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.
The doctrine of Unknowing must not be confounded with Herbert Spencer’s doctrine of the Unknowable. The actual terms may be similar: the meanings are at opposite poles. For Herbert Spencer could conceive only of an intellectual apprehension, which being gone, nothing remained : Dionysius was familiar with a spiritual apprehension which soars beyond the intellect. Hence Herbert Spencer preaches ignorance concerning ultimate things; Dionysius (like Bergson in modern times)! | a transcendence of knowledge. The one means a state below the understanding and the other a state above it. The one teaches that Ultimate Reality is, and must always be, beyond our reach; the other that the Ultimate Reality at last becomes so near as utterly to sweep away (in a sense) the distinction which separates us from It. That this is the meaning of Unknowing is plain from the whole trend of the Dionysian teaching, and is definitely stated, for instance, in the passage about the statue or in others which say that the Divine Darkness is dark through excess of light. It is even possible that the word “Unknowing” was (with this positive meaning) a technical term of the Mysteries or of later Greek Philosophy, and that this is the real explanation and interpretation of the inscription on the Athenian altar: “To the Unknown God.” !
1 See Evolution Créatrice, towards the end,
The doctrine of Unknowing must not be confused with Herbert Spencer’s doctrine of the Unknowable. The actual terms may be similar; the meanings are at opposite poles. For Herbert Spencer could conceive only of an intellectual apprehension, and when that was gone nothing remained; Dionysius was familiar with a spiritual apprehension that soars beyond the intellect. Hence Herbert Spencer preaches ignorance concerning ultimate things; Dionysius (like Bergson in modern times)1 preaches a transcendence of knowledge. The one means a state below the understanding, the other a state above it. The one teaches that Ultimate Reality is, and must always be, beyond our reach; the other that Ultimate Reality at last comes so near as utterly to sweep away (in a sense) the distinction that separates us from It.
That this is the meaning of Unknowing is plain from the whole trend of the Dionysian teaching, and it is stated outright, for instance, in the passage about the statue, or in others which say that the Divine Darkness is dark through excess of light. It is even possible that the word “Unknowing” was (with this positive meaning) a technical term of the Mysteries or of later Greek Philosophy, and that this is the real explanation and interpretation of the inscription on the Athenian altar: “To the Unknown God.” !
1 See Evolution Créatrice, towards the end.