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.
have the same meaning as it would to the world outside. For the same reason he (like other Christian teachers after him) speaks of God’s transcendent Non-Existence without fearing lest his words should be interpreted as atheism. In fact, to guard against misinterpretation he utters the express warning that mysteries can only be taught to the Initiated.1
In the second place throughout his whole treatment of evil, he is no doubt writing with an eye on the dualistic heresy of the Manichees, which was prevalent in his day. Hence the occasional indiscretion of the zeal with which he seeks to block every loop-hole looking towards dualism. The result is a one-sided emphasis in his teaching rather than poise enon. He rightly denies a dualis ut he tends to ignore, rather than to deny, the obvious dualism of actual facts.
Before proceeding to the Method of Contemplation which crowns and vitalizes the entire speculative system of Dionysius, it will be well to bring together in one paragraph the various meanings he gives to Non-Existence.
(t) The Super-Essence transcends the distinction between the Aristotelian “Matter” and “Form”; but in this world the two are distinct from each other. And whereas, in this world, Form without “Matter” has an abstract existence for thought, “Matter” without Form has none. Thus mere “Matter” is non-existent. And hence things both before their creation and after their destruction are non-existent, for their “Matter” has then no “form.” (2) Similarly Good without evil exists as the highest Manifestation or “Form” of the Godhead, but evil without Good is formless and therefore non-existent. (This does not mean that “Matter” or the world-stuff is evil, but that neither it nor evil is anything at all.) And since evil is ultimately altogether non-existent, all things are non-existent in so far as they are evil. (3) Finally, the Super-Essence is, in a transcendent manner, Non-Existent as being beyond Existence. And hence the paradox that the destructive force of evil and the higher impulse towards the Godhead both have the same negative principle of a discontent with the existent world—the dangerous, yet true, doctrine (taught, among others, by St. Augustine! and Dante?) that evil is a mistaken quest for Good.
1 Div. Nom. i. 8, ad fin.; Myst. Theol. 1. 2
have the same meaning that it would have for the world outside. For the same reason he (like other Christian teachers after him) speaks of God’s transcendent Non-Existence without fearing that his words will be taken as atheism. Indeed, to guard against misinterpretation, he gives the express warning that mysteries can be taught only to the Initiated.1
In the second place, throughout his whole treatment of evil he is no doubt writing with an eye on the dualistic heresy of the Manichees, which was widespread in his day. Hence the occasional indiscretion of the zeal with which he tries to block every loophole that leads towards dualism. The result is a one-sided emphasis in his teaching rather than poise … . He rightly denies a dualism …, but he tends to ignore, rather than to deny, the obvious dualism of actual facts.
Before turning to the Method of Contemplation, which crowns and gives life to the entire speculative system of Dionysius, it will be well to gather into one paragraph the various meanings he gives to Non-Existence.
(1) The Super-Essence transcends the distinction between the Aristotelian “Matter” and “Form”; but in this world the two are distinct from each other. And whereas in this world Form without “Matter” has an abstract existence for thought, “Matter” without Form has none. Thus mere “Matter” is non-existent. And so things are non-existent both before their creation and after their destruction, for their “Matter” then has no “form.”
(2) Similarly, Good without evil exists as the highest Manifestation or “Form” of the Godhead, but evil without Good is formless and therefore non-existent. (This does not mean that “Matter,” or the world-stuff, is evil, but that neither it nor evil is anything at all.) And since evil is ultimately altogether non-existent, all things are non-existent in so far as they are evil.
(3) Finally, the Super-Essence is, in a transcendent manner, Non-Existent as being beyond Existence. Hence the paradox that the destructive force of evil and the higher impulse towards the Godhead share the same negative principle of discontent with the existing world. This is the dangerous yet true doctrine (taught, among others, by St. Augustine! and Dante?) that evil is a mistaken quest for Good.
1 Div. Nom. i. 8, ad fin.; Myst. Theol. i. 2.