Page:The Golden verses of Pythagoras (IA cu31924026681076).pdf/240

 *tion that he makes between these two kinds of virtues has been made by Plato, Aristotle, Galen, and many others of the philosophers of antiquity. One of them, Macrobius, to whom we owe the knowledge and explanation of many of the mystic secrets, which, notwithstanding the extreme care exercised to conceal them, were rumoured outside of the sanctuaries, has made a comparison between the degrees of the initiation and those that one admits in the exercise of the virtues; and he enumerates four. This number, which is related to the universal Quaternary, has been the most constantly followed, although it may have varied, however, from three to seven. The number three was regarded by the ancients as the principle of nature, and the number seven as its end. The principal degrees of initiation were, to the number of three, as the grades of the apprentice, companion, and master are in Free Masonry today. From this comes the epithet of Triple, given to the mysterious Hecate, and even to Mithra, considered as the emblem of mystic knowledge. Sometimes three secondary degrees were added to the three principal ones and were terminated by an extraordinary revelation, which raising the initiate to the rank of Epopt, or seer par excellence, gave him the true signification of the degrees through which he had already passedə; showed him nature unveiled, and admitted him to the contemplation of divine knowledge. It was for the Epopt alone that the last veil fell, and the sacred vestment which covered the statue of the, human, and the second [Greek: hêrôikê kai dia], heroic and divine. Attention should be given to these epithets which are related to the three principal faculties of man. Aristot., ad Nicom., l. vii., c. 1 ; Plato, in Theætet.; Gallien, ''in Cognit et Curat. morb. anim.'', l. i., c. 3, et 6; Theod. Marcil, ''in Aur. Carmin.]; Harpocr., ibid''.]