μάγοι δὲ καὶ πᾶν τὸ ἄρειον γένος, ὡς καὶ τοῦτο γράφει ὁ Εὔδημος, οἱ μὲν Τόπον, οἱ δὲ Χρόνον καλοῦσι τὸ νοητὸν ἄπαν καὶ τὸ ἡνωμένον, ἐξ οὖ διακριθῆναι ἢ θεὸν ἀγαθὸν καὶ δαίμονα κακόν, ἢ φῶς καὶ σκότος πρὸ τούτων, ὡς ἐνίους λέγειν, οὖτοι δέ οὖν καὶ αὐτοὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀδιάκριτον φύσιν διακρινομένην ποιοῦσι τὴν διττὴν συστοιχίαν τῶν κρειττόνων, τῆς μὲν ἡγεῖσθαι τὸν ᾽Ωρομάσδη, τῆς δὲ τόν ᾽Αρειμάνιον.

‘The Magi and in general the entire Aryan race, as Eudemus (of Rhodes) also writes, call the whole of that which is intelligible and that which is unified (= being) in some cases Time, in others Place; from this comes by discrimination either a good god and an evil demon, or light and darkness before these, as some say. Then they also posit, after the undifferentiated nature, the double series of higher beings, of which Ahura Mazdā reigns over the one and Aŋra Mainyu over the other.’

Damascius, Dubitations and Solutions (125 bis /C. 95)

Zamān ‘Time’ in the last texts of the Magi

It is now nearly 16 years since my book on the “Cosmic Doctrine” of the Persian Magi after the fall of the Persian kingship was delivered to the Press. I have found it necessary to prepare anew the collection of Magi’s Persian texts and or fragments bearing upon the problem of Time and the creation of the world in the Magian doctrine. 

زمان ِ بيکران اندر نوشته های پارسی ِ مغان

Contents

I. A polemical work apropos of the creation, creator and created, the so-called ‛Ulamā-i Islām

II. Another work apropos of the creation of the world, the resurrection, and the religion, also called ‛Ulamā-i Islām

III. The account of the debate between a Parsi priest and a Muslim doctor concerning God

IV. An astrological text

V. The Planets

VI. The Millenniums

VII. The symbolic interpretation of Time, Ahura Mazdā and Aŋra Mainyu

VIII. Time and Ahuna Vairya

IX. The first is Time

X. The reason of creating Evil by Time 

XI. ῾Επταπρόσωπος πατὴρ τοῦ μεγέθους

---