Book of the XXIV Philosophers

Translation in progress of 12th century manuscript (pseudo-Hermes Trismegistus?), as requested by Ted Hand. List of twenty four theses about God from various philosophers (Meister Eckhardt, Thomas Bradwardine, Nicholas da Cusa, etc.). Each of the 24 theses has accompanying commentary; further layers of commentary are available in the French and German translations, which I do not currently have before me. The Latin original can be found on Markus Vizent's blog (http://markusvinzent.blogspot.com/2012/10/book-of-24-philosophers.html).

Book of the 24 Philosophers – Libri Viginti Quattuor Philosophorum

Only one question remained among the twenty four philosophers: what is God? Let us agree, granted by general consent, that each of us shall in turn define God by his own proposition, extract anything that we might agree upon, and decide [upon who has the best definition]:

 

I.                   GOD IS A MONAD GENERATING A MONAD, REFLECTING THE FIRE OF LOVE BACK UPON ITSELF.

II.                GOD IS AN INFINITE SPHERE, WHOSE CENTER IS EVERYWHERE, AND WHOSE CIRCUMFERENCE IS NOWHERE.

III.             GOD IS ALL IN EVERY PART.

IV.             GOD IS A MIND, GENERATING A WORD, PRESERVED CONTINUALLY.

V.                GOD IS THAT,  WHICH NOTHING BETTER CAN BE IMAGINED.

VI.             GOD IS THAT ONE, NEXT TO WHOM SUBSTANCE IS ACCIDENT, YET IS NO ACCIDENT.

VII.          GOD IS THE ORIGIN WITHOUT ORIGIN, THE PROCESS WITHOUT VARIATION, THE END WITHOUT END.

VIII.       GOD IS LOVE, MORE OBSCURE THAN AIR.

IX.             GOD IS WHATEVER IS PRESENT WHATEVER TIME IT IS.

X.                GOD IS THAT WHICH CANNOT BE NUMBERED, WHOSE EXISTENCE CANNOT BE CIRCUMSCRIBED, AND WHOSE GOODNESS IS WITHOUT END.

XI.             GOD IS BEYOND BEING, NECESSARY, ABIDING ALONE IN ABUNDANCE, SUFFICIENT.

XII.          GOD IS HE WHOSE DIVINE WILL, POWER AND WISDOM ARE EQUAL.

XIII.       GOD IS THE ETERNAL ACTIVE IN ITSELF, WITHOUT DIVISION OR SEPARATION.

XIV.       GOD IS THE OPPOSITE OF MEDIATED BEING.

XV.          GOD IS THE WAY OF LIFE, THE FORM OF TRUTH, THE UNITY OF GOODNESS.

XVI.       GOD IS THAT EXCELLENCE WHICH WORDS CANNOT TRULY TELL, NOR THE MIND RIGHTLY DESCRIBE ITS LIKE.

XVII.    GOD IS HE WHO UNDERSTANDS HIMSELF ALONE, NOT DEPENDENT ON ANY RECEIVER.

XVIII. GOD IS A SPHERE OF MANY CIRCUMFERENCES AND MANY POINTS.

XIX.       GOD IS PERPETUALLY MOVING THOUGH IMMOBILE.

XX.          GOD IS HE WHO LIVES ALONE IN HIS INTELLECT.

XXI.       GOD IS THE SHADOW IN THE SOUL AFTER ALL LIGHT HAS DEPARTED.

XXII.    GOD IS THAT WHICH HAS NO DIVISIONS WHATEVER, WHICH HAS NO VARIATIONS, AND WHICH HAS NOTHING COMMINGLED WITH IT.

XXIII.  GOD IS THAT WHICH CAN ONLY BE UNDERSTOOD THROUGH IGNORANCE.

XXIV. GOD IS THAT LIGHT WHOSE PARTS NEITHER INCREASE NOR PASS, BUT ARE GODLIKE FORMS IN THEMSELVES.