4

to philosophize further and to examine further for the one who truly has the mind of God and is more perfect in contemplation. For just as it is not enough to say "body," or "has been born," in order to represent and declare that also about which these things are, but it is necessary also to state the subject of these things, if what is conceived is to be represented perfectly and sufficiently; for either a man or an ox or a horse is this embodied, generated, and perishable thing; so also in that case, the one who investigates the nature of what is will not stop at saying what He is not, but it is necessary, in addition to saying what He is not, also to say what He is, -inasmuch as it is also easier to comprehend one thing, than to deny all things one by one, -so that what is conceived may be comprehended both from the removal of what He is not, and from the positing of what He is. But he who says what He is not, but is silent about what He is, does something similar to one who, if asked what twice five is, should say that it is not two, nor three, nor four, nor five, nor twenty, nor thirty, nor any, to speak concisely, of the numbers under ten or of the tens; but should not say that it is ten, nor fix the mind of the questioner upon the thing sought. For it is much easier and shorter to declare from what He is all that He is not, than by taking away what He is not to show what He is. Or rather this is clear to everyone.

10 But since for us the divine is incorporeal, let us examine a little further; whether this is nowhere, or is somewhere? For if it is nowhere, one of the overly inquisitive might ask how it could even exist. For if what is not is nowhere, what happens to be nowhere also is not. But if it is somewhere, it certainly must be either in the universe or beyond the universe. But if it is in the universe, it is either in some part of it, or everywhere. And if in some part, it will be circumscribed by something lesser, that part; but if everywhere, by something greater and much else, I mean, the contained by the container, if the whole is to be encompassed by the whole, and there is to be no place free of circumscription. This is so, if it is in the universe. And where was it before the universe came to be? For this is no small difficulty. But if it is beyond the universe, was there nothing then separating it from the universe? And where is this "beyond"? And how can that which surpasses and that which is surpassed be conceived, if there is no boundary cutting and separating these things? Or must there certainly be something in between, both that which bounds the universe and that which is beyond the universe? And what else is this but place, which we were trying to escape? And I do not yet say that the divine is in every way circumscribed, even if it is apprehended by the mind; for apprehension is also one form of circumscription.

11 Why then have I gone through these things? And perhaps more curiously than is suitable for the ears of the many, and contrary to the now prevailing style of discourse, which, having dishonored the noble and simple, has introduced the crooked and riddle-like; so that the tree is known by its fruits—I mean the darkness that produces such doctrines—from the gloom of what is said? For it is not so that I myself might seem to say paradoxical things, and appear excessive in wisdom, tying knots and loosing what is held fast; this very great wonder of Daniel; but that I might declare that which my discourse set out to say from the beginning. And what was this? That the divine is not comprehensible to the human mind, nor can it be imagined in its entirety, just as it is; and this is not on account of envy—for envy is far from the divine nature, which is impassible and alone good and sovereign, and especially towards its own creatures in what is most honorable; for what is more precious to the Word than rational beings? since even their very existence is from the highest goodness; -nor for its own honor and the glory of its fullness, so that through being unattainable it might have what is honorable and reverent. For this is entirely sophistic and foreign, not to mention to God, but even to a moderately fair man, and one conscious of some excellence in himself, to procure preeminence for himself by hindering others.

12 But if it is also for other reasons, those nearer to God would know, both overseers and spectators of His unsearchable judgments, if indeed there are any so great in virtue, and who walk in the footsteps of the abyss, as it is said. As far, however, as we have apprehended, measuring with small measures the things difficult to contemplate, perhaps, so that not by the

4

προσφιλοσοφεῖν τε καὶ προσεξετά ζειν τῷ γε νοῦν θεοῦ ἀληθῶς ἔχοντι καὶ τελεωτέρῳ τὴν θεωρίαν. ὡς γὰρ οὐκ ἀρκεῖ τὸ σῶμα εἰπεῖν, ἢ τὸ γεγεννῆσθαι, πρὸς τὸ καὶ τό, περὶ ὃ ταῦτα, παραστῆσαί τε καὶ δηλῶσαι, ἀλλὰ δεῖ καὶ τὸ ὑποκείμενον τούτοις εἰπεῖν, εἰ μέλλοι τελείως καὶ ἀποχρώντως τὸ νοούμενον παραστήσεσθαι· ἢ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ἢ βοῦς ἢ ἵππος τοῦτο τὸ ἐνσώματον καὶ γεννώμενον καὶ φθειρόμενον· οὕτως οὐδὲ ἐκεῖ στήσεται μέχρι τοῦ εἰπεῖν ἃ μή ἐστιν ὁ τὴν τοῦ ὄντος πολυπραγμονῶν φύσιν, ἀλλὰ δεῖ, πρὸς τῷ εἰπεῖν ἃ μή ἐστι, καὶ ὅ ἐστιν εἰπεῖν, -ὅσῳ καὶ ῥᾷον ἕν τι περιλαβεῖν, ἢ τὰ πάντα καθ' ἕκαστον ἀπειπεῖν, -ἵνα ἔκ τε τῆς ἀναιρέσεως ὧν οὔκ ἐστι, καὶ τῆς οὗ ἐστὶ θέσεως, περιληφθῇ τὸ νοούμενον. ὁ δὲ ἃ μὲν οὔκ ἐστι λέγων, σιωπῶν δὲ ὅ ἐστι, ποιεῖ παραπλήσιον, ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ τὰ πέντε δὶς ὅσα ἐστὶν ἐρωτώμενος ὅτι μὲν οὐ δύο λέγοι, οὐδὲ τρεῖς, οὐδὲ τέσ σαρες, οὐδὲ πέντε, οὐδὲ εἴκοσιν, οὐδὲ τριάκοντα, οὐδέ τινα, ἵνα συνελὼν εἴπω, τῶν ἐντὸς δεκάδος ἢ δεκαδικῶν ἀριθμῶν· ὅτι δὲ εἴη δέκα μὴ λέγοι, μηδὲ ἐρείδοι τὸν νοῦν τοῦ ἐρωτῶντος εἰς τὸ ζητούμενον. πολλῷ γὰρ ῥᾷον καὶ συντομώτερον ἐκ τοῦ ὅ ἐστιν ὅσα οὔκ ἐστι δηλῶσαι, ἢ ἐκ τοῦ ἀνελεῖν ἃ μή ἐστιν ὅ ἐστιν ἐνδεί ξασθαι. ἢ τοῦτο μὲν παντὶ δῆλον.

10 Ἐπεὶ δέ ἐστιν ἀσώματον ἡμῖν τὸ θεῖον, μικρόν τι προσεξετά σωμεν· πότερον οὐδαμοῦ τοῦτο, ἢ ἔστιν ὅπου; εἰ μὲν γὰρ οὐδαμοῦ, ζητήσαι τις ἂν τῶν ἄγαν ἐξεταστικῶν, πῶς ἂν καὶ εἴη. εἰ γὰρ τὸ μὴ ὂν οὐδαμοῦ, τὸ μηδαμοῦ τυχὸν οὐδὲ ὄν. εἰ δέ ἐστί που, πάντως ἐπείπερ ἐστὶν ἢ ἐν τῷ παντὶ ἢ ὑπὲρ τὸ πᾶν. ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν ἐν τῷ παντί, ἤ τινι, ἢ πανταχοῦ. καὶ εἰ μὲν ἔν τινι, ὑπ' ἐλάττονος περι γραφήσεται τοῦ τινός, εἰ δὲ πανταχοῦ, ὑπὸ πλείονος καὶ ἄλλου πολλοῦ, λέγω δὲ τὸ περιεχόμενον τοῦ περιέχοντος, εἰ τὸ πᾶν ὑπὸ τοῦ παντὸς μέλλοι περισχεθήσεσθαι, καὶ μηδένα τόπον εἶναι περι γραφῆς ἐλεύθερον. ταῦτα μέν, εἰ ἐν τῷ παντί. καὶ ποῦ πρὶν γενέσθαι τὸ πᾶν; οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῦτο μικρὸν εἰς ἀπορίαν. εἰ δὲ ὑπὲρ τὸ πᾶν, ἆρ' οὐδὲν ἦν τὸ διορίζον αὐτὸ τοῦ παντός; ποῦ δὲ τὸ ὑπὲρ τοῦτο; καὶ πῶς ἐνοήθη τὸ ὑπεραῖρον καὶ ὑπεραιρόμενον, οὐκ ὄντος ὅρου τινὸς τοῦ τέμνοντος ταῦτα καὶ διορίζοντος; ἢ χρὴ πάντως εἶναι τὸ μέσον, καὶ ᾧ περατοῦται τὸ πᾶν καὶ τὸ ὑπὲρ τὸ πᾶν; καὶ τί ἄλλο τοῦτο ἢ τόπος ἐστίν, ὅνπερ ἐφύγομεν; καὶ οὔπω λέγω τὸ περιγραπτὸν πάντως εἶναι τὸ θεῖον, καὶ εἰ διανοίᾳ καταληπτόν· ἓν γὰρ περιγραφῆς εἶδος καὶ ἡ κατάληψις.

11 Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν ταῦτα διῆλθον. καὶ περιεργότερον ἴσως ἢ κατὰ τὰς τῶν πολλῶν ἀκοάς, καὶ κατὰ τὸν νῦν κεκρατηκότα τύπον τῶν λόγων, ὃς τὸ γενναῖον καὶ ἁπλοῦν ἀτιμάσας τὸ σκολιὸν καὶ γριφοειδὲς ἐπεισήγαγεν· ὡς ἐκ τῶν καρπῶν τὸ δένδρον γινώσκεσθαι, λέγω δὲ τὸ ἐνεργοῦν τὰ τοιαῦτα δόγματα σκότος ἐκ τοῦ ζόφου τῶν λεγομένων; οὐ γὰρ ἵνα καὶ αὐτὸς παράδοξα λέγειν δόξω, καὶ περιττὸς φαίνωμαι τὴν σοφίαν, πλέκων συνδέσμους καὶ διαλύων κρατούμενα· τοῦτο δὴ τὸ μέγα θαῦμα τοῦ ∆ανιήλ· ἀλλ' ἵν' ἐκεῖνο δηλώσαιμι, ὅ μοι λέγειν ὁ λόγος ἀπ' ἀρχῆς ὥρμησεν. τοῦτο δὲ ἦν τί; τὸ μὴ ληπτὸν εἶναι ἀνθρωπίνῃ διανοίᾳ τὸ θεῖον, μηδὲ ὅλον ὅσον ἐστὶ φαντάζεσθαι· καὶ τοῦτο οὔτε διὰ φθόνον, -μακρὰν γὰρ τῆς θείας φύσεως φθόνος, τῆς γε ἀπαθοῦς καὶ μόνης ἀγαθῆς καὶ κυρίας, καὶ μάλιστα τῶν ἑαυτοῦ κτισμάτων περὶ τὸ τιμιώτατον· τί γὰρ Λόγῳ πρὸ τῶν λογικῶν; ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ὑποστῆναι τῆς ἄκρας ἀγαθότητος· -οὔτε εἰς τιμὴν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ δόξαν τοῦ πλήρους, ἵνα τῷ ἀνεφίκτῳ τὸ τίμιον ἔχῃ καὶ τὸ σεβάσμιον. τοῦτο γὰρ πάντως σοφιστικὸν καὶ ἀλλότριον, μὴ ὅτι θεοῦ, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἀνθρώπου μετρί ως ἐπιεικοῦς, καί τι δεξιὸν ἑαυτῷ συνειδότος, ἐκ τοῦ κωλύειν ἑτέρους τὸ πρωτεῖον πορίζεσθαι.

12 Ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν καὶ δι' ἄλλας αἰτίας, εἰδεῖεν ἂν οἱ ἐγγυτέρω θεοῦ, καὶ τῶν ἀνεξιχνιάστων αὐτοῦ κριμάτων ἐπόπται καὶ θεωροί, εἴπερ εἰσί τινες τοσοῦτοι τὴν ἀρετήν, καὶ ἐν ἴχνεσιν ἀβύσσου περιπα τοῦντες, τὸ δὴ λεγόμενον. ὅσον δ' οὖν ἡμεῖς κατειλήφαμεν, μικροῖς μέτροις μετροῦντες τὰ δυσθεώρητα, τάχα μέν, ἵνα μὴ τῷ