Monologion: Chapter 38
BASIC WRITINGS
makes, his Word also makes, and in the same way.49 Therefore, whatever the supreme spirit is with respect to creation, his Word is also,and in the same way.
Nevertheless, the two of them together are not so in more than one way, for there is not more than one supreme creating essence. Therefore, just as he is the Creator and origin of things, so also is his Word; and yet they are not two, but one Creator and one origin.
Chapter 38 That one cannot say what they are two of, and yet they must be two And so one must pay close attention to something that is quite unusual in the case of other things but seems to happen in the case of the supreme spirit and his Word. For it is certain that whatever they are in their essence, and whatever they are with respect to creation, is present in each of them individually, and in both of them together, in such a way as to be complete in both and yet not introduce any plurality into the two of them. For although the supreme spirit individually is completely the supreme truth and the Creator, and his
Word individually is also the supreme truth and the Creator, nevertheless the two of them together are not two truths or two Creators.
But although this is so, it is nevertheless in a strange way quite clear that the one whose Word exists cannot be his own Word, and the Word cannot be the one whose Word he is. Thus, in that which signifies either what they are substantially or what they are with respect to creation, they always keep an individual unity; but in virtue of the fact that the supreme spirit does not exist from the Word, whereas the Word exists from him, they admit an ineffable plurality.
Ineffable indeed—for although necessity compels that they be two, there is no way to express what they are two of. For even if they can be said to be two equals (or something else like that) in relation to each other, if it is asked what the thing is of which these relatives* are said, one will not be able to answer in the plural, as when two lines are said to be equal or two human beings to be similar. Certainly they are not two equal spirits, or two equal Creators, or two of anything that signifies either their essence or their relationship to creation. Nor are they two of anything that signifies the distinguishing relationship of one to the other; they are not two Words or two images. After all, the Word's being a Word or image implies a relationship to another: he must be the Word or image of something. These are the distinguishing characteristics of the Word, so much so that they cannot in any way be shared by the other.
For he whose Word or image he is, is neither an image nor a Word.
49 Cf. John 5:19:"For whatever [the Father] made, the Son also makes in the same way."