ΑΥΤΟΕΠΙΣΤΡΟΦΗ (aytoepistrofh) — Lexarithmos 2044 · Etymology, Meanings

Definition

Autoepistrophe (αὐτοεπιστροφή, ἡ) is a technical philosophical term, primarily from Neoplatonism, describing the capacity of an entity to turn back upon itself, to reflect upon itself, or to return to its own principle. This is not a simple physical motion, but a noetic or spiritual activity where the subject and object of the action coincide.

In Proclus, autoepistrophe is fundamental to understanding the hierarchy of hypostases. Higher hypostases, such as Nous (Intellect) and Psyche (Soul), are autoepistreptic, meaning their activity does not depend on external factors but turns inward, towards their own source. This self-referentiality is an indicator of perfection and self-sufficiency.

This concept differs from a simple "return" (ἐπιστροφή) by emphasizing the "auto-", i.e., the internal, self-generated nature of the movement. It is the turning of being towards its own essence, a process of self-knowledge and self-realization that leads to union with the transcendent principle, the One (Ἕν).

Etymology

autoepistroph- (compound root from aut- and streph-)

The word autoepistrophe is a compound, derived from the Ancient Greek prefix auto- (from αὐτός, "self, the same") and the noun epistrophe ("return, turning towards"). αὐτός is an Ancient Greek root belonging to the oldest stratum of the language, while epistrophe derives from the verb epistrephō, which is itself a compound of epi- and strephō. The root streph- is also Ancient Greek and means "to turn, to twist." The combination of these two elements creates a new concept denoting an internal, self-referential movement or state.

The word family of autoepistrophe includes derivatives from both αὐτός and strephō/epistrephō. From αὐτός come words denoting autonomy, self-sufficiency, or self-generation, such as autokinētos, autarkeia. From strephō/epistrephō come words denoting a turning movement, such as strophē, anastrophē, apostrophē, as well as epistrephō itself and epistrophē. The compound autoepistrophe unites these two semantic chains into a single philosophical concept.

Main Meanings

The act of turning back upon oneself — The basic, literal meaning of self-referential movement.
Philosophical return of the soul to its source — In Neoplatonism, the process by which the soul turns towards the One or the Nous, seeking its origin.
Self-knowledge, introspection — The noetic activity of self-examination and understanding of the self.
Self-reverting activity of higher hypostases — In Proclean philosophy, the property of Nous and Psyche to act upon and know themselves.
Self-sufficiency, autonomy — The capacity of an entity to be complete within itself and not depend on external causes.
Return to original nature or essence — The process by which something reverts to its authentic, undivided state.
Self-correction, self-regulation — The ability of a system or individual to correct its deviations through internal mechanisms.

Word Family

autoepistroph- (compound root from aut- and streph-)

The compound root autoepistroph- consists of two Ancient Greek elements: aut- (from αὐτός, "self") and streph- (from στρέφω, "to turn, to twist"). This compound creates a family of words that explore the idea of internal movement, self-referentiality, and return to a principle. While aut- emphasizes autonomy and an internal source, streph- denotes direction and change. Each member of the family develops an aspect of this complex concept, from simple turning to intricate philosophical self-reversion.

αὐτός noun · lex. 971

The pronoun "self, the same." It forms the first component of autoepistrophe, highlighting the autonomy and internal source of the action. In classical philosophy, the "self" is often the object of knowledge and care ("know thyself").

στρέφω verb · lex. 1905

The basic verb meaning "to turn, to twist." It is the fundamental root of the second component of autoepistrophe, denoting the movement of turning. In Homer, it is used for physical movements, later acquiring metaphorical meanings.

ἐπιστρέφω verb · lex. 2000

A compound verb from ἐπί + στρέφω, meaning "to turn back, to return." It is the direct ancestor of the noun epistrophē and, by extension, of autoepistrophe. In Platonic philosophy, the "return" of the soul to the world of Forms is central.

ἐπιστροφή ἡ · noun · lex. 1273

The noun meaning "return, turning towards." It forms the second component of autoepistrophe. In Neoplatonism, epistrophē is the soul's movement towards its principle, while autoepistrophe adds the self-referential dimension.

αὐτοκίνητος adjective · lex. 1129

Meaning "self-moving, autonomous in its motion." It combines "auto" with motion, prefiguring the idea of self-sufficient action. Plato in Phaedrus (245e) characterizes the soul as a "source of motion" and "self-moving."

ἀναστροφή ἡ · noun · lex. 1230

Meaning "turning up, conduct, way of life." While retaining the sense of turning, it extends to ethical and social dimensions, denoting the "turning" of one's life. In the New Testament, it often refers to "conduct" or "behavior."

ἀποστροφή ἡ · noun · lex. 1229

Meaning "turning away, aversion, avoidance." It is conceptually opposed to epistrophē, as it denotes turning "away" from something. In rhetoric, it is the speaker's turning away from the audience to address a person or thing.

αὐτοδίδακτος adjective · lex. 1080

Meaning "self-taught, one who has learned from oneself." It emphasizes autonomy in learning and acquiring knowledge, a form of "return" to the internal capacity for knowledge, without external aid.

Philosophical Journey

The concept of autoepistrophe, though culminating in Neoplatonism, has its roots in earlier philosophical ideas concerning self-motion and return.

5th-4th C. BCE (Plato, Aristotle)

Classical Philosophy

Plato introduces the idea of the "self-moving soul" (Phaedrus, 245e), while Aristotle analyzes the "thinking of thinking" (Metaphysics, Λ 9), where the divine intellect contemplates itself, prefiguring self-referentiality.

3rd C. BCE (Stoicism)

Hellenistic Philosophy

Stoics emphasize autarkeia (self-sufficiency) and the return to nature, though not with the technical term autoepistrophe, but with the idea of living in agreement with oneself and the cosmic logos.

3rd C. CE (Plotinus)

Neoplatonism

Plotinus, the founder of Neoplatonism, develops the idea of the soul's return to the One and the self-referential activity of the Nous, describing the turning inward (Enneads, V.3.13).

5th C. CE (Proclus)

Late Neoplatonism

Proclus systematizes the concept of autoepistrophe as a technical term, making it central to the hierarchy of hypostases. In his Elements of Theology (Proposition 15), he defines that «πᾶν τὸ αὐτοεπιστρεπτικὸν ἀσώματον» ("every self-reverting entity is incorporeal").

Byzantine Era

Byzantine Philosophy

Byzantine commentators and theologians, such as Psellus, continue to study and interpret Proclean autoepistrophe, integrating the concept into Orthodox thought, often in relation to self-knowledge and theosis.

In Ancient Texts

Autoepistrophe as a technical term is closely associated with Neoplatonism, especially Proclus.

«πᾶν τὸ αὐτοεπιστρεπτικὸν ἀσώματον»

Every self-reverting entity is incorporeal.

Proclus, Elements of Theology, Proposition 15

«καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲν ἄλλο νοεῖ ὁ νοῦς ἢ ἑαυτόν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἄλλο βούλεται ἢ ἑαυτόν»

For the intellect thinks nothing else but itself, and wills nothing else but itself.

Plotinus, Enneads, V.3.13

«τὸ γὰρ αὐτὸ νοεῖν τε καὶ εἶναι»

For the same thing is thinking and being.

Parmenides, On Nature, fr. 3 (frequently cited by Neoplatonists)

Lexarithmic Analysis

The lexarithmos of the word ΑΥΤΟΕΠΙΣΤΡΟΦΗ is 2044, from the sum of its letter values:

Α = 1

Alpha

Υ = 400

Upsilon

Τ = 300

Tau

Ο = 70

Omicron

Ε = 5

Epsilon

Π = 80

Pi

Ι = 10

Iota

Σ = 200

Sigma

Τ = 300

Tau

Ρ = 100

Rho

Ο = 70

Omicron

Φ = 500

Phi

Η = 8

Eta

= 2044

Total

1 + 400 + 300 + 70 + 5 + 80 + 10 + 200 + 300 + 100 + 70 + 500 + 8 = 2044

2044 decomposes into 2000 (hundreds) + 40 (tens) + 4 (units).

The 18 Methods

Applying the 18 traditional lexarithmic methods to the word ΑΥΤΟΕΠΙΣΤΡΟΦΗ:

Method	Result	Meaning
Isopsephy	2044	Base lexarithmos
Decade Numerology	1	2+0+4+4 = 10 → 1+0 = 1 — Unity, the principle, the return to the source.
Letter Count	13	13 letters — The number 13 is often associated with the completion of cycles and transformation, symbolizing a full turning and transcendence.
Cumulative	4/40/2000	Units 4 · Tens 40 · Hundreds 2000
Odd/Even	Even	Feminine force
Left/Right Hand	Right	Divine (≥100)
Quotient	—	Comparative method
Notarikon	A-Y-T-O-E-P-I-S-T-R-O-F-H	Autonomy Yields True Originality, Embodying Pure Inner Self-Transformation, Reaching Original Form, Harmony.
Grammatical Groups	7V · 6C · 0A	7 vowels (A, Y, O, E, I, O, H) and 6 consonants (T, P, S, T, R, F), suggesting a balance between exhalation (vowels) and restraint (consonants) in the word's expression.
Palindromes	No
Onomancy	—	Comparative
Sphere of Democritus	—	Divination with lunar day
Zodiacal Isopsephy	Moon ☽ / Leo ♌	2044 mod 7 = 0 · 2044 mod 12 = 4

Isopsephic Words (2044)

Words from the Liddell-Scott-Jones lexicon with the same lexarithmos (2044) but different roots, highlighting numerical coincidence.

ἀντιτιμωρητέον

"one must punish in return." This word, with its sense of retribution and justice, reflects a cyclical action-reaction movement, similar to the cyclical nature of autoepistrophe, albeit in an ethical context.

καλλιπύργωτος

"beautifully turreted." This word, describing something well-structured and protected, can be paralleled with the self-sufficiency and internal completeness implied by autoepistrophe for higher entities.

καταφρυάττομαι

"to be insolent, arrogant." The concept of haughtiness and self-centeredness, though with a negative connotation, implies a turning towards oneself, an excessive self-referentiality that distorts healthy autoepistrophe.

κωπηλατέω

"to row." The act of rowing is a repetitive, cyclical motion that propels the boat forward, a continuous "return" of the oar to achieve progress, reminiscent of the dynamism of autoepistrophe.

ὑπερκαχλάζω

"to boil over excessively, to bubble up." The image of overflowing boiling suggests intense internal activity manifesting outwards, an excessive "self-expression" that can be paralleled with the incessant self-reverting energy of the Nous.

δυσπροσόρμιστος

"hard to bring to anchor." The difficulty in finding a stable point of reference or return, in contrast to autoepistrophe which finds its anchorage within the self.

The LSJ lexicon contains a total of 8 words with lexarithmos 2044. For the full catalog and AI semantic filtering, see the interactive tool.

Sources & Bibliography

Liddell, H. G., Scott, R., Jones, H. S. — A Greek-English Lexicon. Oxford University Press, 9th ed., 1940.
Proclus — The Elements of Theology. Edited with translation and commentary by E. R. Dodds, Clarendon Press, 1963.
Plotinus — Enneads. Translated by Stephen MacKenna, Penguin Classics, 1991.
Plato — Phaedrus, Timaeus. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press.
Aristotle — Metaphysics, De Anima. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press.
Dodds, E. R. — Proclus: The Elements of Theology, A Revised Text with Translation and Commentary. Clarendon Press, 1963.
Long, A. A., Sedley, D. N. — The Hellenistic Philosophers. Cambridge University Press, 1987.