4/Historical Note

Historical Note on 4|$4$
The number 4|$4$, as was 8|$8$, was associated by the Pythagoreans with the concept of justice, being evenly balanced: $4 = 2 + 2$, where $2$ is the principle of diversity.

Throughout history, the number 4|$4$ has been regarded with particular significance.

There were originally believed to be $4$ elements out of which everything was formed:
 * Earth, Air, Fire and Water.

There are $4$ humours:
 * Sanguine, Melacholic, Choleric and Phlegmatic.

There are $4$ cardinal points of the compass:
 * North, East, South and West.

There are $4$ seasons of the year:
 * Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

In the Old Testament, there were $4$ rivers which watered the Garden of Eden:
 * Pishon, Gihon, the Tigris, and the Euphrates.

In Islam, these rivers are:
 * Saihan (Syr Darya), Jaihan (Amu Darya), Furat (Euphrates) and Nil (Nile).

In the New Testament, there are $4$ Gospels:
 * Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The most aesthetically pleasing musical intervals are those whose frequencies are associated with the ratio of $1 : 4$.


 * Four strong winds that blow lonely
 * Seven seas that run high
 * All those things that don't change come what may
 * But our good times are all gone
 * And I'm bound for moving on
 * I'll look for you if I'm ever back this way


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