John of Damascus, The Fount of Knowledge III: On the Orthodox Faith

All the faculties456 Anast. Sin. in ῞Οδηγ., from Greg. Nyss., p. 44; Clem. Alex. ap. Max., p. 151. we have already discussed, both those of knowledge and those of life, both the natural and the artificial, are, it is to be noted, called energies. For energy457 The Greek ἐνεργεία being a term with a large connotation is explained as meaning in different cases operation (operatio), action (actio), and act (actus). Nemesius defines actio as operatio rationalis, actus as perfectio potentiæ is the natural force and activity of each essence: or again, natural energy is the activity innate in every essence: and so, clearly, things that have the same essence have also the same energy, and things that have different natures have also different energies. For no essence can be devoid of natural energy.

Natural energy again is the force in each essence by which its nature is made manifest. And again: natural energy is the primal, eternally-moving force of the intelligent soul: that is, the eternally-moving word of the soul, which ever springs naturally from it. And yet again: natural energy458 Cf. Anast. Sin. in ῾Οδηγός, p. 43; John of Dam., Dialect. c. 30; Greg. Nyss., in Maximus, II., p. 155. is the force and activity of each essence which only that which is not lacks.

But actions459 πράξεις. So πρᾶξις is defined as ἐνέργεια λογική in the following chapter. are also called energies: for instance, speaking, eating, drinking, and such like. The natural affections460 τὰ πάθη. Cf. Instit. Elem., c. 9; Greg. Nyss., Cont. Eunom., v. p. 170. also are often called energies, for instance, hunger, thirst, and so forth461 Max., Dial. cum Pyrrh.. And yet again, the result of the force is also often called energy.

Things are spoken of in a twofold way as being potential and actual. For we say that the child at the breast is a potential scholar, for he is so equipped that, if taught, he will become a scholar. Further, we speak of a potential and an actual scholar, meaning that the latter is versed in letters, while the former has the power of interpreting letters, but does not put it into actual use: again, when we speak of an actual scholar, we mean that he puts his power into actual use, that is to say, that he really interprets writings.

It is, therefore, to be observed that in the second sense potentiality and actuality go together; for the scholar is in the one case potential, and in the other actual.

The primal and only true energy of nature is the voluntary or rational and independent life which constitutes our humanity. I know not how those who rob the Lord of this can say that He became man462 Greg. Nyss. ap. Max., p. 155..

Energy is drastic activity of nature: and by drastic is meant that which is moved of itself.

Περὶ ἐνεργείας

Χρὴ γινώσκειν, ὡς πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ προειρημέναι, αἵ τε γνωστικαὶ αἵ τε ζωτικαὶ καὶ αἱ φυσικαὶ καὶ αἱ τεχνικαί, ἐνέργειαι λέγονται: ἐνέργεια γάρ ἐστιν ἡ φυσικὴ ἑκάστης οὐσίας δύναμίς τε καὶ κίνησις. Καὶ πάλιν: Ἐνέργειά ἐστι φυσικὴ ἡ πάσης οὐσίας ἔμφυτος κίνησις. Ὅθεν δῆλον, ὅτι, ὧν ἡ οὐσία ἡ αὐτή, τούτων καὶ ἡ ἐνέργεια ἡ αὐτή, ὧν δὲ αἱ φύσεις διάφοροι, τούτων καὶ αἱ ἐνέργειαι διάφοροι: ἀμήχανον γὰρ οὐσίαν ἄμοιρον εἶναι φυσικῆς ἐνεργείας.

Ἐνέργεια πάλιν ἐστὶ φυσικὴ ἡ δηλωτικὴ ἑκάστης οὐσίας δύναμις. Καὶ πάλιν: Ἐνέργειά ἐστι φυσικὴ καὶ πρώτη ἡ ἀεικίνητος δύναμις τῆς νοερᾶς ψυχῆς, τουτέστιν ὁ ἀεικίνητος αὐτῆς λόγος φυσικῶς ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀεὶ πηγαζόμενος. Ἐνέργειά ἐστι φυσικὴ ἡ ἑκάστης οὐσίας δύναμίς τε καὶ κίνησις, ἧς χωρὶς μόνον τὸ μὴ ὄν.

Λέγονται δὲ ἐνέργειαι καὶ αἱ πράξεις ὡς τὸ λαλεῖν, τὸ περιπατεῖν, τὸ ἐσθίειν καὶ πίνειν καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα. Καὶ τὰ πάθη δὲ τὰ φυσικὰ πολλάκις ἐνέργειαι λέγονται οἷον πεῖνα, δίψα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα. Λέγεται πάλιν ἐνέργεια καὶ τὸ ἀποτέλεσμα τῆς δυνάμεως.

Διττῶς δὲ λέγεται καὶ τὸ δυνάμει καὶ τὸ ἐνεργείᾳ. Λέγομεν γὰρ τὸν παῖδα τὸν θηλάζοντα δυνάμει γραμματικόν: ἔχει γὰρ ἐπιτηδειότητα διὰ μαθήσεως γενέσθαι γραμματικός. Λέγομεν πάλιν τὸν γραμματικὸν καὶ δυνάμει γραμματικὸν καὶ ἐνεργείᾳ: ἐνεργείᾳ μέν, ὅτι ἔχει τὴν γνῶσιν τῆς γραμματικῆς, δυνάμει δέ, ὅτι δύναται ἐξηγεῖσθαι, οὐκ ἐνεργεῖ δὲ τὴν ἐξήγησιν. Λέγομεν πάλιν ἐνεργείᾳ γραμματικόν, ὅτε ἐνεργεῖ ἤγουν ἐξηγεῖται.

Χρὴ οὖν γινώσκειν, ὅτι ὁ δεύτερος τρόπος κοινός ἐστι τοῦ δυνάμει καὶ τοῦ ἐνεργείᾳ, δεύτερος μὲν τοῦ δυνάμει, πρῶτος δὲ τοῦ ἐνεργείᾳ.

Ἐνέργεια φύσεώς ἐστι πρώτη καὶ μόνη καὶ ἀληθὴς ἡ αὐθαίρετος ἤτοι λογικὴ καὶ αὐτεξούσιος ζωὴ καὶ τοῦ καθ' ἡμᾶς εἴδους συστατική: ἧς ἀποστεροῦντες τὸν κύριον, οὐκ οἶδα, ὅπως αὐτὸν θεὸν ἐνανθρωπήσαντα λέγουσιν. Ἐνέργειά ἐστι φύσεως κίνησις δραστική: δραστικὸν δὲ λέγεται τὸ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ κινούμενον.