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 DIVINE NAMES gr thinking of other matters) owe their origin to the Good. Such is this universe, which lessens not nor grows, and such the noiseless movements (if noiseless they be)1 of the vast heavenly revolution, and such the starry orders whose light is fixed as an ornament of heaven, and such the various wanderings of certain stars—especially the repeated and returning orbits of those two luminaries to which the Scripture giveth the name of “Great,” 2 whereby we reckon our days and nights and months and years; which define the round of time and temporal events and give them measurement, sequence, and cohesion. And what shall I say concerning the sun’s rays considered in themselves? From the Good comes the light which is an image of Goodness; wherefore the Good is described by the name of “Light,” being the archetype thereof which is revealed in that image. For as the Goodness of the all-transcendent Godhead reaches from the highest and most perfect forms of being unto the lowest, and still is beyond them all, remaining superior to those above and retaining those below in its embrace, and so gives light to all things that can receive It, and creates and vitalizes and maintains and perfects them, and is the Measure3 of the Universe and its} Eternity,* its Numerical Principle its Order, its
1 εἰ οὕτω χρὴ φάναι. D. is alluding to the ancient belief in the Music of the Spheres. 2 Gen. i. 16.
3 μέτρον. All things have their pre-existent limits in the Super-Essence.
4 aiwv—i.e. The Permanent Principle underlying its temporal process. This and the next phrase explain what is meant by the words “the Measure of the universe.” The Good sets bounds to the world (1) temporally, because Eternity is the Fount of Time, (2) spatially, because Transcendent Unity is the Fount of Number. All temporal things are permanent in God; and all diversities are one in Him.
5 All number has its roots in the Good. Elsewhere D. says that the Good being beyond Unity, is a Multiplicity as well as an Unity. Cf. Intr., p. 5.
thinking of other matters) owe their origin to the Good. Such is this universe, which neither shrinks nor grows; such are the noiseless movements (if noiseless they are)1 of the vast heavenly revolution; such are the starry orders whose light is fixed as an ornament of heaven; and such are the various wanderings of certain stars — especially the repeated and returning orbits of the two luminaries which Scripture calls “Great,” 2 by which we reckon our days and nights, our months and years, and which define the round of time and of temporal events and give them measurement, sequence and cohesion.
And what shall I say of the sun’s rays considered in themselves? From the Good comes the light, which is an image of Goodness; that is why the Good is described by the name of “Light,” being the archetype revealed in that image. For the Goodness of the all-transcendent Godhead reaches from the highest and most perfect forms of being down to the lowest, and is still beyond them all, remaining superior to those above and holding those below in its embrace. And so It gives light to all things that can receive It; It creates, vitalizes, maintains and perfects them; and It is the Measure3 of the Universe and its Eternity,4 its Numerical Principle, its Order, its
1 εἰ οὕτω χρὴ φάναι. D. is alluding to the ancient belief in the Music of the Spheres. 2 Gen. i. 16.
3 μέτρον. All things have their pre-existent limits in the Super-Essence.
4 aiwv — i.e. the Permanent Principle underlying its temporal process. This and the next phrase explain what is meant by the words “the Measure of the universe.” The Good sets bounds to the world (1) temporally, because Eternity is the Fount of Time, and (2) spatially, because Transcendent Unity is the Fount of Number. All temporal things are permanent in God, and all diversities are one in Him.
5 All number has its roots in the Good. Elsewhere D. says that the Good, being beyond Unity, is a Multiplicity as well as a Unity. Cf. Intr., p. 5.