Midas Studies Pilosophy, XXVE O12) The Secret of Pico’s Oration: Cabala and Renaissance Philosophy BRIAN P.COPENHAVER sat arn tao ie Oren en by Giovanl Pio dels Miandola in 1486, More than al «century iter he wrote it ios spech ame tobe elie the Onion on the Dignity of ‘Man, and wer ht tl tat bee celebrated the great Renasance proci- ‘nation oe modern del oman digit and freedom! Ihave argued aewher, foweve, tha both the fame ofthe Oration ends tachment to thistle rode othe Kantian reolton tha! ragsformed pity an is istriog- Tip Although te ere tat Peo eared dring hi ret and éamati Be ‘ict wane it hd litle todo with the Oran before the end ofthe eaheea ‘Entry. For he centuries aterhe ded in 169, the Orion waste mere than Sr enya Ins of Pos books ntl pst-Kasian historians invented the fst ‘eto he interpretation now common in cols textbooks? “Th oot opportn a Kant pilropy between phenomena nature nd soumneral eder, a poly tha iver rie many eter icing the di [eton between prceon the ane han, ad worth or iit onthe other. Things re thee prices but only people have igi, nd without freedom there an be 0 sity The cenralty fs desi Kant thous and the prominence of Ui neti in the fst few pages of Pio's Oration invited pos-Kentan ‘storians to ead the spect in terms ofthe eral pilcophy, a respone tha fuiminated in te extrvagaty Kantin sory tld by Eros Caser in the Erkemanisprebe and ater works: Cassie saw trascenental eal 38 the 1 Pa Osa Ke, El Pilger of hen Reece (Se: Stns dy tn ae Ha: Po Ce ‘The Seontof Pics Oration 57 eos of pos Medieval philosophy and Pio’ speech ary progress oward that ‘Goal aothcr Kanan, bts roc joicos ove was Paul Kesler who created Sethdy of Rensisencephlvophy in the United States and in the prossss tought the AnlorAmercan piste of Pc into beter alignment wit hors Dur Kanellers Pca whe became the Pico the textbooks ssa hero of hema dg ad freedom" "rel Sint expressed his views on Pico ina work of wide readeip in 194s, long before Frances Yates add another page tothe pilsopr’s dear in Boe Haars Peo ba Hermei freedomghsr whose avociy of nul age toiputed the Seatite Revelation, with lls Ieraliing and progres {iv implications Yates ased th tem Hlermeti’ broadly 1 name a ration ‘ese ain commitments were to types of philsophy (Piston) helen Tpoosi),acctiam (eataral magic and Cabal, and ees, syperetit histor (etty he ancient theology), e's orginal contuton to this mixture was Cetdade Cabal which he adaped from myst! Jewish approaches iil fermencuts, thelogal specuaton and practical pniualty tht emergedater ‘hetweltheenury® "Ebewhore (esi) Ubave argued that Yates mispied the er “Hermetic” to Mario Bo, one of the key gues in ber justly renowned book onthe HermtsTraion ana wills im (oud Tl ot argu here) that Feo wes ten ss Hermes than Fisio® His Oration not abou Hermetic msi. ths {Sopraie of natural magic one of is major recommendations The spect aso romns Calas Yates recognized. But le was realy champion of uaa see gi oma os a at shige commas ste iota ee scarry ee meee pakannenary Te Ere staan an tami i hh yt wet ee ong et ra seca rnes me Sr opecns erent oer i iiengnoear een pee es octet ecm tomes one ore Reena ey et Dn ees Sarma ee ryifeas ee ia natte rcs SLO cect Sale Se Sirah tetas ieey conten en Fpaieat ta Cae merry Sioa mone cient ‘Seca ewe acco fps men: Cone er Pama umn Pc GC Gra oer Ob. 1 258 Brian # Copenhaver inity and teodom, a8 Yates, Krister, Cassie, and many oterpos-Kantan Srics have mninained, how sould we acount for his ecilism, which sao & Tait of mind het would scam to promote digit and freedom? ‘My anever i that the Oration at abou gly and treedom as any modern or oe-nodrn reader would undesand thet ems. Ith Orton does otrealy deserve te ie that Po dd not ie On the Dignity of Man—what ‘hou ite called? Whats famous speech about? What follows is shor: and ‘pli answer tote gheron,sopperte by en @ minimum of documenta tom and leaving the fal ee tot made fn a Boo on ico ands Oran Pico rote the Orton when he wat in ical wens and atthe peak ofthe ‘powers of mind and speech that dared his per a Renaiance Floeace. He Ince it to inrodbe a pute debate in Rome ox 900 theses that he erated for ‘he oxaso, but the debate was quashed by the Church, Po was dieraced, a6 ‘he Orton was nove abled in his time, hough the tess wete pied as the Conchusones DCCC a 486! The eto his emay interprets pats ofthe ‘ration to show how i sakes he case for something que alike Numan digaty ‘nd feedor, “Man is grat wonder, Ascepia” By placing this phrase neat the stat of bisspesch andy inking with Asdepis one of be vies of Hermete wisdom, Plo might hve been amoung the human eral ashi theme ands acount ofthis miracle a Hermetic” But fhe meant thse words clos, wha fellows in the body af the spec makes us a if they are fae cloes—act impossible in 8 text explly described as estrc as writen both to ecneeal and to reveal” [Although Po names the acient thelogy of Merrie Tegra wource forthe 90 thre troduced by is pec, eens o oe pereon o ides ‘nthe Oration as Hermotihis ony otber se ofthe Hermetic wating sent, fs message makes ihe human condition rele, not miraculous” Afr is famous pening, the et ofthe epoch avs humans to become angel, to eave human natore behind sag to union with the divine 'Siges ofthe Orlent and ancient Egype have sid that mani the greatest cn declares pointing tothe central and medating place of humanity the commie order, Dut he doubt the sacentargamonts Why sould angle not maze ur mors, he atk ning aower ina new tory of Genes an aacous (The sanard nt on Pi i ages Garn, Gian! Pe dle Mandi Vn ¢ sonra (ese: ee Moe 13 for» eum he le ed wos ee ‘ake ode Mian, Govan Bape of he Reniane PF ‘rendre Sr Charter Sane Sns 19, ope Ceara ss Py of ese Ply WL Rese Psp (Oxo ot ey re) 71S "T My walneal ai nin Ora domi a, st ha Si Rees Ba Baar pa 5.x Omi 8. par 12 The Secret of Pic's Onion 59 myth hs own construction, Having brought all eter exetues into Being. God Inns Adm att sees and admire bi work But before ti inal Sage of werd ‘aking a Pico telthe sry, he Creator hd used up his modes and led ever ‘ancy in the universe. Lacking augue fore fortis ns of hit ereatires. God took someting from al the oer, and having no special poe opt in. he et. ‘Adam fn his own oeation” "stint God vation thi Inbile Adam atthe center ofthe univers, nt Yo ‘ution athe hierarchy butt et hi sor fal. The prelapnran Adam nn det been or earthy mortal or imiortal His ratte is unéenes. "You wil Astermine that ature by your own chic” sys the divine Craftsman:"00 yur fencas mlder and maker, duly appointed to decide you may shape youre in fhe fonm tat you prefer” To erst wth the anmas or cin othe ges she “open and wondoss happiness of tan to wh itis give to have what be ‘ores fo be what he woul el" From the supreme erat of God he athe ‘Adam gts th it of chit, Une spiro high or teat ofthe wath, who ‘atre confine the, he elivates the mix ef sed planted ia him by the Divine ‘Gaedenr sling from mitsisnacus natures assembled in him bythe Divine Baier Pant asm teavenl being and angelic being—these are Ada’ our ‘options ang rom hem, este aoa nd incletal poner his {cal But fifth cole remsine tbe not conten wth the lot of any centre” ithe waats to exceed tenis of what God as ves him om what was meant fer every other ting, The way to hs ith eve inward 8 well as upward: be “ws meat into the center o bis uaty, becoming a sprit and one with God, ths being who bas bean placed above althings wil anscend them all in the Tenely dartness ofthe Father" Thus a he peak fein ta tarts wih fee Choice and rites through teresa elesal, and sopeeslesial natures Adams fast movement withdrawal into Hel, an hit fl gol mata extinction {the godhead” Ascending sequences of three futo ve steps ge the Orvis work ceaping ryt, Po inoduce thn motif in apusage about reget ses ‘tonal, and intlstua aus ofthe el, poaps tsking it fom the Pree few of iambic part ht pulnophers expontin ofthe Pythagorean hfe ‘This edseatonl program and Spit! regimen was nary 910 yeas old when Tambichos wrote nthe thi or fourth entry ce. Pato had probly leaned it eng beter from techar whore teachers were Pthagofeans of thesxthand ith ‘efures ace. But Pc, lke Flin, condenses hs epoch of vat changes ino nia coherent ancient wisdom of Chaldsea, Orie, Hemet, Pryor Patowi and other plowopies a rire thologi of Greek and barbarian dre tines to support the revelations of the Bibl amblcs, ted of the Neop-tw ‘st mases after Plouims and Pomplyy shaped the last phase of ths ation ‘Alter Lables ts lst reat pagn oie was Prclus, who laid the groundwork 12 Tach apa (De Pee 668.28,© brian. Copenhaser {or its Chistian culmination inthe mystic and ane theloies of Diongon ‘he Areopgicethe name given oi or sth century weiter whore most Chi ‘lane of Pico dy thought tobe «companion of St Paul” For the Greckside (theres aso a Hebrew sie) ofthe projet promoted by ‘he Oration, Pio took his primary inspiration ttm Dionysos sed the Neo. Patni His morality is ase is ove paces re mapa (x eur) nd his aim is myst what Diyas ane his predecewors called perfection (ele si), contemplation (hor) o unieation (enor) Becase th projec requies ® csicalum as well asa regimes, pilesophy is act ofit—bul wa ans not ah td. a way of puriying the soul and eniphtning i efor isin ino the ine bye a he peak of is spiral progress The Critian Donys stil thought of the soul's erection or ilo asthe climax of it of iaton ike the old Dagan cl of Fess The blesing earned bythe Elena initiate ws to pace on (@eorein) sated sigh, foreshadowing the beni vison of Christian Sas For pagan theuge and Christian myst lik, the ukimate reward was lot of sel absorption int the divine by becoming one (ena) wth Gol "avng presented the human marvel sting to nit “te Tony ak 28 of the Father” Pio next aks "who would not wonder a hs chameleon?” ‘The obvious point of amazement that man can alr his mature a he sna hangsis color According ancient sures tha Pics knew it look nd behanes ke iar, combining features ofa sbi vpe, trond crocodile iat 8 hori appearance that mass its harmlssnes maa ich 2 mons ssc Ded (om pars of ther creatures? The repile’s changing color spied tn ‘iy or inconstaney, and acest mapas found = whole phernay of mae sbotance i it ins, though the autores ealed mato them fakes” Wah lone exception, Pio’ other examples of matabiy in this sexton ofthe Orato teas nepalv o ambiguus os the chameleon —tensmigaton of eiinal ule into mia plts an the shapeshiting of Protea the Old Man ofthe Sea ‘who fight the able Meneias in the O¥e3)-The only clea postive tanto. ‘ation is ange that ofthe bibl Enocs into the ange of he Shokinh or Divine Presence, an arpct of divinity hypontaind and personal in Cala texts that Peo knox" {nthe end says Pe, ifone'samblioas are angelic ts not bodily assets or ‘sfecstht matter but thee of sul aed mind. Hen, thoes who ae Yount ‘em ie iene ph ey an: Doar hy ra ‘Neca (Londo: Doctor, 12) pp Sel Ante Lah, The Ont hc Ce Sa a ato rn Pan Dn (xe Cee rs yoy 1 ‘Dene repped: eae Cina ONG he Doi CH 3.375 Lat ri 2-5-4 2-4 Yar Buen nc ry Cs (Cbg Hard Use Re 38h pO 1. Fin Onto, p Arete, Meamacien Bhs HOG Hy of Ana 052 Fs of Als PD ay Reel Hay RDS Da rd hae sn dara ear nor oman Coplay 0h 1 Satan gp Hey On ss Po a Ade The Seer of Picoe Onion 61 the bodys sensitive factions “ertching wher tihes and enslaved by the senses are ike Calypso’ pis Dewihed nd thor miedo mee feeding are a ss human, ike plans But thepilosepe'seasn is him o heaven, hile {he “pure contemplatr unaware ofthe bod withrawa tthe sae of te tind... is neither earthly nor heavealy but more maj» vin clo a human exh Though these four grades passing beyend pion snd sesation to reason and contemplation, hs being "who tansorms forges and fashions ‘imslfin the shape ofall es svives to tratscod the way of als He beios ith no image of bis own” ony a plurality of images tat are “rans sien ad cident a bis mare oo "vanable,mulipe ard iconsant” Human tae biliy a msrel, dechaes Pico but t's lanl” ‘iving fered now poof fo th old thei that an the grestet wonder, ‘ving mae the cae for mutabiity and ehoce a he sat af the Oration ico then ss forth the purpose ofthis choi It to exes "shal ain” he sys to “scorn the things of earth... despise those of heaven, an then ching behind whatever of he worl, [to] By up to the hyperenmls court nearest ‘he most exited divinity... he] Seraphim, Cherub nd Thrones The Fit ec, he asserts apt the earth and fs. dining the Nevers ‘wl ovach forthe reaim ofthe angel beyond aad betes or igi ‘nd glory” Man fins his dignity by emulating te angels Introducing this pivotal point i an elipical passage that begins sly nough: man’ pritileged postion and power of ehice shold ot tmp Hm to forgtthat the dust cate are his relates thei shepherd andisasth Pais. teate seat, Less leat is io’ lai that misapplication ofthe mor ofthe prophet Assph—"You are all gods and sone ofthe Mast Pigh"—might abuse Gods git of fee choice and make bart Pete he means simply tht Iman must wea this yene ats command to join tcc agelic kin and ie sbove ther animal comins.Or perhaps keeping the Pythagorea ale of ses, Pio inind the irper message of Psalm 62, wher an angry God judge the gsr there God stood inthe synagogue of he gods Te their mid 1 je among them ‘But these gods Kaow sothing nord they endertand, They walkin shadows, have declared: ou ae al od, and sea ofthe Mot High Yet you sal de armen de ‘And you shall fills one ofthe princes" Pico pie the angels as goke with words rom a Pr that onde them ‘He also knew a Cabal text that convass a's nenmes tothe angel in one 1, Pe, nto 20-2, 1 Pen Omnia peaioae2 Brian PCopenbaver alm with his ito the animals nanather. Whatever thi meant toh hit ger ‘tim watt svt th heavenly hot i thie lor. Wi hs perpore etalihed, ‘he Oration next asshow to aehive "Lat ese what. toy lie exkorts co, peaking of the angels oss o God andi we lve that he. we shal Je made oor chances equl to their ‘These highest angel are the Seraphim, Cherub, and Thrones Only the first so are named i the Hebrew Bibl, where they protect, pas, puri ad ciate, mainly im ritual and eschatological contexs Thrones appear in the Epis ofthe New Testament the elaborated angelology ofthe Epis helps ‘ipain why Ful etme tobe linked with Dionsug whose Cele! Hlrarchy the main Chisisn acount of the subject. Others before ions bad aaned ‘ine ranks of angels bt he was the fist to organize the inte orders of tree ‘vith Thrones Cherabim, and Seraphim a th op" ep focses on tis highest err and arranges its thee ranks in rng crac accordag to thee was of being (ate, contemplative, aitine), their sythologi functies Gudgment, contemplation, lve) and thi per o ance (iit, ight fe) Humane "commited ..t0 the active lie and con cerned. with Tower things” may aspire to ie ike Tones, who are anges of Jgment. Others sot. employed la active matters” rise Bghe 0 contempl tion and lea with Chara igh” wl have who reac the summit of lore bara wih Seraph that consumes them The Seep are nsrest tote God ho ss above th Thrones of judgment and hovers ovr the Cherub of contem- Platio,“for the Spit ofthe Lords bore uponthewater...aborethe heavens” Feo allades here not only othe fst mention ofthe Spit inthe book of Genesis but ao toa reading o shamayin, the Hebrew word for "heavens 8 comnning fre (et and water (maim). that the water ofthe “Cherabioming” are above the vise heavens but below the spetelesal fire ofthe Seraph The jade rent o Thrones reat fre, and Seraph ves the pests of al, "but how ‘an anyone jae or love what is unknown? ass Pc, Judement and Tove both ‘equiteknowladp,s0 "the Caer with tight bath preparer forthe Sorapic fre and alo enlghens ufo the judgment of Taxon Thus the Cherub the ket thats the eter “primary minds” together, 1s ange nde is that of Pallag ends of wis kom, and it the “puarcin of ciniemplaivepilesoph.” Thee are the angel that Pico wants fo multe “We re to form our ves on the model ofthe Cherie Ls hehe coal sont which the opening sections of tbe raion lead This isthe pot ofthe eee ‘hoe that makes humaniad a miracle In principe, the Chere ie prepares ‘to move up of down rom the level of contemplate cated if tothe 20, Pen Onan, pI Pe 864821: Exon sero pcan a Chi ‘Wan Mocs son heh pCi: Hard 8 ry rn 2 BL Gen 104 Bul 28-2 0-1 Hak. 83,1022, 112% 1-7, 12,306, 34116 Rare under oem tay beta of et and Demos ne Bie (eto bi 9, p02 960 Laut Den Jp. BPs Orton pie Gr 2; Wins ep Sle, Orin of he ‘eb Peco, Pecos Uae rey) pi ‘The Seoetof Pvt Orton Iiehtsof ove ae then to descend.) the dats of ton” The rest of the ‘nation ons omever tht what Pic wane ithe journey up othe Seraph ‘where even contemplation end nan ecstatic blaze of essimifatin othe dit “One whois Sraph—a lver—is in God, and God is in him or ater, he and {God are one T final race of the human cndion i be exaed 2 con- smn in ini Mesa, because we “are Sesh and seal ofthe est" even the esr life of the Cher is Beyond os each fo help we must ook to the “ancient fhe ‘Teisadrze opens the longest pact ofthe Oration ocapyig square ofits enath. {heen pt exposition ofthe Chorbis fea carculum snd epmen 2 rep ‘ation for Sraphe consummation. Atihis post, with mos of hs spech til 10 ‘ums, Pico has nite with the top of human freedom. He now propos tmehod to dvect man’ he ute the body above the wold and wliatly Teyend the choosing sibjet tard the hay abnezation of won with God.” "Thescvenancentfathere whom Pico wan his hearers to consult ate Pal, nob Job Mons te ansen thelogans Pythagoras. andthe Chabaeans all of thom sed by ober vies of widor In each of there tages Ochoa Pico finds instructions fore grade siento Ged, sully four steps but sometimes itive o five Party he iden derives rom ancient eaten ofthe dvsos of plilwophy that were much debated bythe Sok, and pany it comes fom theo> Fis of the vout level ations and destin derived frm Pato The combined framework was favorite of the pagan Neopltoits and their Cita conten porriox™ Clement of Alenania fr example, appli itt “the Mos philoso- pine which vided into fur part atthe historical and lestve propery so ald. ‘thick pertin preset ethical civ while the third pats al (her. ‘urgton) ands to do wth tral contemplation (aie horn). snd ‘aly the fourth is thetogial the contemplation (pope) ha Plato 3s Delos tothe great mysteries Although the base idea i win—moralpargeation and ment illumination teadng to theolopalpertecton—the itl eats ofes comes a9 pases, fone to cleanse 8 lower level ofthe soul, closer to the bd, the cher to purify a 4 on asa Pi BAA Lang ond BN Sa, The Hate Pho NEL Tr ‘oid nus Sh Papied Coveney (ir Conte Un {py ts Re Pn Talo 13 Sey sa Wei 1101-1 oe ae Spy A Ca ig of et a. eo) p - onh Or p32 3 Cet lant Sonne 1281769Brian PCopentacer ae The tne highor level. The resting proses of four steps calmed an ancient pedigree, ‘eprosented bythe triangular amulet or tracy of the Pyhagoreats (Figure 1) nd dscied ina doxaprapky ascribed to Parc: ‘Te mature of number isthe deta, bot the power af en... in he four and the tetrad ard the reason that when one zens from the maned dss the numbers upthroogh fou, he sm he mame ten THs is wy the Pythagoras declared that the terd is the mightiest oath and [ovore by]... "the one who gate our oul he teeny." Our sais abo ‘somposed of a tezad...: contemplation (now), kncviedpe epstomen, ‘pinion (dora) snetion (ates) ‘Th four sages of pra ascent correspond to fur levels faction ofthe soul In Cement’ scheme, which is both hel sed piloeophicl, the ethical sage has two phase, historical and lgiatve,sleting the aval ancent sac and ther estonia the Law, we he td stage herr’ o teal ‘nd the fourth theological and mea Clements language, based on 8 tenon that gon back to lt, respects ‘he pagan mysteries The meter undermentpureation and peared alt coer to enjoy the eulmicaing epopete—watcing or eberving the divine, “the Sigh of cvinty by the light of theology in leo morc The itl sage that Clement cls “natural contemplation” + Hind of natural theslogy, understand: ing the Creator by piosophiang sbou the crested universe and ts for mysical contemplation, whos pint imu rather than acu Bur the imax of epopti is also the end of «cuca that progress fren ethics ‘trough atral pilose to thelogy in fost the wo ere phases of thet ‘cvy (strc and lege a Clement correspond 1 the fs wo pes a 1B. Peach, Opens te era, 2. Fes Oop. 28 Patch rand Ont Lah Days phe. 16 The Secret of Pic's Oration 65 (ian Re a] aie f av az | sscce sak pion pun fee Seen tee Fane peta vie (pltcl and cathartic) ia the eure thatthe Neopatoniss used to teach Plato's ntogoes Tn the fs jl ofthis pda, ter the introductory 1 Alta, sults tegen with a pair fetal calepuas, the Gorgias fr polite virts andthe Phaedo for eatarc Then, leading upto a summative treatment of the Goodin the Piebus they read thes pois of lagi (Crayr and These sal (ophist and Staesmar) snd thalaisal (Phacdns and Symposion) tex ll interpreted as teaching thoretal veto thore who had toned beyond pris snd eatari The clearest presentation of thi uric sie in an snonymous Prolegomenon to Platonic plop probaly writen inte sth satay and much Infused by fanbicus” The cial, pryeholoial mol ‘ayia ard ritual aspects of this conseption may be sumnvied ts shown it Finwez Ta this framework, the body and is activi i his word are a es points of departure fora higher journey at wes bstacesto that sent, From the cur rica and psyehologial points of view, the pol fa Kind of etoe where the Soul looks upon God in theara—is a teslgy not conch examined = eape ‘ced. From the mystical perspective however, ection cass forthe ue tsi hen sheoria becomes the final peace of union (eno) or assinltion (anh Imoesi) with God” BLO. Wena nd wis, Ammons Polson to Pe Phos (Anata Noh Holi Psion) O Laan {hat ue phish Qh Une Au 73 p58 Sevan Ptr Neo Pn Phin nt ison Hen CT Vac Vacs Pee 1a ito 2a yt Cee! Hereey 3,73: Let, Dnt +h Op 26) Blas P Coponhaver ‘This the mystical pectin (lion) taught by Fl and Dionysian the first of Pico’ seven acouns ofthe Cheri ie "As we emule the Cherbie lie on earth” he urges “checking the implies ofthe emotions tous ral ‘now cpeting the miss of eason tough date let ws clean the tu [ond thes... foo [... withthe gt of nual pasa v hat finaly ‘ee may gfe with In Diogu where everything ‘wad ti sarscslum i the mye’ stent trough pursion (kaha) ie ‘ination phaios), and perfection (elas), which io Pos reply othe 4uetion about Paol that opens this prt of the Oration. Asking what Pad as the Cheratim dong when he wes zused tothe rd heaven” Pc ets fom Dionysia hey are ceased then elighened and lly perfected” ‘Te project that Dionysius defies the tr ofthe Mia heey isto ‘move inward 1 well as upward to the divine “darks of unknowing. Sopa that demands “unqualified ard uncondona! withdrawal from the Worl! atl faa fom the sel. The sim ofthis expesienia helo ito be something. Pot ‘o know someting The mystic forsakes knowlege, hondoning even tbe gta ‘he Cheri t ener God's nameless stds aad eajoy the eouay of ine love. Yearning for the divine canbe sated oly by leaving the Kacy self behind Although epptia—guing contepltn.pere'vingo arin ate Dionysian texts—isthe apex ofthe mptial way, all this ati of the subject. isle in the aston that motivates the varows hierarchies The cleat ervey of angel the the eisai Merarehy of priests guides the mye "po the peace of deitation. Disagreement and iintions fal awey as peas sams ear Since Dionyis teats theology tdi inthe anv (et the Bedagopcal seme, it no surprise hat he ao applies the Neoplaow term thcourgie—italgod-work as opposed 1 thelopealpdalk to the Chistian ‘sacraments. Like the pagan myst he also regard hi theology exon Ocal er ton (raph parades open oly othe ted, To pubis he des Unt ‘erable secrets woul be to cast sared peal before wine The Donylan ograas san este tet tear eiens ad estatomycm, ers ha apy 'o Plo’ avoeay ofthe Cher ite” Having made the mysical thology of Dionysia the bass of his angelic ‘regimen, Pico derives agla rom thee bieHeoos—Jacab Joand Mose He xposton of ter falar stories links the patients with ancien gente tages but alo wih the ltr speculations ofthe Cabana which were completly unknown to Christians in Pio day and may seem cbscre even vw Foe thy "eto twill be usefl 1 review P's words about lob san sume ot ig crepes 31, Pe. ron, Deni Cela Hercy 32,7310; sea Hac EE Ben ca Cn ewe 3,78: ‘eth Dep Ore p18 con ta TD i 35, Besyon Cal Howey 1.3538 35 41.4 12:19 ask ay 1238 SEGAL: Def 11a 2 Loh Dea Se Ogee res Som Teva) and te Sa The Nop fnbcas Uerenay Pe Penman St Ue Pr 0) peo = | | | | | The Secret of Pcss Oration 6? ‘Let ws cont the pair Jeo, whos learing image i carved inthe seat ory. Ashe sleeps tbe over word and watches inthe worl above ths wiest of thers wll ais us He wll igre (vey ese 10