PG 4 · cols. 15–22

S. Maximus Confessor, Prologus in opera S. Dionysii

Editors' preface

PG 4:15

Editors' notes and page, col. 15

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: et alii cum eis› · call in col 15

Act. XVII, 33, 34.

Acts 17:33–34.

(printed under page 26)

Page

running head: 15 APPENDIX AD OPERA S. DIONYS
marginal letters: A Nobilitatem magni Dionysii; B Paulus exivit de; C Athenis archontes constituti
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: facing Latin version, not set; full-width title at head across cols 15-16 cut off at right edge (ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ Μ / ΠΡΟΛΟΓΟ / ΕΙΣ ΤΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ / SANCTI MA / PROLOGU / IN OPERA SANCTI / Interprete Petro Lan)
other: facing Latin version, not set
running head: 15 APPENDIX AD OPERA S. DIONYSII AREOPAGITÆ. 16
marginal letters: A ‹Nobilitatem magni Dionysii›; B ‹Paulus exivit de medio eorum›; C ‹siquidem ex novem qui›; D (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: full-width title band (Latin, untranslated): SANCTI MAXIMI / PROLOGUS / IN OPERA SANCTI DIONYSII / Interprete Petro Lansselio.

PG 4:16

ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΜΑΞΙΜΟΥ ΠΡΟΛΟΓΟΣ ΕΙΣ ΤΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΟΥ.

Saint Maximus's Prologue to the Works of Saint Dionysius.

Τὴν μὲν εὐγένειαν, τό τε περιφανὲς ἐν πλούτῳ μεγάλου Διονυσίου καὶ μόνον αὐτὸ τὸ κατὰ Ἀθηναίους βουλευτήριον, καθ' ὃ βουλεύειν ἡρέθη, παρίστησι. Τῶν γὰρ Ἀρεοπαγιτῶν εἰς ἐτύγχανεν οὗτος, ὡς ὁ θεῖος ἐδήλωσε Λουκᾶς, ἱστορῶν τὰς τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστόλων ἱερὰς πράξεις· εἰπὼν γὰρ τὸν ἁγιώτατον ἀπόστολον Παῦλον γενόμενον ἐν Ἀθήναις, συμβαλόντα τέ τισιν εἰς λόγους τῶν ἐξ Ἐπικούρου φιλοσόφων, καὶ τῶν γε μὴν ἀπὸ τῆς στοᾶς· καὶ κηρύξαντα τὴν εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν πίστιν, τήν τε τῶν νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν, καὶ τὴν καθολικὴν κρίσιν, συλληφθῆναι παρὰ τῶν ἀφιλοσόφων (οὐ γὰρ ἀληθῶς φιλοσόφων) ἀχθῆναί τε κατὰ τὸν Ἄρειον πάγον, καὶ δημηγορήσαντα, παραχρῆμά τινας ἑλεῖν, καὶ πρὸς τὸ τῆς ἀληθείας μεταθεῖναι φῶς, ἐπάγει· Καὶ οὕτως ὁ Παῦλος ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν· τινὲς δὲ ἄνδρες, κολληθέντες αὐτῷ, ἐπίστευσαν· ἐν οἷς καὶ Διονύσιος ὁ Ἀρεοπαγίτης, καὶ γυνὴ ὀνόματι Δάμαρις, καὶ ἕτεροι σὺν αὐτοῖς.

The noble birth of the great Dionysius, and his renown in wealth, are shown by this alone: the council-chamber of the Athenians, in which he was chosen to sit as councillor. For he happened to be one of the Areopagites, as the divine Luke made plain when he recounted the holy acts of the holy apostles. For having told how the most holy apostle Paul was in Athens, and engaged in discussion with some of the philosophers of Epicurus's school, and indeed with those of the Porch also; and how he preached faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and the resurrection of the dead, and the universal judgement; and how he was seized by those who were no philosophers (for they were not truly philosophers) and led to the Areopagus, and having addressed the assembly at once won some and brought them over to the light of the truth, he adds: "And so Paul went out from among them. But certain men, cleaving to him, believed; among whom was also Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them."

Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν οὐ μάτην ἀκούω τοῦ παρὰ πάντας τοὺς πεπιστευκότας τότε διὰ τοῦ θείου Παύλου, μόνον τὸν ἄριστον Διονύσιον ἐξονομασθῆναι παρὰ τοῦ θεοφόρου συγγραφέως, προστεθείσης αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἀξίας· φασὶ γὰρ Ἀρεοπαγίτης, ἐπιβάλλω δὲ μᾶλλον, ὅτι διά τε τὸ κατὰ σοφίαν περιττὸν, καὶ διὰ τὸ ἐν Ἀθηναίοις ἀνεπιλήπτου πολιτείας ἔκκριτον, μνημονευθῆναι μετὰ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ. Χρὴ δὲ εἰδέναι, καθὰ προέφην, ὡς οὐ παντὸς ἀνδρὸς ἦν, εἰς τὴν ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βουλὴν τελεῖν· ἀλλ' οἱ παρ' Ἀθηναίοις πρωτεύοντες ἔν τε γένει καὶ πλούτῳ καὶ βίῳ χρηστῷ· καὶ κατὰ τοῦθ' οἱ ἐπίσημοι καθεστῶτες ἐβούλευον εἰς τὴν ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βουλήν· ἐκ γὰρ τῶν ἐννέα καθισταμένων ἀρχόντων Ἀθήνησιν, τοὺς Ἀρεοπαγίτας

I, then, do not take it as idle that, beyond all who believed at that time through the divine Paul, the excellent Dionysius alone was named by the God-bearing writer, with his rank added as well; for "Areopagite," he says. I add, moreover, that it was because of his surpassing wisdom, and because of the distinction of his blameless way of life among the Athenians, that he was mentioned together with his household. One must know, as I said before, that it was not for every man to be enrolled in the council of the Areopagus; rather, those who held first place among the Athenians in birth and wealth and upright life, and on that account were established as men of note, sat as councillors in the council of the Areopagus. For from the nine archons appointed at Athens, the Areopagites

Editors' notes and page, col. 16

Page

running head: ERA S. DIONYSII AREOPAGITÆ. 16
marginal letters: A Τὴν μὲν εὐγένειαν,; B Παῦλος ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ; C εἰς τὴν ἐξ
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: full-width title at head across cols 15-16 cut off at left edge not set (ΟΥ ΜΑΞΙΜΟΥ / ΟΛΟΓΟΣ / ΑΓΙΟΥ ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΟΥ. / TI MAXIMI / ROLOGUS / SANCTI DIONYSII / rete Petro Lansselio.); word split at column end: Ἀρεοπαγί-
running head: 15 APPENDIX AD OPERA S. DIONYSII AREOPAGITÆ. 16
marginal letters: A ‹Τὴν μὲν εὐγένειαν›; B ‹Παῦλος ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ μέσου›; C ‹εἰς τὴν ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βουλήν›; D (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: the column ends on a word split at the break, Ἀρεοπαγί-|τας; set whole here as Ἀρεοπαγίτας (English "the Areopagites"); the tail τας at the top of col 17 is not repeated there (Q2).
other: UNSURE at this resolution: 'καὶ μόνον' line 2 may be printed υόνον (damaged μ?); 'ἡρέθη' set as it appears (normal form ᾑρέθη).
misprints as printed (Q2, for misprints.tsv): 'Τῶν γὰρ Ἀρεοπαγιτῶν εἰς ἐτύγχανεν' printed εἰς for εἷς, set as printed, translated "one of"; 'φασὶ γὰρ Ἀρεοπαγίτης' printed φασὶ (sense and the Latin 'ait' call for φησὶ), set as printed, translated "he says".

PG 4:17

ἔδει συνεστάναι δικαστὰς, ὥς φησιν Ἀνδροτίων ἐν δευτέρᾳ τῶν Ἀτθίδων· ὕστερον δὲ πλειόνων γέγονεν ἡ ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βουλὴ, τουτέστιν ἡ ἐξ ἀνδρῶν περιφανεστέρων πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑνὸς, πλὴν ἐξ εὐπατριδῶν, ὡς ἔφημεν, καὶ πλούτῳ καὶ βίῳ σώφρονι διαφερόντων, ὡς ἱστορεῖ Φιλόχορος διὰ τῆς τρίτης τῶν αὐτῶν Ἀτθίδων. Ἔξω δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἦν τὸ κατὰ Ἄρειον πάγον δικαστήριον, κληθὲν οὕτω, (καθ' ἃ μυθολογοῦσιν Ἀθηναῖοι) ἐκ τοῦ κατ' αὐτὴν τὴν ἐξοχὴν τοῦ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ὄρους συστάντος δικαστηρίου μεταξὺ Ποσειδῶνος καὶ Ἄρεως· ὁ γὰρ Ποσειδῶν δίκην εἶπε πρὸς Ἄρεα κατὰ τοὺς ἀρχαίους μύθους παρ' Ἀθηναίοις ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ, φάσκων ἀναιρεθῆναι τὸν ἴδιον υἱὺν Ἁλιῤῥόθιον ὑπ' Ἄρεως· κἀκεῖθεν ἐξ Ἄρεως ὁ πάγος ἐκεῖνος Ἄρειος ἐκλήθη. Ἐδίκαζον οὖν Ἀρεοπαγῖται περὶ πάντων σχεδὸν τῶν σφαλμάτων καὶ παρανομιῶν, ὡς ἅπαντά φησιν Ἀνδροτίων ἐν πρώτῃ, καὶ Φιλόχορος ἐν δευτέρᾳ καὶ τοίτῃ τῶν Ἀτθίδων.

had to be constituted as judges, as Androtion says in the second book of the Atthides; and afterwards the council of the Areopagus came to consist of more members, that is, of fifty-one of the more illustrious men, yet only from the Eupatrids, as we said, and those excelling both in wealth and in a temperate life, as Philochorus relates in the third book of the same Atthides. Now the court of the Areopagus was outside the city, having been called thus (according to the myths told by the Athenians) from the court constituted upon the very prominence of the hill by the city between Poseidon and Ares; for Poseidon pleaded a case against Ares, according to the ancient myths among the Athenians, in this place, alleging that his own son Halirrhothius had been slain by Ares; and thence from Ares that hill was called Areios. The Areopagites, therefore, judged concerning almost all offences and transgressions of the law, as Androtion says in full in the first book, and Philochorus in the second and third books of the Atthides.

Διὰ δὲ τοῦτο ἅτε καινῶν δαιμονίων καταγγελέα τὸν θειότατον Παῦλον, ὡς ἱστόρησεν ὁ φιλαλήθης Λουκᾶς, οἱ τῆς ὑπὸ Θεοῦ μωρανθείσης σοφίας ἐρασταὶ πρὸς τὴν ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βουλὴν ἕλκουσιν. Ἀλλ' ἐν τοῖς Ἀρεοπαγίταις τηνικαῦτα χρόνου βουλεύων, ἅτε δικαστὴς ἀκλινέστατος, ὁ πάμμεγας Διονύσιος, ἀδέκαστον ἀπένειμε τῇ κατὰ τὸν πνευματοφόρον Παῦλον ἀληθείᾳ τὴν ψῆφον, ἐῤῥῶσθαί τε πολλὰ φρασας τῇ τῶν Ἀρεοπαγιτῶν ἀνοήτῳ σεμνότητι, τὸν ἀληθῆ καὶ πανεπίσκοπον κριτὴν ἐννοίας Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν, τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς Υἱὸν μονογενῆ καὶ Λόγον, ὃν ὁ Παῦλος ἐκήρυξεν, εὐθὺς εἴχετο τοῦ φωτός · κἂν γὰρ οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι τότε ἐκράτουν, ἀλλ' οὖν αὐτονόμους ἀφῆκαν Ἀθήνας καὶ Λακεδαιμονίαν· ὅθεν ἔτι παρὰ Ἀθηναίοις καὶ τὰ κατὰ τοὺς Ἀρεοπαγίτας ἐπολιτεύετο. Καὶ τελεῖται μὲν ἅπαντα τῆς σωτηρίας τὰ δόγματα διὰ Παύλου τοῦ κρατίστου, παιδαγωγεῖται δὲ διδασκαλικῶς ὁ Διονύσιος ὑπὸ Ἱεροθέῳ τῷ μεγίστῳ, καθά φησιν ὁ αὐτός· εἶτα καθίσταται κατὰ τὸ φερόμενον ἐν ἑβδόμῳ βιβλίῳ τῶν Ἀποστολικῶν διαταγμάτων ὁ Διονύσιος ἐπίσκοπος ὑπὸ Παύλου τοῦ χριστοφόρου τῶν ἐν Ἀθήνησι πιστευσάντων.

On this account, therefore, as a proclaimer of new deities, the lovers of the wisdom made foolish by God dragged the most divine Paul before the council of the Areopagus, as the truth-loving Luke related. But sitting as a councillor among the Areopagites at that time, as a most unswerving judge, the all-great Dionysius cast an unbribed vote for the truth according to the Spirit-bearing Paul, and bidding a long farewell to the foolish solemnity of the Areopagites, and conceiving in mind the true and all-overseeing Judge, Christ Jesus, the only-begotten Son and Word of God the Father, Whom Paul proclaimed, he straightway cleaved to the light; for even though the Romans then held sway, nevertheless they left Athens and Lacedaemonia autonomous, whence the institutions of the Areopagites were still maintained among the Athenians. And he was initiated into all the doctrines of salvation through the most mighty Paul, and Dionysius was trained in instruction under the greatest Hierotheus, as he himself says; then, according to what is recorded in the seventh book of the Apostolic Constitutions, Dionysius was appointed by the Christ-bearing Paul as bishop of those who believed at Athens.

Μνημονεύει δὲ τοῦ Ἀρειοπαγίτου καὶ Διονύσιος ἀρχαῖος Κορινθίων ἐπίσκοπος, καὶ Πολύκαρπος ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἀθηναίους ἐπιστολῇ αὐτοῦ. Ἔστι δὲ τὴν ὀρθότητα καὶ πολυμάθειαν ἀποθαυμάσαι τοῦ ἁγίου τούτου Διονυσίου, τὸν ἀληθῶς διὰ πολλῆς ἠγμένον ἐπιστήμης τῶν ἀνεπιλήπτων τῆς Ἐκκλησιας παραδόσεων, θεάσασθαί τε τὰ παρὰ τοῖς τῶν Ἑλλήνων φιλοσόφοις νόθα δόγματα πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν μετενηνεγμένα. Ἐλεῆσαι γὰρ ἔστι μᾶλλον καὶ συναλγῆσαι τῆς ἀπροσεξίας τοὺς ὀλιγώρους τῆς εὐπαιδευσίας ἐξεταστὰς, ὅτι τῇ σφῶν ἀμαθίᾳ συμμετροῦσι καὶ τὰς τῶν ἑξῆς ἀνθρώπων φιλομαθεῖς εὐθημοσύνας. Ἐντυγχάνοντες

Mention is also made of the Areopagite both by Dionysius, the ancient bishop of the Corinthians, and by Polycarp in his Epistle to the Athenians. And one may marvel at the rectitude and vast learning of this holy Dionysius, who was truly led through great knowledge of the blameless traditions of the Church, and behold the spurious doctrines among the philosophers of the Greeks transferred to the truth. For one may rather pity and grieve over the carelessness of examiners who slight good learning, because by their own ignorance they measure also the learning-loving diligence of other men. Encountering

Editors' notes and page, col. 17

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: Ἀρεοπαγιτῶν ἀνοήτῳ› · call in col 17 (Greek only; no call in the Latin)

ἀνονήτῳ.

[variant] ἀνονήτῳ ("useless"), for the text's ἀνοήτῳ ("senseless").

(printed under page 27)

(2) ‹anchor: τῆς εὐπαιδευσίας› · call in col 17 (Greek only; no call in the Latin)

ἀπαιδευσίας.

[variant] ἀπαιδευσίας ("of lack of learning"), for the text's εὐπαιδευσίας ("of good learning").

(*) ‹anchor: call not visible in the page foot› · call in col 17 Ex codice S. Marci Veneti.

From the codex of St Mark's, Venice.

(printed under page 27)

Page

running head: 17 S. MAXIMI PROLOGUS IN OP
marginal letters: A τας ἔδει συνεστάναι; B καὶ παρανομιῶν, ὡς; C κἂν γὰρ οἱ; D στήμης τῶν ἀνεπιλήπτων
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: word split from previous column: τας (the tail of Ἀρεοπαγί-|τας, set whole at the end of col 16 and not repeated here, Q2); word split at column end: Ἐν-|τυγχάνοντες, set whole here (the tail at the top of col 20 is not repeated there, Q2); full-width foot heading VARIÆ LECTIONES ET C cut off at right edge
other: the foot line (b) Act. XVII, 18 is called in the facing Latin only (col 18) and belongs to that column.
misprints as printed (Q2, for misprints.tsv): 'ἐν δευτέρᾳ καὶ τοίτῃ' printed τοίτῃ for τρίτῃ; 'πολλὰ φρασας' printed without accent (φράσας); 'τῆς Ἐκκλησιας' printed without accent (Ἐκκλησίας). All set as printed.
other: UNSURE at this resolution: 'τὸν ἴδιον υἱὺν' may be printed υἱὸν; kept as set.

PG 4:18

Editors' notes and page, col. 18

Footnotes

(b) ‹anchor: narravit)› · call in col 18

Act. XVII, 18.

Acts 17:18.

VARIÆ LECTIONES ET CORRECTIONES.

Variant readings and corrections.

(printed under page 27)

Footnotes

VARIÆ LECTIONES ET CORRECTIONES.

Variant readings and corrections.

(printed under page 28)

Page

running head: 19 APPENDIX AD OPERA S. DIONY
marginal letters: A in quorumdam scripta; B dixerint in iis; C Ita est, inquiunt.; D omnium, vix autem
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: facing Latin version, not set; full-width foot heading VARIÆ LECTIONES ET COR cut off at right edge

PG 4:20

οἱ τοιοῦτοι συγγράμμασιν ἐνίων, καὶ τυχὸν οὐ παρακολουθοῦντες τῇ τῶν λεγομένων διανοίᾳ, πρὸς ἀδιάκριτον εὐθὺς ἐκφέρονται τοῦ συγγραφέως διαβολήν· καίτοι παντελῶς οὐ δυνάμενοι τὰ σκώμματα διευθύνειν τε καὶ διελέγχειν ἃ φασιν αὐτοὶ, δέον ἐπὶ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς τρέπειν τὴν ὀργὴν, καὶ μᾶλλον ἀσχάλλειν, ὅτι μὴ σπουδάσαντες ἔγνωσαν καὶ αὐτοὶ τὰ περὶ γνῶσιν ἀνηγμένα· ἢ τἀληθὲς, ὅτι μὴ πρὸς τοὺς ἱκανοὺς περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα φιλομαθῶς γεγονότες, τῶν ἀπορημάτων ἀπελύθησαν. Ἀλλὰ τολμῶσί τινες λοιδορεῖν εἰς αἱρέσεις τὸν θεῖον Διονύσιον, καθάπαξ καὶ τὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἀγνοοῦντες· ἢ γὰρ ἂν, ἐξ ἑκάστου τῶν κατακεκριμένων ἐν τοῖς αἱρετίζουσι συγκρίνοντες, τὰ παρὰ τούτων δόγματα πολλῷ τῶν φλαύρων ἀφεστηκότα διεγίνωσκον, καθόσον φῶς ἀληθὲς καὶ σκότος. Τί γὰρ εἴποιεν ἐν τοῖς περὶ τῆς μόνης προσκυνητῆς Τριάδος θεολογουμένοις παρ' αὐτῷ ; τί δ' ἂν περὶ τοῦ τῆς παμμακαρίας ταύτης Τριάδος ἑνὸς Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τοῦ μονογενοῦς Θεοῦ Λόγου τελείως ἐνανθρωπῆσαι θελήσαντος ; οὐχὶ ψυχὴν ἔννουν, καὶ σῶμα τὸ καθ' ἡμᾶς γήϊνον διεξῆλθε, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τὰ ὅσα τοῖς ὀρθοῖς ἐντέτακται διδασκάλοις ; Τί δὲ περὶ νοητῶν καὶ νοερῶν καὶ τῶν αἰσθητῶν μέμψαιτ' ἄν τις εἰκότως· ἢ περὶ τῆς καθολικῆς ἡμῶν ἀναστάσεως τῆς μετὰ σώματος τοῦ καθ' ἡμᾶς καὶ τῆς ἡμῶν ψυχῆς γενησομένης· καὶ περὶ τῶν τότε δικαιωτηρίων, δικαίων τε καὶ τῶν μὴ τοιούτων ; εἰς τὰ γὰρ, συλλήβδην εἰπεῖν, ἡ καθ' ἡμᾶς ἀφορᾷ σωτηρία, ἅτινα πλατέως διεξελθεῖν οὐ δίκαιον, τῆς ἐπὶ σχολίων ἐξηγήσεως ἅπαντα κατὰ καιρὸν ἐπισημαινομένης.

the writings of certain men, and perhaps not following the meaning of what is said, such persons are straightway carried off into indiscriminate slander of the writer; whereas, being altogether unable to correct and refute the gibes which they themselves utter, they ought to turn their anger against themselves and rather be vexed that through lack of diligence they themselves did not come to know the things that pertain to knowledge; or in truth, that by not betaking themselves with a love of learning to those who are competent in such matters, they were not freed from their perplexities. Yet some dare to rail at the divine Dionysius for heresies, being utterly ignorant even of the doctrines of the heretics; for truly, had they compared the doctrines taught by him with each of the things condemned in the heretics, they would have discerned that they stand as far apart from those base doctrines as true light from darkness. For what could they say in the matters theologized by him concerning the only adorable Trinity? And what concerning the One of this all-blessed Trinity, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Word of God, Who willed to become perfectly incarnate? Did he not set forth a rational soul, and an earthly body like ours, and all the other things that have been ordained by the orthodox teachers? And what could anyone reasonably fault concerning intelligible and intellectual and sensible things; or concerning our universal resurrection which will take place with our body like ours and our soul; and concerning the tribunals that will then be held for the righteous and for those who are not such? For towards these things, to speak summarily, our salvation looks, which it is not right to go through at length, since the commentary in the scholia points out everything in due season.

Ναὶ, φασίν · ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔγραψεν αὐτοῦ τὰς συντάξεις Εὐσέβιος ὁ Παμφίλου· καὶ μὴν οὐδ' Ὠριγένης.

Yes, they say; but Eusebius the son of Pamphilus did not record his treatises; and indeed neither did Origen.

Πρὸς οὓς λεκτέον, ὡς πάμπολλα παρῆκεν Εὐσέβιος οὐκ ἐλθόντα περὶ χεῖρας οἰκείας· καὶ γὰρ οὔτε φησὶν ἅπαντα καθάπαξ συναγηοχέναι· μᾶλλόν γε μὴν ὁμολογεῖ καὶ ἀριθμοῦ κρείττονα βιβλία καθεστάναι μηδαμῶς εἰς αὐτὸν ἐληλυθότα· καὶ πολλῶν ἐδυνάμην μνημονεῦσαι μὴ κτηθέντων αὐτῷ, καὶ ταῦτα τῆς αὐτοῦ χώρας, ὡς Ὑμεναίου καὶ Ναρκίσσου τῶν ἱερασαμένων ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις. Ἐγὼ γοῦν ἐνέτυχόν τισι τῶν Ὑμεναίου. Καὶ μὴν οὔτε Πανταίνου τοὺς πόνους ἀνέγραψεν , οὔτε τοῦ Ῥωμαίου Κλήμεντος, πλὴν δύο καὶ μόνων ἐπιστολῶν· ἀλλ' οὔτε πλείστων ἑτέρων. Ὁ γὰρ Ὠριγένης, οὐκ οἶδα εἰ πάντων, μόλις δὲ τεττάρων ἐμνήσθη. Διάκονος δέ τις Ῥωμαῖος. Πέτρος ὄνομα, διηγήσατό μοι, πάντα τὰ τοῦ θείου Διονυσίου σώζεσθαι κατὰ τὴν ἐν Ῥώμῃ τῶν ἱερῶν βιβλιοθήκην ἀνατεθειμένα.

To whom it must be said that Eusebius passed over very many works which did not come into his own hands; for indeed he does not say that he collected all of them without exception, but rather confesses that the books which had by no means come down to him were beyond number; and I could mention many not possessed by him, and those too of his own country, such as those of Hymenaeus and Narcissus, who held the priesthood in Jerusalem. I myself at any rate have met with some of the works of Hymenaeus. And indeed he did not record the labours of Pantaenus either, nor those of Clement of Rome, save two epistles alone; nor yet those of very many others. For Origen, I know not whether of all, yet made mention of scarcely four. Moreover, a certain Roman deacon, Peter by name, related to me that all the works of the divine Dionysius are preserved, deposited in the library of sacred books at Rome.

Γράφει δὲ τὰ πλεῖστα πρὸς τὸν τρισμακάριον Τιμόθεον, τὸν τοῦ ἁγίου ἀποστόλου Παύλου φοιτητὴν, Ἐφεσίων ἐπίσκοπον, ὑπὸ τῶν κατὰ τὴν Ἔφεσον τῆς Ἰωνικῆς φιλοσοφίας προεστώτων, ὡς εἰκὸς, πάσχοντα πράγματα, καὶ πυνθανόμενον, ὡς εἰδήμονος τῆς ἐξωτερικῆς φιλοσοφίας, ἵνα καὶ μᾶλλον ἀγωνίζοιτο· καὶ

And he writes most of his works to the thrice-blessed Timothy, the disciple of the holy Apostle Paul and bishop of the Ephesians, who was, as is likely, suffering trouble from the leaders of the Ionic philosophy at Ephesus, and was inquiring of him as one skilled in external philosophy, so that he might contend all the more; and

Editors' notes and page, col. 20

Footnotes

(3) ‹anchor: τὰ περὶ γνῶσιν› · call in col 20 (Greek only; no call in the Latin)

πρός.

[variant] πρός ("to, towards"), for the text's περί.

(printed under page 28)

(4) ‹anchor: τὰ λοιπὰ τὰ ὅσα› · call in col 20 (Greek only; no call in the Latin)

πάντα.

[variant] πάντα ("all things"), for the text's τὰ.

(printed under page 28)

(5) ‹anchor: εἰς τὰ› · call in col 20 (Greek only; no call in the Latin)

ταῦτα.

[variant] ταῦτα ("these things"), for the text's τὰ.

(printed under page 28)

(6) ‹anchor: Ναί, φασίν› · call in col 20 (Greek only; no call in the Latin)

φησί.

[variant] φησί ("he says"), for the text's φασίν ("they say").

(printed under page 28)

Page

running head: PERA S. DIONYSII AREOPAGITÆ. 20
marginal letters: A τυγχάνοντες οἱ τοιοῦτοι; B καὶ σκότος. Τί; C Ναὶ, φασίν ·; D μνήσθη. Διάκονος δέ
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: word split from previous column: τυγχάνοντες (the tail of Ἐν-|τυγχάνοντες, set whole at the end of col 17 and not repeated here, Q2); full-width foot heading IONES ET CORRECTIONES. cut off at left edge
misprints as printed (Q2, for misprints.tsv): 'ἀγνοοῦντες· ἢ γὰρ ἂν' printed ἢ where the sense calls for ἦ; set as printed, translated "for truly".

PG 4:21

οὐδὲν ἀπεικός · ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ θεοφιλὴς ἀπόστολος Παῦλος ταῖς Ἑλλήνων ἐχρήσατο ῥήσεσι, ταύτας ἀκούων τυχὸν παρὰ τῶν συνόντων αὐτῷ, τῆς ἑλληνικῆς φιλοσοφίας ἐμπείρων. Συνίστησι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, Διονυσίου ταῦτα φιλαλήθως τὰ συγγράμματα καθεστάναι · τὸ γὰρ ἀνεπιτηδεύτως μνημονεύειν αὐτὸν ῥήσεων τῶν συνακμασάντων αὐτῷ ἀνδρῶν, ὧν αἵ τε θεῖαι τῶν ἀποστόλων μνημονεύουσι Πράξεις, καὶ Παύλου τοῦ θεοφιλοῦς αἱ πολυωφελεῖς ἐπιστολαὶ, τὸ τῶν συγγραμμάτων ἀσκευώρητον ἀποφαίνουσι · μάλιστα δὲ πάντων τὸ τῶν δογμάτων ἀσφαλέστατον.

this is nothing unlikely; since even the God-loving Apostle Paul made use of sayings of the Greeks, having perhaps heard them from those who associated with him who were skilled in Greek philosophy. And this too establishes in truth that these writings are those of Dionysius: for the fact that he mentions without artifice sayings of the men who flourished along with him, of whom both the divine Acts of the Apostles and the much-profitable Epistles of the God-loving Paul make mention, demonstrates the uncontrived character of the writings, and most of all the complete soundness of the doctrines.

Ἐπειδὴ δέ τινές φασι, μὴ εἶναι τοῦ ἁγίου τὸ σύγγραμμα, ἀλλά τινος τῶν μεταγενεστέρων, ἀνάγκη αὐτοὺς καὶ τῶν ἀπηγορευμένων τινὰ καὶ ἀτόπων αὐτὸν τιθέναι, καταψευδύμενον τοιαῦτα ἑαυτοῦ, ὡς συνῆν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις, καὶ ἐπέστελλεν οἷς οὐδὲ συνεγένετό ποτε κατ' αὐτοὺς, οὐδὲ ἐπέστειλε.

Since, however, some say that the treatise is not by the saint, but by someone of later times, they are forced to make him out to be some forbidden and absurd person as well, falsely inventing such things about himself, as that he was with the Apostles and wrote epistles to those with whom, according to them, he never even associated nor corresponded.

Τὸ δὲ καὶ πλάσασθαι προφητείαν πρὸς τὸν ἀπόστολον Ἰωάννην ἐν ἐξορίᾳ ὄντα, ὡς ἐπανήξει πάλιν εἰς τὴν Ἀσιάτιδα γῆν, καὶ τὰ συνήθη διδάξει, τοῦτο τερατολόγου ἀνδρὸς καὶ προφήτου δόξαν ἐκμανῶς θηρωμένου.

And furthermore, to have fabricated a prophecy to the Apostle John while he was in exile, that he would return again to the land of Asia and teach as was his wont, this would be the act of a wonder-mongering man madly hunting after the reputation of a prophet.

Τὸ δὲ καὶ λέγειν αὐτὸν ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ καιρῷ τοῦ σωτηρίου πάθους ἐν Ἡλιουπόλει συνόντα Ἀπολλοφάνει, θεωρεῖν καὶ συμφιλοσοφεῖν περὶ τῆς ἡλιακῆς ἐκλείψεως, ὡς οὐ κατὰ φύσιν οὐδὲ κατὰ τὸ ἔθος τότε γεγενημένης · λέγειν δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ παρεῖναι σὺν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις τῇ προκομιδῇ τοῦ λειψάνου τοῦ θείου τῆς ἁγίας θεοτόκου Μαρίας · καὶ χρήσεις προφέρειν Ἱεροθέου τοῦ ἰδίου διδασκάλου ἐκ τῶν εἰς αὐτὴν ἐπιταφίων λόγων· πλάττεσθαι δὲ καὶ ἐπιστολὰς καὶ λόγους ὡς πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐκφωνηθέντας, πόσης ἀτοπίας καὶ καταγνώσεως, καὶ τῷ τυχόντι ἀνθρώπῳ, μήτι γε δὴ ἀνδρὶ τοσοῦτον ἀνηγμένῳ κατά τε ἦθος καὶ γνῶσιν, καὶ τὸ ὑπεραίρειν τὰ αἰσθητὰ πάντα, καὶ τοῖς νοεροῖς συνάπτεσθαι κάλλεσι, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν ὡς ἐφικτὸν Θεῷ!

And again, for him to say that at the very time of the saving Passion he was in Heliopolis with Apollophanes, beholding and philosophizing together about the solar eclipse, as having occurred then neither according to nature nor according to custom; and for him to say that he was also present with the Apostles at the translation of the divine relics of Mary the holy Mother of God, and to cite passages of Hierotheus his own teacher from the funeral orations upon her; and to fabricate both epistles and discourses as though addressed to the disciples of the Apostles—what great absurdity and condemnation would this be even for an ordinary man, to say nothing of a man so exalted both in character and in knowledge, and in transcending all sensible things and being united to the intellectual beauties, and through them, so far as is attainable, to God!

Ἐξηγητικῶν μὲε οὖν ὑπομνημάτων ὡς ὅτι μάλιστα διεξοδικωτάτων ἐδεῖτο πρὸς ἑρμηνείαν τῆς αὐτοῦ πολυμαθείας · πλὴν κεφαλαιωδέστερον, ὡς ἡ βίβλος ἐχώρησε, διὰ σχολίων, τὰ φανέντα μοι, θεῷ πεποιθὼς, παρατέθεικα κατὰ τοὺς ἑξῆς παρακειμένους λόγους, οὓς τέως εἰς τὰς ἐμὰς ἐλθεῖν συμβέβηκε χεῖρας.

Now he stood in need of the most extensive exegetical commentaries possible for the interpretation of his vast learning; nevertheless, more summarily, as the book allowed, by means of scholia, trusting in God, I have set down beside the following discourses what has occurred to me, so many of them as have thus far chanced to come into my hands.

Editors' notes and page, col. 21

Footnotes

VARIÆ LECTIONES ET CORRECTIONES.

Variant readings and corrections.

(printed under page 29)

(7) ‹anchor: τὸ σύγγραμμα› · call in col 21 (Greek only; no call in the Latin)

σύνταγμα.

[variant] σύνταγμα ("treatise"), for the text's σύγγραμμα.

(printed under page 29)

(8) ‹anchor: ἐλθεῖν συμβέβηκε χεῖρας› · call in col 21 (Greek only; no call in the Latin)

Dionysianum ms. minus recte meo judicio ponit hoc loco ea quæ in editione Morelliana. præcesserant, ἐπειδὴ δέ τινες, quam proinde hic sequi maluimus.

The Dionysian manuscript, less correctly in my judgement, puts at this point what had come earlier in Morel's edition, ἐπειδὴ δέ τινες ("but since some…"); we have therefore preferred to follow that edition here.

(printed under page 29)