On the Divine Names and the Mystical Theology — trans. C. E. Rolt
The translator’s English as printed (C. E. Rolt). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
12. Nay, some of our writers about holy things have thought the title of “Yearning” diviner than that of “Love.” lonaties ithe Divine writes: “He whom I yearn for is crucified.” + And in the “Introductions” of Scripture2 thou wilt find some one saying concerning the Divine Wisdom: “I yearned for her beauty.” Let us not, therefore, shrink from this title of “Yearning,” nor be perturbed and affrighted by aught that any man may say about it. For methinks the Sacred Writers regard the titles “Love” and “Yearning” as of one meaning; but preferred, when speaking of Yearning in a heavenly sense, to qualify it with the word “real” ? because of the inconvenient pre-notion of such men. For whereas the title of “Real Yearning” is employed not merely by ourselves but even by the Scriptures, mankind (not grasping the unity intended when Yearning is ascribed to God) fell by their own propensity into the notion
1 6 ἐμὸς Ἔρως ἐσταύρωται. Ignatius Ep. ad Rom. § 6. But possibly of a partial, physical and divided quality, which is not true Yearning but a vain image of Real Yearning, or rather a lapse therefrom.1 For mankind at large cannot grasp the simplicity of the one Divine Yearning, and hence, because of the offence it gives to most men, it is used concerning the Divine Wisdom to lead and raise them up to the knowledge of the Real Yearning until they are set free from all offence thereat; and often on the other hand when it was possible that base minds should suppose that which is not convenient, the word that is held in greater reverence is used concerning ourselves.2 “Thy love,” says some one, “came upon me like as the love of women.’? To those who listen aright to Holy Scripture, the word “ Love” is used by the Sacred Writers in Divine Revelation with the same meaning as the word “Yearning.” It means a faculty of unifying and conjoining and of producing a special commingling together 4 in the Beautiful and Good: a faculty which pre-exists for the sake of the Beautiful and Good, and is diffused from this Origin and to this End, and holds together things of the same order by a mutual connection, and moves the highest to take thought for those below and fixes the inferior in a state which seeks the higher.
St. Ignatius means: “My earthly affections are crucified.” St. Ignatius wrote just before being martyred, at the beginning of the second century. This reference would alone be sufficient to make the authenticity of the Dionysian writings improbable. [It is perhaps impossible to determine whether Ignatius meant by the words “my Love is crucified” to refer to Jesus or to himself. The latter is supported by Zahn and by Lightfoot, the former by Origen, Prologue to Commentary on Canticles. “Nec puto quod culpari possit, si quis Deum, sicut Joannis, charitatur, ita ipse amorem nominit. Denejire memini, aliquem sanctorum dixisse Ignatium nomine de Christo: Mens autem amor crucifixus est : nec reprehendi eum per hoc dignum judico.” Much further evidence is given in Jacobson’s Apostolic Fathers (p. 377). Jacobson himself supports it, observing that the Greek commemoration of Ignatius takes the words in this sense. Whether Dionysius followed Origen or not, his exposition is very interesting and is quite possibly the true. See also the translator's note on ἔρως. ED.]
2 ἐν ταῖς προεισαγωγαῖς Tav λογίων. Apparently this was a title of the books ascribed to Solomon. The present reference is Wisdom viii. 2.
12. Indeed, some of our writers on sacred matters have thought the title “Yearning” more divine than that of “Love.” Ignatius the Divine writes: “He whom I yearn for is crucified.”1 And in the “Introductions” of Scripture2 you will find someone saying of the Divine Wisdom: “I yearned for her beauty.” So let us not shrink from this title of “Yearning,” nor be disturbed and alarmed by anything anyone may say about it. For I think the Sacred Writers regard the titles “Love” and “Yearning” as having one meaning; but when speaking of Yearning in a heavenly sense they preferred to qualify it with the word “real” ? because of the unfitting preconceptions of such people. For while the title “Real Yearning” is used not only by ourselves but even by the Scriptures, people (not grasping the unity intended when Yearning is ascribed to God) fell by their own inclination into the notion
1 6 ἐμὸς Ἔρως ἐσταύρωται. Ignatius, Epistle to the Romans (Ep. ad Rom.) § 6.
But possibly of a partial, physical and divided kind, which is not true Yearning but an empty image of Real Yearning, or rather a falling away from it.1 For people at large cannot grasp the simplicity of the one Divine Yearning. And so, because of the offence it gives to most people, the word is used of the Divine Wisdom to lead and raise them up to the knowledge of Real Yearning, until they are set free from all offence at it. On the other hand, where base minds might suppose something unfitting, the word held in greater reverence is often used of ourselves.2 “Your love,” says someone, “came upon me like the love of women.”3
For those who listen rightly to Holy Scripture, the word “Love” is used by the Sacred Writers in Divine Revelation with the same meaning as the word “Yearning.” It means a faculty of unifying and conjoining, and of producing a special commingling together4 in the Beautiful and Good: a faculty that pre-exists for the sake of the Beautiful and Good and is diffused from this Origin and to this End. It holds together things of the same order by a mutual connection, moves the highest to take thought for those below, and fixes the inferior in a state that seeks the higher.
St. Ignatius means: “My earthly affections are crucified.” St. Ignatius wrote just before his martyrdom, at the beginning of the second century. This reference alone would be enough to make the authenticity of the Dionysian writings improbable. [It is perhaps impossible to determine whether Ignatius meant the words “my Love is crucified” to refer to Jesus or to himself. The latter view is supported by Zahn and Lightfoot, the former by Origen, Prologue to the Commentary on Canticles: “Nor do I think anyone can be blamed if he calls God Love (amor), just as John calls Him Charity (charitas). Indeed, I remember that one of the saints, Ignatius by name, said of Christ: ‘But my Love is crucified’; nor do I judge him worthy of reproof for this.” Much further evidence is given in Jacobson’s Apostolic Fathers (p. 377). Jacobson himself supports this view, noting that the Greek commemoration of Ignatius takes the words in this sense. Whether or not Dionysius followed Origen, his exposition is very interesting and quite possibly the true one. See also the translator’s note on ἔρως. ED.]
2 ἐν ταῖς προεισαγωγαῖς τῶν λογίων. This was apparently a title of the books ascribed to Solomon. The present reference is Wisdom viii. 2.