Page:The Classical Heritage of the Middle Ages.djvu/105

 v] DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE 87 changeable but always vivid personalities, were to form the flaming host of divine ministrants and guar- dians of men. The works of the Areopagite may not have been widely read in the West before they were translated in the ninth century by Erigena. But from that time the Celestial Hierarchy constituted the canon of angelic lore, authoritative for the religion and religious art of the Middle Ages.^ Its closing fifteenth chapter was more especially the canon of angelic symbolism for literature and art. There the author explains in what respect theology attributes to angels the qualities of fire, why the Thrones are said to be fiery (irupLvov^) ; why the quality of fire is attributed to the Seraphim, who are burning (ifnrprfo-Tds), as their name signifies. "It is the fiery form which signifies, with Celestial Intelligences, likeness to God ; " and then he speaks of fire's marvellous subtile qualities. Again, he ex- plains the significance of the human form, — erect, rational, contemplative of the heavens — and of the parts of the human body, when ascribed to celestial beings; for example, feet are ascribed to angels to denote their unceasing movement on the divine busi- ness ; and theology declares that their feet are winged (vTroTTTcpow) to denote their celerity.' Further, he 1 Of course, there is plenty of mention of angels among the Latin fathers; e.g., Aagnstine, Civ. Dei, VIII, 24, speaks of angels, whether they be Sedes, Dominationes, Principatus sive Potestates. In Civ. Dei, XI, 298qq., he discusses the knowledge of Gk>d possessed by the angels, and says that the angels, also, have the joy of rest, — requiesoendi felicitatio. pagan form of Hermes.
 * This seems to be a bit of symbolism taken direct from the