P. Lansselius, Praefatio (Petrus Lansselius lectori salutem)

Of St. Maximus

the Scholia

upon those books of Blessed Dionysius which are extant,

translated by Pierre Lanssel, of Gravelines, priest of the Society of Jesus.

Of George Pachymeres

the Paraphrase

upon the Epistles of St. Dionysius,

revised by the same Pierre Lanssel.

There are added

the Scholia of the same St. Maximus upon several Epistles of St. Dionysius,

with the Latin translation of Balthasar Corderius.

Pierre Lanssel greets the Reader.

I return to you again, good reader, and give a few words of advice. Upon the Works of the most holy Dionysius there are truly learned lucubrations of two Greeks, which on account of the wisdom and authority of those men are deservedly held in the highest esteem and read. By one of the two I wished our Dionysius to be better accompanied, so that in this as it were new return into Gaul he might be received more pleasantly not only by his own Parisians, but also by all who are not devoid of culture. Moreover, I thought Maximus far to be preferred to Pachymeres, for he is both more ancient, which Pachymeres himself acknowledges, who, when he had brought forward one passage of Maximus, says, Some one of the ancients says. Besides, he is more famous for his published books and most learned Commentaries, by which he illustrated the truth of Catholic doctrine, a list of which Photius, Baronius, and others supply: likewise at the doors of the Church triumphant he laid down the laurel of martyrdom and palms forever verdant; whence he attained the title of sanctity, wherefore Pachymeres, making mention of him in Chapter 11 On the Celestial Hierarchy, falling as it were at his knees, thus venerates him: This is from the works of the holy and great Maximus. Finally, Pachymeres in his Paraphrase has nothing which is not contained in the scholia of this great Maximus, as you can easily understand from his Paraphrase on the Epistles, which we give; and if you have leisure enough to cast your eyes upon the notes, you will see that in Pachymeres there is more of words, less of matter: yet if we perceive that the whole is desired, it shall come forth in another edition. Here however I can by no means dissemble how much labour and difficulty I swallowed down in order that Maximus might speak Latin suddenly and extemporaneously. For at first I had resolved to exhibit him in Greek only, and Dionysius had already begun to be committed to type, when I was compelled by the entreaties of certain persons, who said that it would be a most useful thing, to undertake this hasty version. I am of such a disposition and will that I think no labour whatever is to be shunned for the sake of the common advantage: and so, while I watched over the printing workmen who were at work on the Dionysian volume, while I corrected errors, while I collated four manuscripts, there was born to me the translation of St. Maximus. I shall say nothing here of how dense and laborious the work of Maximus is, how intricate, obscure, and, so to speak, Loxian his style is, how subtle the matter and not seldom drawn from the midst of scholastic theology and metaphysics. I desire credence to be given to Photius, a man of the highest judgement, rather than to myself, whose testimony concerning Maximus is this: And in his diction he is long-drawn-out in his periods, and delights in hyperbata, abounding also in amplifications, and not studious of using literal expressions. Wherefore both obscurity and difficulty of attainment run through his writing; and subjecting his discourse to the roughness of grandeur in all that concerns composition and cadences, he does not even study to be pleasant to the ear, etc. That is: His discourse is continually drawn out in periods, and he delights in hyperbata, growing strong also in circumlocutions: and he does not even take pains to speak in proper terms. Whence throughout this writing of his both obscurity and difficulty of comprehending it run everywhere. Finally, having pursued in his discourse the harshness of a more swelling diction as regards composition and breathing-intervals, he does not study even to be pleasant to the hearing. Thus far he. Weighing which things within himself, I hope the learned reader will be more indulgent towards me if anywhere on so steep a slope I have walked haltingly. For the rest, I have employed a style not exquisite, painted, and polished, but such as I thought befitted a faithful translator, familiar and open, and word for word; lest, if I had pursued rouge and purple dye, and those perfumed showers of the rhetoricians, I should bring a cloud of obscurity over a most weighty author, when I ought rather to have brought light. For that wise saying of the learned Synesius has always pleased me: Philosophy must not contend much over names, since she seeks service for the thought, even if from the ground she procures it clear and fitting for the matters. That is: Philosophy must not fight much about names; since she requires a ministering service for the conceptions of the mind, even if it be necessary to gather it from the lowest dregs of the people, clear and suitable for explaining things.