And Venus, because the male 3 triad and the female 2 or dual, odd and even are conjoined in i t : Venus was sometimes considered herma phrodite, and was bearded as well as full bosomed. And Gamelia, that is referring to marriage. And Androgynia, being odd and masculine, yet containing an even female part. Also a “ Demi-goddess,” because it is half of the Decad, which is a divinity. And “ Didymus ” because it divides the Decad into two equal parts. But they called it Pallas, and Immortal, because Pallas presides over the Ether, or 5th Element (akasa) which is indestructible, and is not material to our present senses. And Cardiatis or Cordialis, because like a heart it is in the middle of the body of the numbers, thus:— 1
4 7
2 5 8
3 6 9 The ancients had a maxim “ Pass not above the beam of the balance.” that is— be not cause of injury ; for they said let the members in a series form a Balance Beam
thus when a weight depresses the Beam, an obtuse angle is formed by the Depressed side and the Tongue Vertical, and an acute angle on the other. Hence it is worse to do, than to suffer injury, and the authors of injury sink down to the infernal regions, but the injured rise to the gods. Since however injustice pertains to inequality, equalization is necessary which is effected by addition and subtraction. Plutarch in his treatise on the Generation of the Soul according to Plato, states that the Pentad is called “ trophos ” which equals Sound because the first of the intervals of a Tone which is capable of produc ing a sound, is the fifth ; it is also a type of “ Nature.” The Pentalpha or 5 pointed star, an endless complex set of angles, was the emblem of Health, H ygeia; it forms 5 copies of the capital letter A. It is also called the Pentacle, and erroneously the Seal of Solomon, and was said to be a device on the signet of the Ancient Grand Master of the Mysteries.
Kenneth Mackenzie remarks that being formed by the union of the first odd and even numbers, 5 was considered of peculiar value and used as an Amulet or Talisman powerful to preserve from evil, and when inscribed on a portal, could keep out evil spirits ; it is found almost everywhere in Greece and Egypt. The early Christians referred to the Pentad the 5 wounds of Christ.