De docta ignorantia

Let us now inquire what Martianus means when he says that philosophy, wishing to ascend to the knowledge of this Trinity, vomited forth circles and spheres. It has been shown in what precedes the one most simple maximum; and that it is itself neither the most perfect corporeal figure, as is the sphere, nor the superficial, as is the circle, nor the rectilinear, as is the triangle, nor of simple straightness, as is the line. But it is itself above all those, so that those things which are attained either by sense, or imagination, or reason with natural appendages, must necessarily be vomited forth, that we may arrive at the most simple and most abstract understanding, where all things are one, where the line is the triangle, where the circle is the sphere, where unity is trinity and conversely, where accident is substance, where body is spirit, motion is rest, and the like, then it is understood, when anything whatever is understood in the one itself, the one and the one itself all things and consequently anything whatever in it all things. And you have not rightly vomited forth the sphere, the circle, and the like, unless you understand that the maximal unity itself is necessarily threefold; for the maximum can in no way be rightly understood unless it is understood to be threefold, as we may use fitting examples for this.

We see that the unity of the intellect is nothing other than the intelligent, the intelligible, and understanding.

If therefore from that which is intelligent you wish to transfer yourself to the maximum and to say that the maximum is maximally intelligent, and do not add that it is itself also maximally intelligible and maximal understanding, you do not rightly conceive of the maximal and most perfect unity. For if unity is the maximal and most perfect intellection, which without these three correlations can be neither intellection nor most perfect intellection, he does not rightly conceive unity who does not attain the trinity of unity itself.

For unity is nothing but trinity, for it bespeaks indivision, discretion, and connexion. Indivision indeed is from unity, likewise discretion, likewise also union or connexion. The maximal unity, therefore, is nothing other than indivision, discretion, and connexion; and since it is indivision, then it is eternity or without beginning, just as the eternal is divided from none; since it is discretion, it is from immutable eternity; and since it is connexion or union, it proceeds from both. Further, when I say: unity is maximal, I say trinity. For when I say: unity, I say a beginning without beginning; when maximal, a beginning from a beginning; when by the verb is there is copulation and union, I say procession from both.

If therefore it has been most manifestly proved from what is above that the one is the maximum, since the minimum, the maximum, and the connexion are one, so that unity itself is both minimal and maximal and one: hence it is established how philosophy must vomit forth all imaginable and reason-able things, which would comprehend the maximal unity, not but threefold, with the most simple intellection.

But you wonder at these things which we have said, how one wishing to apprehend the maximum with simple intellection must leap over the differences and diversities of things and all mathematical figures, since we have said that in the maximum the line is the surface and the circle and the sphere.

Whence, that the intellect may be sharpened, I shall endeavor to transfer you thither more easily by indubitable manuduction, that you may see these things to be necessary and most true, which will lead you, not unfittingly, if from the sign you elevate yourself to the truth, understanding the words transumptively, into wondrous sweetness; since in learned ignorance you will profit in this way, so that, as far as is granted to one studious, elevated according to the powers of human genius, you may see the one maximal incomprehensible itself, God one and threefold ever blessed.