the mystical theology of valentin weigel - DataSpace at Princeton ...

Dionysius writes that the summit of this ascent is not illumination but rather union with
the “completely unknown by an inactivity of all knowledge” in which Moses “knows
beyond the mind by knowing nothing.” 650
However, to simply summarize Dionysius’ argument like this as a series of steps
(assert, negate, negate the negation) is already to miss Dionysius’ point. Dionysius’ is a
performative insight: one can only understand what he means by doing what he says, or
more specifically, by saying what he says. Beginning with an invitation to follow along
(“So this is what we say” 651 ) the last two short chapters of the Mystical Theology contain
long lists of repetitive sentences as Dionysius moves up the chain of denials. He begins:
“The Cause of all is above all and is not inexistence, lifeless, speechless, mindless. It is
not a material body, and hence has neither shape nor form, quality, quantity or weight.” 652
Sentences with a similar cadence continue for several more paragraphs, concluding with
the final negation of all negations: “It is beyond assertion and denial. We make assertions
and denials of what is next to it, but never of it, for it is both beyond every assertion,
being the perfect and unique cause of all things, and, by virtue of its pre-eminently simple
and absolute nature, free of every limitation, beyond every limitation; it is also beyond
every denial.” 653 The repetition, however, is precisely the point, as the names in the list
are not simply an excess of examples that all prove the same argument. One example will
not suffice, that is, and as I discussed at the beginning of this chapter, apophatic theology
means reading the whole list until one has run out of things to say, as Dionysius instructs:
more language falters, and when it has passed up and beyond the ascend, it will turn silent completely,
since it will finally be at one with him who is indescribable.” MT, 1033C.
650 MT, 1001A.
651 MT, 1040D.
652 Ibid.
653 Ibid, 1048B
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