Resolving the 1st riddle

Perhaps a treasure hunt to find Pythagoras, the treasure.

If you pondered pages 128 and 129 to determine how Mr. Gann tells the reader the subject of the words on those pages is Pythagoras, I'll present the resolution in the order I discovered it.

First, before I discovered the the acrostic and telestic encoding in TTTTA, I noticed, like many others, the odd inclusion of the numbers '9,000,000 copies' and '24,000,000' copies.  So I played around with the numbers.  It so happened I was reading P.D. Outspensky's notes on the teachings of Guardjieffe and Russell Smith's 'Cosmic Secrets' at the time.  It was easy to manipulate 9 and 24 and construct the metrics of each note in the diatonic scale; the scale conceptualized by Pythagoras in the western world.  Like many other places in the plain working narrative of TTTTA, the reader is given two or more numbers which he is tasked with understanding the purpose for their inclusion.  These two numbers point us in the direction of the diatonic scale.

Second, I noted on the top of page 129 the well known poem memorializing Pythagoras having passed the blacksmith shop and, upon hearing the sound of the hammers against the anvil, realizing the size/weight of the hammer created differing tones.  [Which, as explained in "The Manual of Harmonics of Nicomachus the Pythagorean," is scientifically invalid but allegorically permissible.]  Again, Pythagoras.  Confirmation of the first clue in the preceding paragraph.

And finally, I noted page128.  Why is page 128 significant.  What is the universally recognized vibration of note C, the most recognized tong?  It is 256 or mid C (I believe).  As octaves are mathematically based on halving and doubling, the lower C would be half of 256 or 128.  Further confirmation, the circumstances are becoming persuasive…perhaps not quite proof.

At this point, because I had not discovered the acrostic and telestic hidden codes, I wrote a blog post on the discovery.  I was reasonably satisfied Mr. Gann had buried the trail to Pythagoras and the diatonic scale on pages 128 and 129.  Additional confirmation was yet to be found.  And it was found.

Now, months later I was now looking at the acrostics and telestics of the 15218 lines that comprise TTTTA.  And, having already recognized the importance of the poem on page 129, I was pondering the first letters of the first stanza of the blacksmith poem.  Before we go further, let's name that poem.  It is "The Anvil of God's Word" attributed to Masonic brother (I believe I confirmed that) John Clifford.

The first four letters of that stanza in TTTTA spell "LATO" in all caps.  Bugger, nothing apparent.  LATO is an ancient village on the island of Crete.  Wait a minute, did not Pythagoras travel to Crete and around among other places to discover the then ancient teachings and mysteries?  Yes he did.  Perhaps Mr. Gann knew better the exact locations where Pythagoras traveled on the island of Crete.

LATO was the final confirmation, for me, that the author, Mr. Gann, wanted to convey not just the knowledge that Pythagoras and the diatonic scale was important, but that it was very important.  Mr. Gann took the time to bury a secret confirmation to monument the importance of that knowledge for the reader who contemplates it seriously.

But far more important than that is the Mr. Gann's active and affirmative effort to distort the first lines of that poem to create the word, 'LATO.'  You can read the first stanza of "The Anvil of God's Word" HERE.

Mr. Gann changed that first stanza.  I claim he did so for the purpose of spelling LATA.  I submit this is further proof (in addition to the six e's discussed in another blog post) one cannot explain the myriad of acrostic and telestic words in TTTTA on randomness.  Mr. Gann created these words with intent to teach those who are willing and adequately open minded to labor, think and learn.

This latter confirmation of the encoding method is far more important to me in further research than the realization of Pythagoras as a focal point.  Heck, I already knew all that.

I'll have another riddle soon.

Jim Ross