On the Divine Names

Dionysius the Areopagite

On the Divine Names

Dionysius the Areopagite

Περὶ θείων ὀνομάτων

On the Divine Names (De divinis nominibus) is the chief theological treatise of the Christian Neoplatonist writing under the name Dionysius the Areopagite, probably in the late fifth or early sixth century. Addressed to Timothy, it unfolds the names predicated of God — Good, Light, Beauty, Love, Being, Life, Wisdom, Power, Justice, and the rest — through thirteen chapters, grounding each name in Scripture and in the tradition of Hierotheus. Its account of divine procession, participation, and the beautiful-and-good became foundational for Byzantine and medieval Latin theology, and it is among the authorities Aquinas cites most. Schola presents the Greek text with the Latin translation of Balthasar Corderius and the English translation of John Parker (1897).


CAPUT I. Quis libri finis, et quae e divinis nominibus prodita tandem esse, et ex rebus sensibilibus non posse cognosci

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Eas ergo divinas luces, quae sanctas omnes ordinum coelestium distinctiones moderantur, imitantes, summae quidem divinitatis arcanum illud, quod omnem intelligentiam substantiamque transcendit, à scrutatione vacuis, sacrisque mentis venerationibus, ineffabilia vero modesto quodam silentio prosequentes, fulgoribus, qui nobis e sanctis eloquiis adfulgent, attendamus, quorum deinde luce ad divinos hymnos excitemur, quibus supermundialiter illuminamur, sacrisque laudum canticis formamur ad divina lumina, quae in iis ad captum nostrum conceduntur, contemplanda, beneficentique principium omnis illustrationis, prout ipsum de se in eloquiis expressit collaudandum. Ut quod omnium sit causa et origo, essentiaque ac vita, et a se dilapsorum reuocatio ac resurrectio, diuinam vero in semetipsis imaginem obliterantium renouatio ac reformatio, nec non impuro motu nutantium firmamentum, ac stantium securitas; ad se tendentium manuductio, illuminatorum illustratio, perfectorum principium perficiens, deificatorum summa diuinitas, simplicificatorum simplicitas, unitorum unitas, omnis principii superessentialiter superoriginale principium, atque abditi illius secreti, quoad fas est, benefica communicatio, et simpliciter dicendo, vita viuentium, essentia entium, omnis vitae et essentiae principium ac causa propter suam bonitatem, qua et uniuersa producit ut sint, et continet ne pereant.

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CAPUT II. unio et distinctio.

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CAPUT III. Quae sit vis orationis, et de beato Hierotheo, de religione et conscriptione theologica.

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CAPUT IV. De bono, luce, pulchro, amore, exstasi, zelo; et quod malum neque ens sit, neque ex entibus, neque in entibus.

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CAPUT V. De ente, in quo etiam de exemplaribus.

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CAPUT VI. De vita.

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CAPUT VII. De sapientia, mente, ratione, veritate, fide.

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CAPUT VIII. De potentia, justitia, salute, redemptione; ubi etiam de inaequalitate.

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CAPUT IX. De magno, parvo, eodem, alio, simili, dissimili, statu, motu, aequalitate.

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CAPUT X. De omnitenente, antiquo dierum; in quo etiam de aevo seu aeternitate et tempore.

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CAPUT XI. De pace, quidque sibi velit ipsum per se esse, quae sit per se vita, quae vis ipsa per se, et quae illa coordinat atque conciliat, et quinam sint ejus effectus.

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CAPUT XII. De Sancto sanctorum, Rege regum, Domino dominantium, Deo deorum.

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CAPUT XIII. De perfecto et uno.

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