Mystical Theology and Translation: Re-veiling the Latin Corpus Dionysiacum

Abstract

ABSTRACT Modern evaluations of the translation of the corpus of Pseudo-Dionysius have followed trends in translation theory, emphasizing how it was altered in its transition from Greek into Latin. This article reconsiders John Sarrazin’s Latin translation (c. 1167) by situating it within the school of St. Victor, where a translation culture was informed by mystical theology. The article proposes that the Dionysian image of placing veils over the divine mystery aptly depicts John’s mode of translation, as he weaves a Latin veil where once a Greek veil had hung. The article builds on Lawrence Venuti’s genealogy of translation, qualifying and nuancing his treatment of Christian translation cultures by showing that mystical theology transforms the practice of translation.