_Pistis Sophia_, p. 16, Copt. The five words are _zama_, _zama_, _ôzza_, _rachama_, _ôzai_. Whatever they may mean, we may be quite sure that they can never contain with their few letters the three pages or so of text which are given as their interpretation. It is possible that the letters are used acrostically like the A G L A, _i.e._ ניבר לעולם אדני (? Ahih ? אהיה) אתה _Ate Gibor Lailam Adonai_, “The mighty Adonai for ever” (or “thou art the mighty and eternal Lord”) commonly met with in mediaeval magic. Cf. Peter de Abano, _Heptameron, seu Elementa Magica_, Paris, 1567, p. 563; or, for other examples, F. Barrett, _The Magus_, 1801, Bk II. pp. 39, 40. The notable feature in these mysterious words is the quantity of Zetas or ζ’s that they contain which points to the use of some sort of table like that called by Cabalists _ziruph_, or a cryptogram of the _aaaaa_, _aaaab_, kind. It should be noticed that Coptic scribes were often afflicted with what has been called Betacism or the avoidance of the letter Beta or β by every means, which frequently led to the substitution for it of ζ as in the case of Jaldabaoth = Ιαλδαζαω given above (Chap. VIII, n. 3, p. 46 _supra_). Footnote 473: This idea of certain powers being the members or “limbs” of him from whom they issue recurs all through the _Pistis Sophia_. Cf. especially p. 224, Copt., where it is said that the χωρήματα or “receptacles” of the Ineffable go forth from his last limb. It is probably to be referred to the conception of the Supreme Being as the Man κατ’ ἐξοχήν, which we have seen current among the Ophites. See Chap. VIII, n. 2, p. 38 _supra_. That the ancient Egyptians used the same expression concerning their own gods and especially Ra, see Moret, “Le Verbe créateur et révélateur,” _R.H.R._, Mai-Juin, 1909, p. 257. Cf. Amélineau, _Gnosticisme Égyptien_, p. 288. So Naville, _Old Egyptian Faith_, p. 227. Footnote 474: That is to say, their names make up his name as letters do a word. So in the system of Marcus referred to in Chap. IX _supra_, Irenaeus (Bk I. c. 8, § 11, p. 146, Harvey) explains that the name of Jesus (Ἰησοῦς) which might be uttered is composed of six letters, but His unutterable name of twenty-four, because the names of the first Tetrad of Ἄρρητος (Bythos), Σιγή, Πατὴρ (Monogenes or Nous) and Ἀλήθεια contain that number of letters. See also § 5 of same chapter. Those who wish to understand the system are recommended to read the whole of the chapter quoted. As Irenaeus has the sense to see, there is no reason why the construction from one root of names founded on the principle given should not go on for ever. Footnote 475: