Scholia of Saint Maximus on the Works of the Blessed Dionysius

SAINT MAXIMUS: SCHOLIA ON THE EXISTING BOOKS OF BLESSED DIONYSIUS

GEORGE PACHYMERES: PARAPHRASE ON THE EPISTLES OF SAINT DIONYSIUS

THERE ARE ADDED SCHOLIA OF THE SAME SAINT MAXIMUS ON SOME OF THE EPISTLES OF S. DIONYSIUS

PETER LANSSELIUS TO THE READER, GREETINGS.

I return to you once more, good reader, and I offer a few words of advice. The lucubrations on the works of the most holy Dionysius by two Greeks are truly learned, and because of the wisdom and authority of those men, they are deservedly held in the highest regard and are widely read. I have desired that our Dionysius be accompanied by one of them, so that upon this, as it were, new return to Gaul, he might be received more pleasantly, not only by his own Parisians, but also by all who do not lack humanity. Furthermore, I have thought that Maximus should be preferred by far to Pachymeres, for he is more ancient, a fact which Pachymeres himself acknowledges, who, having cited one passage of Maximus, says, "among the ancients." Moreover, he is more celebrated because of his published books and his most learned Commentaries, by which he illustrated the truth of the Catholic doctrine, an index of which Photius, Baronius, and others provide; likewise, he has laid his laurels and ever-blooming palms at the gates of the triumphant Church, whence he has obtained the title of sanctity, for which reason Pachymeres, writing of him in chapter 11 of *On the Celestial Hierarchy*, as if falling at his knees, reveres him thus: "This is from the holy and great Maximus." Finally, Pachymeres has nothing in his Paraphrase which is not contained in the scholia of this great Maximus, a fact which you can easily understand from his Paraphrase on the Epistles, which we provide; and if you have the leisure to turn your eyes to the notes, you will see that in Pachymeres there is a greater abundance of words and fewer matters of substance: but if we should find that the whole is desired, it will appear in a second edition.

Here, however, I cannot at all disguise how much labor and difficulty I have undergone that Maximus might suddenly and extemporaneously speak in Latin. For at first I had decided to present only the Greek, and the Dionysius had already begun to be sent to the presses, when I was compelled by the entreaties of some who said that it would be a most useful thing for me to undertake this hurried translation. I am of such a temperament and disposition that I consider no labor to be avoided for the sake of the common good; and so, while I kept watch over the typography of the work and the things lacking in the Dionysian opus, while I corrected errors, and while I compared four manuscripts, the translation of S. Maximus was born for me. I will say nothing here of how dense and laborious the work of Maximus is, how his style is complicated, obscure, and, if I may say so, *loxias* (crooked), and how his matter is subtle and not rarely drawn from the midst of scholastic theology and metaphysics. I desire rather that you believe Photius, a man of supreme judgment, whose testimony concerning Maximus is this: "His discourse is extended in its periods, and he delights in hyperbata, flourishes in circumlocutions, and is not concerned with speaking in literal terms. From which it follows that both obscurity and difficulty of grasp run through his writing; by the harshness of his swelling style, both in composition and in pauses, he subjects his discourse, nor does he study to be pleasant to the ear," etc. That is: his style is carried forward continuously in its comprehensions and delights in hyperbata, increasing through circumlocutions, and he does not even strive to speak properly. From which his writing is inscribed, and obscurity and the difficulty of grasping it run through it everywhere. Finally, he pursues the harshness of a tumid diction, so far as composition and intervals of respiration are concerned, and does not even study to be pleasant to the ear. So says he.

I hope that the learned reader, contemplating these things for himself, will be more equitable to me if I should stumble anywhere on so steep an ascent. Moreover, I have used a style not exquisite, painted, and polished, but one that I thought it fitting for a faithful interpreter to use, familiar and open and *katá poda* (step by step), lest if I had pursued the deceits and purple dyes and those fragrant showers of the rhetoricians, I might have cast a cloud of obscurity upon a most grave author, when I ought rather to have brought him light. For that wise saying of the learned Synesius has always pleased me: "Philosophy ought not to contend over words; it requires as a servant to the mind one that seeks, even if it brings it from the dirt to explain things clearly and cogently." That is: One must not struggle much over the words of philosophy; it requires a work of service for the perceptions of the mind, even if it is necessary to draw it from the lowest dregs of the populace to explain matters clearly and consistently.

PROLOGUE OF SAINT MAXIMUS TO THE WORKS OF SAINT DIONYSIUS

^A The nobility and the splendor in wealth of the great Dionysius are represented by the Athenian senate alone, in which he was chosen to serve as a counselor; for he was one of the Areopagites, as the divine Luke declared when he recounted the holy deeds of the holy apostles. For when he had said that the most holy apostle Paul, while staying in Athens, debated with certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, and preached faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the universal judgment, and that he was seized by those who were devoid of philosophy (for they were not truly philosophers) and brought to the Areopagus, and that having preached, he immediately captured some and transferred them to the light of truth, he adds: *So Paul departed from their midst; but some men, adhering to him, believed: among whom were also Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them. (a)*

^B I, for my part, do not hear in vain that among all those who at that time believed through the divine Paul, only the most excellent Dionysius was named by the God-bearing writer with his rank appended. For he says "the Areopagite," and I add further, that it is likely on account of his abundance of wisdom and the excellence of his irreproachable life among the Athenians that mention was made of him together with his household.

^C For it must be known, as I have warned before, that it was not the lot of just any man to hold dignity in the senate of the Areopagus, but of those who held the first rank among the Athenians in lineage, wealth, and probity of life; and those who were considered illustrious in this [regard] delivered judgment in the Areopagus; for from the nine archons appointed at Athens, the Areopagites (as

^A Androtion says in the second book of his *Atthides*) were required to be constituted. Later, the Council of the Areopagus consisted of more—that is, of fifty-one of the most illustrious men—yet these remained noble, as we have said, and excelling in wealth and sobriety of life, as Philochorus relates in the third book of his *Atthides*. The tribunal of the Areopagites was outside the city, and was so named (as the Athenians fable) on account of that same excellence, derived from the judgment that was established in the city's mount between Neptune and Mars. For Neptune (according to the ancient myths of the Athenians) pleaded his cause in this place against Mars, asserting that his own son, Halirrhothius, had been slain by Mars; and from that, that hill was called ^B the *Areios* [hill of Mars]. The Areopagites, therefore, judged concerning almost all faults and transgressions, as Androtion says in the first book, and Philochorus in the second and third of the *Atthides*.

For this reason, those who are lovers of that wisdom which has been made foolish by God draw the most divine Paul—as the truth-loving Luke has narrated—before the Council of the Areopagus, as a proclaimer of strange demons. But Dionysius the Great, who was at that time serving among the Areopagites as a most impartial judge, gave his vote, uncorrupted by any bribe, for the truth regarding the spirit-bearing Paul; and having bid a long farewell to the mindless gravity of the Areopagites, because he conceived in his mind the true and all-seeing Judge, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God and the Father, and the Word whom Paul had preached, he immediately adhered to the light. For even if the Romans ^C were in power at that time, they nevertheless left Athens and Lacedaemon to use their own laws; hence, it was still the case among the Athenians that the magistracy of the Areopagites was exercised. And while all the dogmas of salvation were fulfilled through Paul, the most excellent, Dionysius was instructed didactically by the most great Hierotheus, as he himself says. Afterward, Dionysius was appointed bishop of those who believed in Athens by Paul, the Christ-bearer, according to what is found in the seventh book of the *Apostolic Constitutions*.

Dionysius, the ancient bishop of the Corinthians, also makes mention of Dionysius the Areopagite, as does Polycarp in his epistle to the Athenians. ^D One may truly marvel at the uprightness and great learning of this holy Dionysius, who was truly led through the knowledge of many of the irreproachable traditions of the Church, and was enabled to behold the bastard dogmata of the Greek philosophers translated toward the truth. For it is better to pity and sympathize with those judges who are careless of good education, because in their own ignorance they measure the learning-thirsty promptness of mind and genius of others as well. Such, indeed,

^A are those who happen upon the writings of certain people, and perhaps not understanding the meaning of what is said, are immediately carried away into an indiscriminate slander of the author—although they are utterly unable to direct or refute the criticisms they themselves utter; it would be proper for them to turn their anger against themselves, and rather to be vexed that they themselves, having not put in the effort, have not come to know things brought to knowledge, or in truth, that because they have not spent time with appropriate persons with a desire to learn, they have not been freed from their doubts. But some dare to object to the divine Dionysius as a basis for insult—heresies—while being totally ignorant of the errors of heretics! For surely, if they judged his decrees by any one of the things condemned in the heretics, they would have recognized that they stand much further removed from those wicked men than true light is from darkness. For what could they say regarding those things which are divinely expounded by him concerning the only-to-be-adored Trinity? Or what of the one of this most blessed Trinity, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Word of God, who willed to be perfectly clothed in human nature? Did he not ^B set forth an ensouled mind, and a body earthy like our own, and the rest of what has been established by right teachers? And what could anyone justly blame concerning the intelligible, the intellectual, and the sensible [realities]? Or concerning our universal resurrection which is to occur with our body and our soul, and concerning the judgments which will then take place for the just and the unjust? For our salvation intends to speak collectively against these matters, which it is not right to explain in many words, since the exposition in the scholia declares all things at the appropriate time.

"It is so," they say, "but neither Eusebius Pamphili nor even Origen committed his books to writing." ^C To these it must be said that Eusebius omitted very many things which did not come into his hands; for he does not claim to have collected everything absolutely; rather, he admits that books which did not reach him are greater in number, and indeed I could mention many which he did not possess, and these even from his own region, such as Hymenæus and Narcissus, who were priests in Jerusalem; I, indeed, have come across some of the books of Hymenæus. Moreover, he did not record the works of Pantænus, nor those of the Roman Clement, except for two letters only, and neither many others. For Origen—I do not know if he remembered them all—scarcely mentioned ^D four. But a certain Roman deacon, Peter by name, told me that all the works of the divine Dionysius are preserved, deposited in the library of sacred books in Rome.

He writes most of these things to the thrice-blessed Timothy, the disciple of the holy apostle Paul, bishop of the Ephesians, who (as it seems) was suffering trials from those who were leaders of the Ionic philosophy in Ephesus, and who was inquiring of him as one skilled in profane philosophy, that he might contend even more: and nothing...

^A improbable in this, since the friend of God, the Apostle Paul, also made use of the sayings of the Greeks, having perhaps heard them from those who were with him and were experienced in Greek philosophy. It also confirms that these writings truly belong to Dionysius, for the fact that he mentions, without any affectation, the pronouncements of those men who flourished at the same time as him—of whom the divine Acts of the Apostles make mention, and the most useful Epistles of Paul, the lover of God, declare the integrity of the writers—demonstrates the straightforwardness of the compositions, and above all, the absolute certainty of the dogmas.

Since some say that the composition is not that of the saint, but of one of the later writers, it is necessary to consider them people of desperate salvation, and to consider this person an absurd liar, claiming such things about himself—that he lived with the Apostles and sent letters to those with whom he never associated, nor to whom he wrote.

And for him to invent a prophecy regarding the Apostle John, who was in exile, saying that he would again return to the Asian land and teach the usual things, this is the opinion of a monster-mongering man and one crazily chasing the reputation of a prophet.

And for him to say that he, at the very time of the saving passion, while in Heliopolis with Apollophanes, observed and discoursed upon the solar eclipse, which happened at that time neither according to nature nor according to custom; and to say that he was present together with the Apostles at the translation of the remains of the divine and holy Theotokos Mary; and to bring forward quotations from the funeral discourses of his own master, Hierotheos, regarding her; and to concoct letters and words as if they were spoken to the disciples of the Apostles—what absurdity and condemnation would this be for any person from the common people, let alone for a man so elevated in character and knowledge, and who surpassed all sensible things, and was joined to the intelligible beauties, and through them, as far as is possible, to God! ^C

Indeed, for the interpretation of his vast knowledge, there was need of the most extensive explanatory commentaries; yet, more briefly, as the margin of the book permitted, trusting in the help of God, I have appended what seemed to me [fitting] in the form of scholia to the following books, which it has so far been my chance to have fall into my hands.

From the scholia of a certain most diligent man.

^D It should be noted that some of the external philosophers, and especially Proclus, have often used the contemplations of the blessed Dionysius, and even the very dry words themselves; hence, one might get the impression from this that the older philosophers in Athens, claiming his works for themselves, as he advises in the present book, hid them so that they might appear to be the authors and fathers of his divine oracles. And by the dispensation of God, the present work has now appeared for the refutation of their vanity and wickedness. And that they are familiar [cont...]

^A with usurping what is ours, the divine Basil teaches, in that passage: *In the beginning was the Word*, thus discoursing upon that statement: “I know many of those outside the word of truth who, because of worldly wisdom, are vehemently proud, and have admired these things, and have dared to insert them into their own writings; for the devil is a thief, and he spreads abroad our things to his own interpreters.” And so much for this. But as for Numenius the Pythagorean, who openly says: “For what is Plato, if not Moses speaking in Attic Greek?” ^B no one can deny that he is not one of ours, but belongs to the adversaries, just as Eusebius, the bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, also testifies, that it was the custom of the pagan sages, not only now, but also before the coming of Christ, to steal our treasures.

INTERPRETATION OF TERMS

A Agamenos (admiring), having admired, having been astonished. Agan (much), very much. Agennos (ignobly), weakly, effeminately. Agisteia (holiness), sanctification, purification. Agkylon (crooked), twisted, difficult, various. Agkylocheilon (crooked-lipped), twisted-lipped. Aglaia (splendor), brightness. Agnotes (unknown ones), not known, ignorant, unlearned, unnoticed. Ade-kastos (incorruptible), just, not accepting gifts, impartial, upright. Adyta (inner sanctuaries), the most interior holy things, the most secret ones. Adranos (faintly), weakly. Athyron-ton (frolicking), of those playing. Athyrmata (playthings), toys. Aigly (gleam), radiance. Aischos (shame), filth, pollution. Akraiphnes (pure), clean, transparent, perfect, untouched. Akylidoton (spotless), clean, unsoiled. Akme (prime), youth. Alis (enough), sufficiently, adequately. Alonai, to be taken. Amalthakton (unyielding), firm, steady, strong, solid, standing fast. Ameilikton (inexorable), not to be cajoled, unswerving. Amblothridia, aborted embryos. Amoibaiais (in exchanges), being exchanged. Amydros (dimly), weakly, subtly, not clearly, without light, darkly. Amyetous (uninitiated), uninstructed, unlearned, ignorant. Amphoin, of the two or both. Anantes, forward, upward, toward what is proposed. Anterei, he will speak against. Antopein, to look at opposite, to face. Antipepenthotos (reciprocally), oppositionally, contrariwise. Aolli poiei (he gathers), collected, united. Ouk apadousas (not discordant), not unbecoming, not alien, not opposing. Apanainesthai, to deny. Ouk apeikotos (not unnaturally), not contrary to what is fitting. Apperrhapisen (he repulsed), he silenced, he stopped the mouth, or he cast back, he drove away. Aperisalpiktoi (untrumpeted), unproclaimed, uninitiated. Apestomatisan, they spoke out. Apemphainei, it is unlike. Apemona (harmless), unhurt. Apochry (it suffices), it is enough. Apophasis (denial), apophatic discourse. Apophasis (declaration), the declaring of something from something. Apophaskei (it denies), it forbids, or it forbids apophatically, that is to say, it prohibits. Apodeonton (lacking), being left behind. Apopherousan (completing), fulfilling, concluding. Ararotos (firmly), harmoniously, or solidly, steadily. Arrenopon (manly), untractable, unwomanly, manly, unyielding, unswerving with any submission. It should be known that this is said of women who act manly or who are man-like in appearance. Arogos (helper), assistant. Asmenos (gladly), joyfully, pleasantly. Atta, who, or which, or similar things. Atithasson (untamed), wild. Au (again), truly or again. Authis, beside these things, or immediately, or again. Ampho, from either side, or both. Amauros (dim), weak, lightless, inarticulate, dark. Anaktopois, in palaces. Anapaulan (rest), cessation. Anaptyxis (unfolding), explanation. Anakatharsis (purification), opening, explanation, resolution, clarification. Anieros (unholy), profane, shameful. Anionton (of those going up), of those suffering pain, of those grieving.

B Banausos (menial), every craftsman working through fire.

G Gany-mene (delighting), rejoicing or being glad. Gargalizontas, [leading] to falling easily into sweetness. Genikos (generally), nobly. Gera (gifts), honors, rewards, recompenses.

D Daitas (feasts), banquets, best foods.

^A Dedittomenos, terrifying or frightening. Deimaton, of fears. Deinoi, wise or experienced. Dieukrinetheie, might be cleared up, might be clearly distinguished and plainly set forth. Dieidestaton, most transparent, purest, most radiant, brilliant. Dieidestatois, that is, most transparent. Dieisa, shining, passing through, entering. Diaportheuetai, is transported, is carried across, passes through, is fashioned. Diametron, the interval from end to end across the breadth. Dorata, swords, weapons. Drasei, shall act or shall do. Drasteriōs, actively, effectively, operatively, practically. Dromena, things being done or things being performed. [E] Ekphantoria, revealing or manifestation. Elateiran, repellent or driving away. Empereias, of similarity. Enapomorgnuntai, they imprint upon [themselves]. Enarmonion, melodious or suitable. Enagestate, most filthy. Enēn, possible or permissible. En kosmō, in good order. Eikē, in vain. Eikos, proper, fitting, consequent. Eikaiologēsai, to speak in vain. Eikaion, vain. Einai theios, to exist, to have been generated through baptism. E tō, if to someone. Ei de tō, but if to someone. Ektetikotes, those who have rendered or given up. Exiōmenous, [for] hiōmenous, those healing. Epiprosthen, before, in front of the altar. Epiphoitēsis, arrival or presence. Erōn, longing, desiring. Erōn, saying, intending to speak. Euruntō, I broaden or I expand. Eurōstōs, healthily. Eueikta, obedient. Estiasis, feasting, cheerfulness, joy. Eserthē, here instead of "revered," "honored," "admired," "was struck with wonder"; it is said also instead of "rested" or "was ashamed." Ephesis, desire. Ephikton, comprehensible. Ephikton, permitted. Euthēmosunas, aptly-fitted and well-fashioned creations, or well-ordered ranks and positions. Pros hēō, towards the east. Ephon, early or eastern. [H] Hē, when aspirated and circumflexed, stands for "as" or "inasmuch as." Hēdōsan, blooming or becoming young. Hēgēsoito, might lead the way. Hēttonōn, of lesser things. [Θ] Theoeides, calls that which is according to the image. Theogenesian, baptism. Theorrhēmosunē, [attributing attributes] to divine words, to divine teaching, to instruction. Theōros, contemplative. Themiton, lawful, just. Thiasōtai, dancers, those who sing divine things. [I] Idiaiteron, more particular, particularly pertaining. ^A Hidrusis, establishment or safety. Hileō, propitiation. Hileōs, cheerful or gracious. Indalma, fantasy or likeness. Ischei, here, holds. Itō, let him come. Itamoi, shameless or impudent. [K] Kakergetisin, to evildoers. Kataphasis, affirmative statement. Kataphasis, an affirmation of something regarding something. Kata tēs korrēs, at the jaw, at the temple, at the head. Kata katheton, the interval from height to depth. Katadeitai, is bound. Katedarthē, lay down. Ekatheudēsen, slept. Kēlis, reproach or blame. Kleinōs, glorious in virtue. Kleithrois, with locks. Kraipalē, the trembling and shaking following after much drunkenness, that is, in the head. [Λ] Lēxin, completion or conclusion. Loxa, crooked, curved, not known by a straight path. [M] Marmarugai, radiances. Maieuomenoi, acting as midwives, being gathered, being nourished. Methē, the, as it were, displacement of the governing principle from much drunkenness. Mithrou, of the sun. Mustagōgia, instruction in mysteries, teaching, and participation; that is, the guidance of initiation and, clearly, divine participation. Muēsis, learning, instruction, knowledge. Muchōn, of dark or secret places. [O] Homognia, of the same family, genuine, dear. Oninēsin, it benefits. Hoioi, powerful. Oimon, a way. Ouk apadousas, not unbecoming, not alien, not contrary. Ouk apeikotōs, not without reason. Ouk apo, not far, not outside. Ouk exorchēsē, you will not display showily, nor will you publish theatrically. Olbiou, rich. Opados, follower. Orrhōdō, I fear. [Π] Pampan, entirely. Periousia, abundance, surplus, excellence, incomparable essence. Peripezias, passenger, traveler, one who takes hold. Perainon, accomplishing. Periphus, having folded around. Proepeplakizes, you were insulting. Proiousa, coming forth. Pron [aousa], pouring forth. Pros hēō, towards the east. Prosechēs, a contemplator of itself and its own [properties], unwaveringly and without turning back. Prōtourgos, first-working. Peisetai, will suffer passions. Pialeois, as if thirsty. It is said of certain reptiles, specifically those found near Jericho.

from which physicians for the most part ^A prepare the theriac; thus, in contrast to these, here it is applied by him simply to *pialeois*, that is, to things being drunk, rich, abundant, and at the same time overflowing and sating.

Ptoian, fear, trembling.

P Rhaion, easily handled, easy. Rastōnēn, ease, facility.

Σ Sephtheiemen, to be revered, to honor, to be struck with awe, to regard with wonder. Sternē, breasts. SymptySSEI, closes up, gathers together, holds within. Symbolon, something sensible taken in place of something intelligible, such as in place of the immaterial and divine food and joy, bread and wine, and all things similar to these. Synelōn, catching together, gathering. Syllēbdēn, collectively, in one, together. Scholē, to do nothing or to have leisure concerning something.

T Tautē, in this way. ^B

Tautēn, similar, equal, the same. Teletē, the completion of mysteries, perfection. Teletarchia, the principal of the initiations or of those things being initiated. Tote, in place of *pote* (when).

Y Hyas, swine. Hypaithros, under the open air. Hypotypōsis, a sketch, a pattern, an example. Hypotyphontas, smoldering underneath, burning. Hypophētai, teachers, ministers, deacons. Hyphesis, a going down. Hypheimenon, having gone under, secondary.

Φ Phamen, we say. Phasi, they say. Phanai, to say. Phanēn, bright. Phanotatō, most bright. Phthinon, waning, diminishing. Phoitōsan, arriving, drawing near. Phrourētikōn, protective.

Ω Ōlenai, hands, forearms, arms.