On the Monad
“
Likewise, they call it "Chaos," which is Hesiod's first generator, because Chaos gives rise to everything else, as the monad does. It is also thought to be both "mixture" and "blending," "obscurity" and "darkness" thanks to the lack of articulation and distinction of everything which ensues from it.
Anatolius says that it is called "matrix" and "matter," on the grounds that without it there is no number.
The mark which signifies the monad is the source of all things.
— Iamblichus
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Likewise, they call it "Chaos," which is Hesiod's first generator, because Chaos gives rise to everything else, as the monad does. It is also thought to be both "mixture" and "blending," "obscurity" and "darkness" thanks to the lack of articulation and distinction of everything which ensues from it.
Anatolius says that it is called "matrix" and "matter," on the grounds that without it there is no number.
The mark which signifies the monad is the source of all things." in the context of "On the Monad" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Iamblichus" (Quotes, The Theology of Arithmetic: This work is often attributed to Iamblichus, and no other, but the attribution is not considered definite. Quotes listed here are from the translation by Robin Waterfield (1988). The Theology of Arithmetic : On the Mystical, Mathematical and Cosmological Symbolism of the First Ten Numbers. Grand Rapids, MI: Phanes Press. . (Theologumena arithmeticae: ad rarissimum exemplum Parisiense emendatius descripta - 1817 Latin text online))
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Iamblichus
Iamblichus of Chalcis or Iamblichus Chalcidensis (Ἰάμβλιχος; c. 245 – c. 325) was a Greek Neoplatonic philosopher from Syria who heavily influenced later Neoplatonism, and much of western pagan philosophy. He is most famous for his compendium on Pythagorean philosophy.
About Iamblichus
Iamblichus of Chalcis or Iamblichus Chalcidensis (Ἰάμβλιχος; c. 245 – c. 325) was a Greek Neoplatonic philosopher from Syria who heavily influenced later Neoplatonism, and much of western pagan philosophy. He is most famous for his compendium on Pythagorean philosophy.
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