Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names
§ About this work
Writing to his fellow-Presbyter Timothy, Dionysius, having ended the Outlines of Divinity, undertakes an Exposition of the Divine Names, holding that God is celebrated only as the Scriptures reveal, as Super-Essential Cause who is nameless yet named from His beneficent Emanations (Part 1). Part 2 shows the Sacred Writers calling the Godhead both Nameless—citing the vision that rebukes one asking "What is thy name?"—and possessed of all names, human and symbolic. Continuing sections state that qualities pre-exist in the Creative Originals, that the Incarnation of Jesus surpasses all minds, and quote Hierotheus's Elements of Divinity on the Deity of Jesus and on Differentiation; extensive scriptural and editorial notes accompany each part. Chapter 3 opens with invocation of the Trinity, prayer figured by cord and cables, and Dionysius naming Hierotheus his preceptor next to Paul, recalling the gathering where James and Peter were present. Chapter 4 treats Good, Light, Beautiful, and Yearning, then argues at length that Evil is not existent and inheres neither in angels, devils, souls, beasts, nature, bodies, nor matter, being only deficiency of Good. Chapter 5 celebrates "Being" and the Exemplars; Chapter 6, Eternal Life, dismissing Simon; Chapter 7, Wisdom and "Foolish Wisdom"; Chapter 8, Power, Righteousness, Salvation, and Redemption, where the reply confounds Elymas the sorcerer. Chapters 9 and 10 expound Great, Small, Same, Motion, Equality, and "Omnipotent" and "Ancient of Days." Chapter 11 praises Peace and Very Being; Chapter 12, Holy of holies, King of kings, Lord of lords, God of gods. Chapter 13, on "Perfect" and "One," preferring the Negative method, closes the treatise on Intelligible Names, Dionysius asking Timothy to correct it before proceeding to Symbolical Divinity.
The chapter opens by proposing to consider the highest Name, "Goodness," and to begin with an invocation of the Trinity, the Source of all goodness. The text states that minds must first be lifted in prayer to the Primal Goodness. It affirms that the Trinity is nigh unto all things, though not all things are nigh unto It, and that It is not in space. It states that calling It omnipresent does not express Its Infinitude. Two images follow: a resplendent cord hanging from heaven, which those who seize it are drawn upward rather than pulling down; and cables stretched from a rock to a ship, by which one draws oneself toward the rock, while pushing the rock separates oneself from it. Thus prayer should precede every endeavour. The writer explains why he composes further Tractates although Hierotheus compiled his Elements of Divinity. He names Hierotheus his chief preceptor next to Paul the Divine, and sets his work apart as a second Scriptures. He recounts that he, Hierotheus, and holy brethren met to behold the mortal body which received the Incarnate God, where James, the brother of God, and Peter were present, and Hierotheus was wholly transported and rapt of God. The writer notes he has heard fragments of those praises from the addressee. Finally he affirms his own inadequacy, cites Divine Law bidding learning within reach, and states his aim to make plain what Hierotheus said in brief.
Chapter 3, Section 1aChapter 3, Section 1bChapter 3, Section 1cChapter 3, Section 1d