The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite — trans. John Parker
The text is shown on its own: no facing layer is held for this issue.
he providential faculty to provide for those below them by mutual communication, befit truly all the Heavenly Beings, although some, pre-eminently and wholly, as we have often said, and others partially and subordinately.
56 Dionysiiis the Areopagite
Section II.
But we must keep our discourse within bounds, and must search, in our first expla.nation of the types, for what reason the Word of God prefers the sacred description of fire, in preference to ahiiost every other'''. You will find it, then, representing not only wheels of fire, but also living creatures of fire \ and men, flashing, as it were, like lightning™, and placing around the Heavenly Beings themselves heaps of coals of fire^, and rivers of flame flowing with irresistible force ^ ; and also it says that the thrones are of fire^; and that the most exalted Seraphim glow with fire, it shews from their appellation, and it attributes the characteristic and energy of fire ^ to them, and throughout, above and below, it prefers pre-eminently the representation by the image of fire. I think, then, the similitude of fire "" denotes the likeness of the Heavenly Minds to God in the highest degree; for the holy theologians frequently describe the superessential and formless essence hy fire^ as having many likenesses, if I may be permitted to say so, of the supremely Divine property, as in things visible. For the sensible fire is, so to speak, in everything, and passes through everything unmingled, and springs from all, and whilst all-luminous, is, as it were, hidden, unknown, in its essential nature, when there is no
^ Dan. vii. 9. ^ Ezek. i. 13, 16. °^ Ibid. 14.
n Ibid. X. 2. 0 Dan. vii. 10. P Ibid. 9. ^ Isa. vi. 6, 7. J" Le Cratyle de Platon, i. 302.
on the Heavenly Hierarchy. 57 material lying near it upon which it may shew its proper energy. It is both uncontrollable and invisible, self-subduing all things, and bringing under its own energy anything in which it may happen to be; varying, imparting itself to all things near it, whatever they may be ; renewing by its rousing heat, and giving light by its uncovered illuminations; invincible, unmingled, separating, unchangeable, elevating, penetrating, lofty; subject to no grovelling inferiority, ever moving, self-moving, moving other things, comprehending, incomprehended, needing rto other, imperceptibly increasing itself, displaying its own majesty to the materials receiving it; energetic, powerful, present to all invisibly, ject to no grovelling inferiority, ever moving, self-moving, moving other things, comprehending, incomprehended, needing rto other, imperceptibly increasing itself, displaying its own majesty to the materials receiving it; energetic, powerful, present to all invisibly, unobserved, seeming not to be, and manifesting itself suddenly according to its own proper nature by friction, as it were by a sort of seeking, and again flying away impalpably, undiminished in all the joyful distributions of itself. And one might find many characteristics of fire, appropriate to display the supremely Divine Energy, as in sensible images. The Godly-wise, then, knowing this, depict the celestial Beings from fire, shewing their Godlikeness, and imitation of God, as far as attainable.
Section III.
But they also depict them under the likeness of men ^, on account of the intellectual faculty, and their having powers of looking upwards, and
8 Gen. xxxii. 24.
58 Dionysius the Areopagite their straight and erect form, and their innate faculty of ruling and guiding, and whilst being least, in physical strength as compared with the other powers of irrational creatures, yet ruling over all by their superior power of mind, and by their dominion in consequence of rational science, and their innate unslavishness and indomitableness of soul. It is possible, then, I think, to find within each of the many parts of our body harmonious images of the Heavenly Powers, by affirming that the powers of vision ** denote the most transparent elevation towards the Divine lights, and again, the tender, and liquid, and not repellent, but sensitive, and pure, and unfolded, reception, free from all passion, of the supremely Divine illuminations.
Now the discriminating powers of the nostrils denote the being able to receive, as far as attainable, the sweet-smelling largess beyond conception, and to distinguish accurately things which are not such, and to entirely reject".
The powers of the ears denote the participation and conscious reception of the supremely Divine inspiration.
The powers of taste denote the fulness of the intelligible nourishments, and the reception of the Divine and nourishing streams ^.
The powers of touch denote the skilful discrimination of that which is suitable or injurious y.
* Ezek. i. 18 ; Ibid. ix. 5. " Gen. viii. 21.
* Ibid. xix. 3. y Ibid, xxxii. 25.
on the Heavenly Hierarchy. 59
The eyelids and eyebrows denote the guarding of the conceptions which see God.
The figures of manhood and youth denote the perpetual bloom and vigour of life '.
Ibid. ix. 5. " Gen. viii. 21.
* Ibid. xix. 3. y Ibid, xxxii. 25.
on the Heavenly Hierarchy. 59
The eyelids and eyebrows denote the guarding of the conceptions which see God.
The figures of manhood and youth denote the perpetual bloom and vigour of life '.
The teeth denote the dividing of the nourishing perfection given to us ; for each intellectual Being divides and multiplies, by a provident faculty, the unified conception given to it by the more Divine for the proportionate elevation of the inferior.
The shoulders and elbows % and further, the hands ^ denote the power of making, and operating, and accomplishing.
The heart again is a symbol of the Godlike life, dispersing its own life-giving power to the objects of its forethought, as beseems the good.
The chest again denotes the invincible and protective faculty of the life-giving distribution, as being placed above the heart.
The back, the holding together the whole productive powers ^ of life.
The feet** denote the moving and quickness, and skilfulness of the perpetual movement advancing towards Divine things. Wherefore also the Word of God arranged the feet of the holy Minds under their wings ® ; for the wing displays the elevating quickness and the heavenly progress towards higher things, and the superiority to every grovelling thing by reason of the ascending, and the lightness of the wings denotes their being in no respect earthly, z Mark xvi. 5. a Dan. x. 6. ^ Ibid. 10.
c Ibid. 5. d Isaiah vi. 2. « Ezek. i. 6.
6o Dionysius the Areopagite but undefiledly and lightly raised to the sublime ; and the naked and unshod denotes the unfettered, agile, and unrestrained, and free from all external superfluity, and assimilation to the Divine simplicity, as far as attainable.
Section IV.
But since again the simple and variegated wisdom^ both clothes the naked, and distributes certain implements to them to carry, come, let us unfold, according to our power, the sacred garments and implements of the celestial Minds. The shining and glowing raiment, I think, signifies the Divine likeness after the image of fire, and their enlightening &, in consequence of their repose in Heaven, where is the Light, and their complete illuminating intelligibly, and their being illuminated intellectually^; and the sacerdotal robe denotes their conducting to Divine and mystical visions, and the consecration of their whole life^ And the girdles signify the guard over their productive powers, and the collected habit of being turned uniformly to It, and being drawn around Itself by an unbroken identity, in a weil-ordered circle.