`repeat` with special characters - "bad math expression: illegal character"

[Patrick Reader <_@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

When I use the `repeat` complex command with an arithmetic expression 
containing one of the following special characters:

* = ^ ?

I get an error message in the form "zsh: bad math expression: illegal 
character: \M-X". The "X" is replaced by one of G M F W (corresponding 
to the symbols above). This doesn't happen if I wrap the character in 
single or double quotes, or escape it with a backslash. It still happens 
with even the options `noglob`, `noequals`, `nomagicequalsubst` which I 
thought might be causing them to be misinterpreted.

Why does this happen?

Patrick