Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names · 18 of 39 · tr. C.E. Rolt
Chapter 4, Section 1r
Now we will bid the questioner look towards the truth of things, and in the first place we will venture thus to answer: “Evil cometh not of the Good; and if it cometh therefrom it is not evil.
For even as fire cannot cool us, so Good cannot produce the things which are not good.
And if all things that have being come from the Good (for it is natural to the Good to produce and preserve the creatures, and natural to evil to corrupt and to destroy them) then nothing in the world cometh of evil.
Then evil can- 112 not even in any wise exist, if it act as evil upon itself.
And unless it do so act, evil is not wholly evil, but hath some portion of the Good whereby it can exist at all.
And if the things that have being desire the Beautiful and Good and accomplish all their acts for the sake of that which seemeth good, and if all that they intend hath the Good as its Motive and its Aim (for nothing looks unto the nature of evil to guide it in its actions), what place is left for evil among things that have being, or how can it have any being at all bereft of such good purpose?
And if all things that have being come of the Good and the Good is Beyond things that have being, then, whereas that which exists not yet hath being in the Good; evil contrariwise hath none (otherwise it were not wholly evil or Non-Ens; for that which is wholly Non-Ens can be but naught except this be spoken Super-Essentially of the Good).
So the Good must have Its seat far above and before that which hath mere being and that which hath not; but evil hath no place either amongst things that have being or things that have not, yea it is farther removed than the Non-Existent from the Good and hath less being than it.
‘Then’ (saith one perchance) ‘whence cometh evil?
For if’ (saith he) ‘evil is not, virtue and vice must needs be the same both in their whole entirety and in their corresponding particulars,’– i.
e.
even that which fighteth against virtue cannot be evil.
And yet temperance is the opposite of debauchery, and righteousness of wickedness.
And I mean not only the righteous and the unrighteous man, or the temperate and intemperate man; I mean that, even before the external distinction appeared between the virtuous man and his opposite, the ultimate distinction between the virtues and the vices hath existed long beforehand in the soul itself, and the passions war against the reason, and hence we must assume something evil 113 which is contrary to goodness.
For goodness is not contrary to itself, but, being come from One Beginning and being the offspring of One Cause, it rejoices in fellowship, unity, and concord.
Even the lesser Good is not contrary to the greater, for that which is less hot or cold is not contrary to that which is more so.
Wherefore evil lieth in the things that have being and possesseth being and is opposed and contrary to goodness.
And if evil is the destruction of things which have being, that depriveth it not of its own being.
It itself still hath being and giveth being to its offspring.
Yea, is not the destruction of one thing often the birth of another?
And thus it will be found that evil maketh contribution unto the fullness of the world, and through its presence, saveth the universe from imperfection.” 20.
The true answer whereunto will be that evil ( qua evil) causes no existence or birth, but only debases and corrupts, so far as its power extends, the substance of things that have being.
Themes
◆Apophatic Theologytheology
Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.
The text defines evil by negation, stating it cannot exist wholly or act as evil upon itself.
All passages →◆Divine Hiddennesstheology
The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.
Evil is described as being 'farther removed than the Non-Existent' from the Good.
All passages →◆Emanation Hierarchycosmology
A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.
The text describes a hierarchy where all things that have being come from the Good and are less perfect than it.
All passages →◆Evil As Privationtheology
Augustinian and Plotinian doctrine that evil has no positive being of its own but is a lack, distortion, or absence of the good — denying ontological dualism while preserving moral seriousness.
The passage centrally argues that evil has no positive being of its own but is a lack or corruption of the Good.
All passages →◆Living Godtheology
The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.
The Good is described as active in producing and preserving creatures.
All passages →◆Monadcosmology
The absolutely simple, undivided first principle from which all multiplicity and existence flows.
The text refers to the 'One Beginning' and 'One Cause' from which all existence flows.
All passages →◆Paradox As Teachingethics
Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.
The passage uses counter-intuitive statements like 'evil hath less being than it' to destabilize ordinary understanding.
All passages →◆Unity Of Beingtheology
The doctrine that all existence is ultimately one substance or one divine reality; non-duality as a theological claim.
The text asserts that Good is 'come from One Beginning' and rejoices in fellowship and unity.
All passages →Related passages · 7 parallels
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 80
“Section 5 5. But, it will be objected, if this seeing and frequenting of the darkness is due to the lack of good, the Soul's evil has its source in that very lack; the darkness will be merely a secondary cause- and at once the Principle of…”
Both passages explore the nature of evil and its relationship to the Good, arguing that evil is not a substantive entity but rather a lack or corruption of the Good. They share a metaphysical perspective on evil, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 81 (part 1)
“Section 6 6.
If this be so, how do we explain the teaching that evils can never pass away but "exist of necessity," that "while evil has no place in the divine order, it haunts mortal nature and this place for ever"?
Does this mean that h…”
Both passages explore the nature of evil and its relationship to the Good, discussing whether evil can truly exist or if it is merely a corruption or absence of the Good. They share a mystical perspective on the ontological status of evil.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 83
“Section 8 8. But there will still be some to deny that it is through this Matter that we ourselves become evil. They will say that neither ignorance nor wicked desires arise in Matter. Even if they admit that the unhappy condition within us…”
Both passages explore the nature of evil and its relationship to matter and the good. They share a conceptual parallel in discussing how evil is not a primary entity but rather a corruption or lack of the good, though they approach the topic from different philosophical and mystical perspectives.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 85 (part 1)
“Section 10 10.
But if Matter is devoid of quality how can it be evil?
It is described as being devoid of quality in the sense only that it does not essentially possess any of the qualities which it admits and which enter into it as into a…”
Both passages explore the nature of evil and its relationship to good, matter, and the soul. They share the insight that evil is not a substantial entity but rather a privation or negation of good, though they express this in different philosophical and theological contexts.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 203 (part 1)
“Section 16 16.
But if all this is true, what room is left for evil?
Where are we to place wrong-doing and sin?
How explain that in a world organized in good, the efficient agents [human beings] behave unjustly, commit sin?
And how comes…”
Both passages explore the nature of evil within a cosmic framework, questioning how evil can exist in a world created by a good principle. They both delve into the relationship between good and evil, and the role of evil in the universe, though from different philosophical and mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 663
“Section 24 24. But ourselves- how does it touch us? We may recall what we have said of the nature of the light shining from it into Intellectual-Principle and so by participation into the soul. But for the moment let us leave that aside and…”
Both passages explore the nature of The Good and its relationship to existence and evil. They share a philosophical inquiry into the essence of goodness, its origin, and its role in the universe, reflecting a genuine conceptual parallel across different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 667
“Section 28 28. Now to see what all this reasoning has established: Universally, what approaches as a good is a Form; Matter itself contains this good which is Form: are we to conclude that, if Matter had will, it would desire to be Form una…”
Both passages explore the nature of evil and its relationship to the good, with a focus on the idea that evil is not a substantive entity but rather a lack or corruption of the good. They both argue that evil cannot be a source of creation or existence, but rather a degradation of what is good.