[St. Pachomius Library]

Sator Arepo Tenet Opera Rotas


Four-way Latin palindrome in use since the I Century, primarily by Christians. It was known even in remote parts of Christendom where the Latin alphabet was not used. Although of interest to Gnostics and magicians, the word-square was also used by quite Orthodox believers, but noone seems to know precisely what it means or whence it originated. 
 

SATOR
AREPO
TENET
OPERA
ROTAS
The square reads the same up or down as well as forward or backward. However, the words do not collectively seem to mean anything. Individually, sator means "the sower", tenet "holdeth", opera "the works", rotas "the wheels [accusative case]". Arepo is not a Latin word; it is perhaps related to a Celtic root meaning "plough", an interpretation known in XIV Century Byzantium.

It was observed in the 1920s that the square can be unfolded to say Pater Noster and A[lpha] O[mega]: 


A         P          O

          A          

          T          

          E          

          R          

P-A-T-E-R-N-O-S-T-E-R

          O         

          S         

          T         

          E         

O          R         A
The letter "T" (the Tau Cross) clearly occupies a significant position in both the folded and the unfolded versions of the square; in the original folded version "T" is always adjacent to "A" and "O". I notice myself that the unfolded version appears to say Ora! ("Pray!"); if "P" is read as "Rho", it says this around all four sides of the unfolded square. This is interesting, but hardly seems to "explain" why the square was invented.

---Norman Hugh Redington

Under construction --- far from complete! Read with caution.

0

Return to St Pachomius Library.