NUMBER MYSTERY 157

Another biblical association is provided by the three wise
men bearing their gifts, whilst in classical mythology there
were three Graces and three Furies. In heraldry we find the
three British lions in the royal arms; three legs in the quaint
device of the Isle of Man; and the three feathers of the Prince
of Wales’ Feathers. In modern times we are all familiar with,
if not proficient in the use of, the three R’s of basic education;
we are often called upon to give three cheers in some cause
or other and, in our nursery days, most have lived with the
three blind mice, the three bears and the three little kittens
who lost their mittens.

Four was also a sacred number to the Pythagoreans be-
cause it was the first square number. It was deemed to repre-
sent the four elements and was, as a consequence, the symbol
for the Earth.

The number five was the number of knowledge. Its symbol
was the pentagram and this was also often taken as the
symbol of Man, representing his five members (head and
four limbs) and his five fingers on each hand. Five was also
the symbol of marriage because it expressed the union of the
odd number, three, and the even number, two.

Equilibrium and peace were represented by the number
six, its symbol being two triangles base to base. This identity
is still expressed in the phrase ‘sixes and sevens’ to describe
the upsetting of the equilibrium, and also in the phrase ‘six
to one and half a dozen to the other’ to emphasize a balanc-
ing equality.

The number seven rivalled the number three in popularity.
It has repeated references in the Bible, having particular
significance in connexion with the day of rest following the
creation of the World. Then there are also the Seven Virtues,
the Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Sleepers. There were
seven wonders of the ancient world and, throughout the
years, men have yearned to attain the ecstasies of their
seventh heaven.

To the Pythagoreans, the number eight was the number of
justice because it divided evenly into four and four, and each

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