups with libations and offerings before and after

Vox magica:

K (Kappa)

Contests with the waves are hard; endure!

“To fight with the waves {} is difficult; endure, friend.”

Waves: swells, floods. Difficult: hard to bear, do, or deal with; painful, grievous, dangerous. Endure: delay.

Key Phrase: Waves.

In time, the force of ocean waves can grind down anything; they can be a metaphor for repetitive, unstoppable processes. It is difficult, dangerous, and painful to try to resist them; the sensible thing to do is to wait until they abate, or if that is impossible, then to endure the inevitable with courage.

The letter K is isopsephic with BIH (biê, “force, strength”) and (adeia, “freedom from fear”). For a talisman, you could invoke Poseidon to grant endurance and fearlessness.

Numerical value = 20

Olympian: Hestia

Zodiac: Capricorn

Body: Legs

Agrippa: Leo

Lunar symbol: She-goat (11)

Hieroglyph: (basket with handle)

Tenth hour of the day (Hesperis, Evening): Public readings by the young as directed by the elders

Vox magica:

(Lambda)

Leave off grief, and then await delight.

“Make an end of grief {}; hereafter expect joy.

Make an end of: stop, hinder, leave off, cease from. Grief: sorrow, distress, mental or bodily pain. Hereafter: in the future, for the rest, finally. Expect: await, accept, receive favorably. Joy: delight.

Key Phrase: Grief.

You have grieved long enough. Although you have been sad, you will be happy soon. Stop worrying, and prepare to be pleased. Turn your attention from your pain to the things that give you joy. Pain will yield to happiness. You have been through dark times, but the sun will rise again.

The letter is isopsephic with HKA (êka, “gently, softly, smoothly”). For a talisman you might invoke Aphrodite, who oversees delight and pleasure, to grant you relief from sorrow and eventual joy.

The Olympos Oracle is unique in having this verse:84

Lovely bodes the widespread word all things.

“The spreading word {} bodes all things well.”

Word: oracle, prophecy, divine word, maxim, saying. Spreading: traveling, passing, arriving, widespread. So: oft-repeated, well-known. Also: going through, narrative. Bodes: shows, indicates, gives a sign, signifies, declares. Well: rightly, beautifully, happily, fortunately.

Key Phrase: Word.

This oracle predicts a favorable outcome, good fortune, a happy event. The circulating saying is a good indicator; the current prophecy or story is accurate. Conventional wisdom gives good advice; pay attention to the wise maxim, story, or explanation.

This oracle is pregnant with ambiguity. First, it may say either that this “word” signifies all things well, or that all things will go well. Second, the word (saying) may refer to this very oracle or to some other saying, prophecy, or maxim that is current. In the Greek it is possible to take “all things” as the object of “spreading,” so the meaning is “The word that spreads out (explicates, recounts) all things is the word that bodes well.” That is, it is a more detailed account that signifies well or favorably.

The practical advice of this verse may be this: It tells you primarily that things will turn out well. But it also advises that you keep your eyes and ears open. For if you encounter a wise maxim, pithy saying, story, or other such words, you should pay attention, since it may beautifully, clearly, or accurately indicate the situation or the answer to your question. Be sensitive to synchronicity.

A talisman might invoke Apollo or Tychê to bring you a favorable omen or good tidings.

Numerical value = 30

Olympian: Hera

Zodiac: Aquarius

Body: Ankles

Agrippa: Virgo

Lunar symbol: Asp (12)

Hieroglyph: (lion)

Eleventh hour of the day (Dusis, Sunset): Libations with exhortations from the elders

Vox magica:

M (Mu)

Make no haste; in vain you press ahead.

“You press on in vain {}; don’t hurry; it’s not useful.”

Press on: press hard, drive on, urge on, hasten. In vain: fruitlessly, idly, falsely, at random, without reason. Hurry: make haste. Useful: beneficial, profitable, expedient.

Key Phrase: Vainly.

Don’t keep busy at what you are doing, it’s pointless. Haste makes waste. Festine lente (Lat., “Hurry slowly”). You are rushing around and working hard, but randomly and thoughtlessly. You are putting a lot of energy into wasting time. Pressing on now will be futile; wait for a better time.

The letter M is isopsephic with AIKH (aikê, “rush,” “rapid flight”) and (alê, “wandering,” “distraction”). For a talisman, invoke Athena to bring you patience and prudence, to help you make slow but steady progress toward your goal.

The Olympos Oracle has this text:

Mandatory toil: the change is good.

“It is necessary to be weary with toil {}, but the change will be admirable.”

Necessary: necessary due to laws of nature, logic, fate, destiny, constraint, compulsion, duress, distress, anguish, pain, physical force, blood ties. Be weary with toil: labor, be weary, be distressed. Change: exchange. Admirable: fair, beautiful, good, noble.

Key Phrase: Toil.

Through toil and distress a change will be made for the better. Hard work will result in a good return. It is your fate to be weary with labor, but there will be a beautiful or noble transformation. You yourself will be ennobled. You are obliged to work hard, but the change will be good. Circumstances will cause distress, but there will be a good change or exchange. Pain will force an admirable change.

In support of this oracle, you could make a talisman invoking Hephaistos to grant you the strength and energy to bring about a change for the better.

Numerical value = 40

Olympian: Poseidon

Zodiac: Pisces

Body: Feet

Agrippa: Libra

Lunar symbol: Goat (13)

Hieroglyph: (owl: penetrating vision)

Twelfth hour of the day (Arktos, Bear): Salute to the setting Sun

Vox magica:

N (Nu)

Now springs forth the fitting time for all.

“Now {} the fitting opportunity for everything arises.”

Fitting: suitable, harmonious, joining, adapting, ordering. Opportunity: right time, critical time, season, advantage, profit, fruit, fitness, due measure (see discussion of kairos under B, Beta). Arises: springs up, is born, grows.

Key Phrase: Now.

Now is the suitable time for anything; the right time begins now. You are entering into a harmonious season, a time when everything is well ordered and bears fruit. An appropriate opportunity or profit is at hand; it is developing. Orderly profits are growing. The most suitable situation is now. Seize the moment; you can accomplish anything! You are entering a synchronistic period when anything is possible.

The time is right for some opportunity, but for what? Hermes is the god who brings us the wit to seize sudden, unexpected opportunities, so you could make a talisman invoking him to bring you the opportunity and the recognition of the right time to act.

The Olympos Oracle has this text:

Nike’s gift enwreathes the oracle.

“A victory-bearing {} gift enwreathes the oracle.”

Victory-bearing: victory-bringing, victorious. Gift: anything given. Enwreathes: crowns, encircles, surrounds. Oracle: oracular response.

Key Phrase: Nike’s gift.

Something will be given (to you, by you, or from one to another) that brings victory with it and will crown this oracle. The import seems to be that this gift will be the answer to the question asked of the oracle. So, for example, if the querent asked when something will happen, the gift is the sign that it’s immanent.

If you want to make a talisman, invoke Nike to bring you victory or whatever the prize might be.

Numerical value = 50

Olympian: Athena

Zodiac: Aries

Body: Feet

Agrippa: Scorpio

Lunar symbol: He-goat (14)

Hieroglyph: (ripple of water)

First hour of the night

Vox magica:

(Xi) 

Xanthic Dêô’s ripened fruit awaits.

“The seasonable fruit of Dêô the golden {} awaits you.”

Fruit: produce, returns, profits, results. Golden: yellow, golden-haired, xanthic. Awaits: waits for, expects.

Key Phrase: Golden.

The fruit that is due now is available for you. The ripe grain is yours for the cutting. The gifts of the goddess are yours for the taking. She has brought you the profits, results, or returns that are due. I think that the oracle is telling you that the goddess Dêô (a name for Demeter, the Grain Mother) has brought you some benefit, so perhaps you should accept the gift.

See also the oracles for (Gamma) and O (Omicron), which are somewhat complementary to this one, for they warn that you will reap nothing if you do not sow. See (Phi) for more on Dêô. The letter is isopsephic with (mageia, magic).

For a talisman, invoke Dêô to bring you the good results that are waiting.

The Olympos Oracle has this text:

You can pick no fruit from withered shoots.

“There is no fruit to take from a dry {} shoot.”

Fruit: produce, returns, profits, results. Take: grasp, pick, seize, receive. Dry: withered, lean, harsh, haggard. Shoot: branch.

Key Phrase: Dry.

Don’t wait too long to harvest or to take your profit. There is no good to be gained from an angry or tired young man or woman. The frayed end of a good line. Harshness and stinginess will achieve nothing. There is no advantage to overworking people or animals. You can’t get blood from a turnip; you can’t get water from a stone. Don’t polish a turd.

This oracle advises that you not wait too long to reap your rewards, so you could make a talisman for timing and prudence. Demeter would be an appropriate goddess to invoke.

Numerical value = 60

Olympian: Aphrodite

Zodiac: Taurus

Body: Ankles

Agrippa: Water

Lunar symbol: Baboon (15)

Hieroglyph: (lake, basin, pool)

Second hour of the night

Vox magica:

O (Omicron)

Out of sight are crops that are not sown.

“There are no {} crops to be reaped that were not sown.”

Crops: fruit trees, cornfields, croplands. Reap: mow, cut off. Sown: engendered, begotten, scattered.

Key Phrase: No crops.

You reap what you sow. You will get nothing because you have given nothing. If you do not work now, there will be no reward later. If you want apples, plant apple seeds. What we spread about comes back to us. What goes around comes around. You must plan ahead in order to achieve anything. There will be no return if you do not invest. What has not been created cannot be destroyed. What has not been born cannot die.

In some ways this oracle is complementary to the previous one, (Xi), which says that the Grain Goddess has brought the fruits of your previous sowing. See also the oracle for (Gamma), which promises the fruits of your labor.

For a talisman, invoke Demeter to help you exert the effort and have the foresight to make the investment now so that you will have your reward later.

Numerical value = 70

Planet: Mars

Olympian: Apollo

Zodiac: Gemini

Body: Legs

Agrippa: Mars (*Venus)

Lunar symbol: Cat (16)

Hieroglyph: (lasso: hunting, capturing)

Third hour of the night

Vox magica:

(Pi)

Passing many tests, you’ll win the crown.

“Completing many {} contests, you will seize the crown.”

Contests: struggles, trials, dangers. Crown: wreath, garland.

Key Phrase: Many tests.

If you persist in your struggles, after many trials you will succeed. Perseverance through adversity. Keep striving and victory will come. After much competition, you will emerge the winner.

The letter is isopsephic with (lêma, will, desire, courage, resolve, purpose). This oracle can be reinforced with a victory talisman; invoke Apollo or Heracles (founder of the Olympics) to empower it. Or invoke another god more appropriate to the contests or prize at hand.

Numerical value = 80

Olympian: Hermes

Zodiac: Cancer

Body: Knees

Agrippa: Sagittarius

Lunar symbol: Lion (17)

Hieroglyph: (reed mat or stool)

Fourth hour of the night

Vox magica:

P (Rho) 

Rest awhile; you’ll go more easily.

“You will go on more easily {} if you wait a short time.”

Go on: live, continue. Easily: willingly, recklessly, thoughtlessly. Wait: stand fast, remain, stay.

Key Phrase: Easily.

If you will hold your ground for only a short time, you will be able to proceed (more easily or with greater cooperation). You’ll live more easily if you take a break. You will go faster by waiting than by going now; on the other hand, delaying too long may provoke reckless action. By standing fast you live recklessly. By remaining where you are, you live life thoughtlessly.

The plain meaning is that everything will go more easily if you wait a bit. However, oracles are ambiguous, and you should also consider the possibility that hesitating is the easy way out—the thoughtless path. Perhaps the harder path is to be preferred. Socrates told the story of the “Choice of Heracles,” in which the hero comes to two goddesses at a Y in a road. Vice (Kakia) entices him to a life of ease, but Virtue (Aretê) leads him down the harder path leading to the blessed life of the gods.85 This led to his eventual deification. The letter P is isopsephic with (engkainia, a feast of renewal).

You might want to make a talisman for patience. Aphrodite is an appropriate goddess to invoke, for she grants ease and relaxation.

Numerical value = 100

Olympian: Zeus

Zodiac: Leo

Body: Thighs

Agrippa: Capricorn

Lunar symbol: Field mouse (19)

Hieroglyph: (mouth: opening, cleft, division; vagina; organ of creation)

Fifth hour of the night

Vox magica:

(Sigma)

“Stay thou, friend,” Apollo plainly says.

“Phoibos [Apollo] speaks plainly {}, ‘Stay, friend.’”

Plainly: distinctly, certainly. Stay: wait, stand fast, remain.

Key Phrase: Plainly.

Neither advance nor retreat; wait or hold your ground, as appropriate; the best action is inaction. Don’t travel. Stay firm; don’t let yourself be swayed. “Phoibos” refers to Apollo as Bright and Pure, which also characterizes the clarity of his advice in this oracle.

A talisman could invoke Phoibos Apollo for patience and steadfastness.

Numerical value = 200

Olympian: Demeter

Zodiac: Virgo

Body: Belly

Agrippa: Aquarius

Lunar symbol: Deer (20)

Hieroglyph (folded cloth)

Sixth hour of the night

Vox magica:

T (Tau)

Take release from present circumstance.

“You will have release from the {} present circumstances.”

Release: deliverance, setting free, ransoming, means of release, parting. Present: nearby. Circumstances: events, mishaps, misfortune, conjunction. Rarely: good luck, happy issue.

Key Phrase: The events.

You will be rescued! Your misfortune will come to an end. You will be given a way out of present circumstances. You are between a rock and a hard place, but you will get out. All your mishaps will come to an end. Leave present events behind. If you have been having good luck, that too may be departing.

You can make a talisman for deliverance from the current situation. Pray to the warrior gods Ares and Athena for their aid.

Numerical value = 300

Olympian: Hephaistos

Zodiac: Libra

Body: Back

Agrippa: Pisces

Lunar symbol: Multiform maiden 86 (21)

Hieroglyph: (bun or bread loaf: food, offering)

Seventh hour of the night

Vox magica:

 

Y (Upsilon)

Useless toil: this wedding isn’t thine!

“This wedding {} is not yours; do not labor in vain.”

Wedding: Hymên, wedding hymn, membrane. Labor: toil. In vain: fruitlessly, idly, falsely, at random, without reason.

Key Phrase: Wedding.

The person whom you are trying to woo will not be yours. This romance or relationship will not be permanent. Give it up. Be sensible. You have not made a good choice of someone to pursue. Do not pretend that you are interested in marriage. Don’t pursue the partnership (of any kind); you are wasting your time. The Oracle advises you to abandon some alliance or union that you have been pursuing.

The letter Y is isopsephic with (kairos, “opportune time”), on which, see the discussion for B (Beta). For a talisman, invoke Athena for prudence in dealing with the situation or Hera for marriage issues specifically.

The Olympos Oracle has this text:

Undertaking fine is held by deed.

“The affair holds a noble undertaking {}.”

Affair: deed, act, issue. Holds: involves, implies, gives cause for, holds fast, hinders, guides, steers. Noble: high-born, high-minded, excellent, notable. Undertaking: engagement, promise, profession.

Key Phrase: Undertaking.

There is some issue to be resolved, or some action is under consideration; it involves high-mindedness, either in commitment, deed, or professional pursuit. The oracle may tell us that the affair is admirable due to this noble element, or that the situation may guide us to seek the appropriate noble undertaking or profession. The hero’s quest. On the other hand, the oracle may mean that the situation hinders this fine undertaking. Thus you should try to understand the situation: does it demand an excellent undertaking or impede it?

For a talisman, you might invoke Athena to grant you high-minded courage for this noble undertaking.

Numerical value = 400

Planet: Jupiter

Olympian: Ares

Zodiac: Scorpio

Body: Diaphragm

Agrippa: Jupiter (*Mercury)

Lunar symbol: Torch (22)

Hieroglyph: (quail chick)

Eighth hour of the night

Vox magica:

(Phi)

Forthwith plant! For Dêô fosters well.

“Plant {}! For Dêô will nourish everything beautifully.”

Plant: beget, engender, produce, bring about, cause. Nourish: cause to grow, cause to increase, rear, educate, develop, form, tend, guard, foster, cherish, maintain, support, keep, thicken. Beautifully: well, happily, rightly, deservedly, nobly, honorably, thoroughly.

Key Phrase: Plant.

Plant your crops or vegetable garden, and the Grain Mother will make them grow well. Start your project, for the goddess will bring it to fruition. She will care for it, and it will come out very well. Plant your seeds (of any sort), and the goddess will help you to cultivate them productively. Make a baby, for it will grow up beautiful and noble, for the goddess will foster the child’s development.

Dêô is a name for Demeter, the Grain Mother; see also under (Xi). I believe this oracle is advising you to have faith in the goddess. In the myth of the Eleusinian Mysteries, the disguised goddess Demeter secretly puts the infant Demophoön, who is under her care, in the fire each night, burning away his mortality so that he will become godlike. When the child’s mother discovers what is being done, she cries out in alarm and ruins the alchemical process. “Ye mortals are unknowing and thoughtless,” admonishes the goddess, “ye know not whether good or evil comes your way.” Make a beginning and have faith that Dêô will bring forth something beautiful. The letter is isopsephic with (To Pan, The All).

Invoke Dêô to empower a talisman for divine guidance and support to bring this wonderful enterprise to fruition.

The Olympos Oracle has this text:

Faultily you act, and blame the gods.

“Having done something carelessly {}, you will thereafter blame the gods.”

Done: caused, accomplished, made, managed, negotiated, transacted, practiced, fared. Carelessly: thoughtlessly, indifferently.

Key Phrase: Faultily.

Take responsibility for your actions (or inactions); don’t blame the gods (or the universe, or fate, or society, or nature) for your own failings, for your thoughtless or careless actions. The ancient Greeks said, “Hermes will help you get your wagon unstuck, but only if you push on it.” Another old story told of a ship that was wrecked. Everyone was in the water, and one man was desperately calling on Athena. Another said, “Sure, pray to Athena, but don’t forget to move your arms!”

You might want to make a talisman to help you be more responsible and to have a greater sense of responsibility. Pray to Athena to grant you this strength and wisdom.

Numerical value = 500

Olympian: Artemis

Zodiac: Sagittarius

Body: Breast

Agrippa: Air

Lunar symbol: Lightning (23)

Hieroglyph: (horned viper: a manifestation of Horus)

Ninth hour of the night

Vox magica:

X (Khi)

“Happily press on!” says Zeus himself.

“‘Rejoicing {}, press on!’ Zeus himself says this.”

Rejoicing: being glad, delighted, joyful, faring well, safely. Press on: press hard, drive on, urge on, hasten. Says: bids you do.

Key Phrase: Rejoicing.

Charge ahead! Keep working with joy in your heart. Zeus urges you forward, even commands you! Act with the confidence that you will fare well and be safe. With joy, hasten the matter or yourself forward. Lean hard on it, but stay happy.

This oracle is quite clear: you should act with decision and haste, not stressed out or anxious, but with joy and confidence. I think of someone doing what they are trained and skilled at doing. The expert healer starts the treatment; the warrior charges into the fray; the witch or wizard starts the spell. However, the oracle definitely implies that you will have to work hard, while taking pleasure in the effort. That Zeus himself speaks may imply that the matter involves leadership, authority, or some other activity in which Zeus is involved, such as parenting. Note that the oracle does not guarantee success, only that you will fare well in your effort. The letter X is isopsephic with (Cosmos) and (eupragia, well-being, welfare, success).

Zeus has brought you this good news, so invoke him for a talisman bringing the energy and confidence to press on joyfully.

The Olympos Oracle says:

Happy end fulfills this golden word.

“Succeeding, wanderer, you will fulfill this golden {} oracle.”

Succeeding: gaining your end, hitting the mark, meeting someone. Fulfill: bring to pass, cause, accomplish. Golden: magnificent, splendid.

Key Phrase: Golden.

“Golden” may be a metaphor for rich, noble, excellent, etc. This admirable oracle will be fulfilled by you attaining your ends, or a mere chance meeting could constitute the golden event. Rejoice, you will succeed!

The oracle does not specify the goal at which you’ll succeed, and if it is not obvious, your interpretation will need to consider the possibilities and pick the wisest choice. The letter X is isopsephic with (Cosmos) and (eupragia, “well-being,” “welfare,” “success”).

Hermes is the god of the happy happenstance, so invoke him in a talisman to bring good luck and success.

Numerical value = 600

Olympian: Hestia

Zodiac: Capricorn

Body: Shoulders and hands

Agrippa: Fire

Lunar symbol: Garland (24)

Hieroglyph: (placenta, sieve, or ball of string?)

Tenth hour of the night

Vox magica:

(Psi)

Proper is this judgment from the gods.

“You have this righteous judgment {} from the gods.”

Righteous: just, fitting, meet, fair. Judgment: resolve, decree, vote.

Key Phrase: Judgment.

Literally, a psêphos (Lat., calculus) is a stone used for divination, voting, counting, and similar purposes, so this oracle refers to collective judgment rather than individual judgment. This implies that the majority of the gods concur in this judgment, and that this judgment is appropriate, fair, and righteous, though there is no implication that the result is that desired by the querent. Accept it and move on.

This oracle is enigmatic; the puzzled querent might ask, “What judgment?” In some cases the answer will be obvious, because the querent will have been subject to some decision or is facing one in the near future. The oracle tells you that it’s just and comes from the gods. In the absence of an obvious judgment affecting the querent, you may look for any recent significant occurrence, which might be understood as divine judgment. The oracle tells you to see it this way. If you can’t solve the enigma, do another divination asking for clarification. The letter is isopsephic with (kritos, “chosen,” “selected,” “excellent”).

You might make a talisman to strengthen justice, for which Zeus and Dikê are appropriate patrons.

Numerical value = 700

Olympian: Hera

Zodiac: Aquarius

Body: Neck

Agrippa: Spirit

Lunar symbol: Herald’s wand (caduceus) (25)

Hieroglyph: (reed mat or stool + folded cloth)

Eleventh hour of the night

Vox magica:

(Omega)

Otiose the fruit that’s plucked unripe.

“If you take unripe {} fruit, it won’t be useful.”

Take: grasp, pick, seize, receive. Unripe: savage, cruel, rough, untimely, uncooked. Fruit: fruit time, autumn, summer bloom, bloom of youth. Useful: suitable, apt, profitable, good, serviceable, fit.

Key Phrase: Unripe fruit.

If you pick your fruit too soon, you will have a bad harvest. More abstractly, too early grasping of the fruits of your labor (whether the taking is voluntary or necessary) will yield a poor return; the rewards will not be suitable for their purpose. Don’t be impatient, or the results will be inferior. If someone has a rough youth, he or she won’t be a well-adjusted adult.

The letter is isopsephic with (Kurios, “Lord”), a title that is often applied to the Greek gods. Invoke Demeter, the Grain Mother, in a talisman for patience and good timing.

Numerical value = 800

Planet: Saturn

Olympian: Poseidon

Zodiac: Pisces

Body: Head

Agrippa: Saturn (*Moon)

Lunar symbol: Child (26)

Hieroglyph: (coil of rope or cursive quail chick)

Twelfth hour of the night

Vox magica:

Letter	Oracle Verse	Initial Word	Key Phrase
A (Alpha)	All these things, he says, you’ll do quite well!		All [things]
B (Beta)	Briefly wait; the time’s not right for thee. (Both Apollo, Fortune bring thee aid.)		Brief [delay] (Helper)
(Gamma)	Gaia gives thee ripe fruit from thy work.		Gaia
(Delta)	Dodge the dreadful deeds, avoiding harm. (Drive ill-timed is weak before the rules.)		Dreadful (Strength)
E (Epsilon)	Eager art thou for right wedding’s fruits.		Desire
Z (Zeta)	Zealously avoid the harmful storm!		Storm
H (Eta)	Helios, all-watcher, watches thee.		Helios
(Theta)	Thou hast gods as comrades and as aides. (Thou hast gods as helpers on this path.)		Gods (Gods)
I (Iota)	In all things, thou shalt excel—with sweat!		Sweat
K (Kappa)	Contests with the waves are hard; endure!		Waves
(Lambda)	Leave off grief, and then await delight. (Lovely bodes the widespread word all things.)		Grief (Word)
M (Mu)	Make no haste; in vain you press ahead. (Mandatory toil: the change is good.)		Vainly (Toil)
Letter	Oracle Verse	Initial Word	Key Phrase
N (Nu)	Now springs forth the fitting time for all. (Nike’s gift enwreathes the oracle.)		Now (Nike’s gift)
(Xi)	Xanthic Dêô’s ripened fruit awaits. (You can pick no fruit from withered shoots.)		Golden (Dry)
O (Omicron)	Out of sight are crops that are not sown.		No [crops]
(Pi)	Passing many tests, you’ll win the crown.		Many [tests]
P (Rho)	Rest awhile; you’ll go more easily.		Easily
(Sigma)	“Stay thou, friend,” Apollo plainly says.		Plainly
T (Tau)	Take release from present circumstance.		The [events]
Y (Upsilon)	Useless toil: this wedding isn’t thine! (Undertaking fine is held by deed.)		Wedding (Undertaking)
(Phi)	Forthwith Plant! For Dêô fosters well. (Faultily you act, and blame the gods.)		Plant (Faultily)
X (Khi)	“Happily press on!” says Zeus himself. (Happy end fulfills this golden word.)		Rejoicing (Golden)
(Psi)	Proper is this judgment from the gods.		Judgment
(Omega)	Otiose the fruit that’s plucked unripe.		Unripe [fruit]

Table 7. Alphabet Oracle Verses.

[contents]

78. PGM, CI.23 hasAKPAMMAXAMAPI, but I have substituted this vox magica, which has similar beneficial force, but begins and ends with the appropriate letter like the other voces magicae. For additional information, see the note in the Consecration Ritual in Chapter 3.

79. Pythagoras quoted in Iamblichus, On the Pythagorean Way of Life (¶49; pp. 72–3); Hesiod, Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, “Works & Days,” line 692; Chilon in de Vogel, Pythagoras and Early Pythagoreanism (Assen: van Gorcum,1966), 115.

80. The quotations are from Iamblichus, On the Pythagorean Way of Life, ¶¶181–2; pp. 190–1. For more on kairos, see de Vogel, Pythagoras and Early Pythagoreanism, 113–123.

81. Iamblichus, Theoulogumena Arithmeticae (Suttgarg: Teubner, 1975), ¶50; p. 67, line 15; and Iamblichus, The Theology of Arithmetic, 88 and 89–100 for other characteristics of the heptad discussed here.

82. Iamblichus, The Theology of Arithmetic, 65, 74; and Iamblichus, Theoulogumena Arithmeticae, ¶¶24, 31–32; p. 30, line 19, p. 41, line 14.

83. Iamblichus, The Theology of Arithmetic, 111, 114; and Iamblichus, Theoulogumena Arithmeticae, ¶¶61, 63; pp. 82, 86.

84. My previous translation of the Olympos (née Limyra) Oracle was based on an incorrect reading of the inscription reported in Heinevetter, Würfel- und Buchstabenorakel, 35. The present translation is based on the corrected text in Nollé, Kleinasiatische Losorakel, 241–2.

85. Xenophon (II.i.21–33) in Lindsay, Socratic Discourses by Plato and Xenophon (London: J. M. Dent, 1910), 41–45; see also Hesiod, Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica (Works & Days, ll. 287–92) and Opsopaus, The Guide to the Pythagorean Tarot (St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 2001), 15–16.

86. Grk., polymorphos parthenos, a name for the goddess Hekate.