Soliloquies

¹ A. Long enough has our work been intermitted, and impatient is Love, nor have tears a measure, unless to Love is given what is loved: wherefore, let us enter upon the Second Book. R. Let us enter upon it. A. Let us believe that God will be present. R. Let us believe indeed, if even this is in our power. A. Our power He Himself is. R. Therefore pray most briefly and perfectly, as much as you can. A. God, always the same, let me know myself, let me know You.

I have prayed. R. Thou who wilt know yourself, do you know that you are? A. I know. R. Whence do you know? A. I know not. R. Feelest you yourself to be simple, or manifold? A. I know not. R. Knowest you yourself to be moved? A. I know not. R. Knowest you yourself to think? A. I know. R. Therefore it is true that you think. A. True. R. Knowest you yourself to be immortal? A. I know not. R. Of all these things which you have said that you know not: which do you most desire to know? A. Whether I am immortal. R. Therefore you love to live? A. I confess it. R. How will the matter stand when you shall have learned yourself to be immortal?

Will it be enough? A. That will indeed be a great thing, but that to me will be but slight. R. Yet in this which is but slight how much will you rejoice? A. Very greatly. R. For nothing then will you weep? A. For nothing at all. R. What if this very life should be found such, that in it it is permitted you to know nothing more than you know? Will you refrain from tears? A. Nay verily, I will weep so much that life should cease to be. R. Thou dost not then love to live for the mere sake of living, but for the sake of knowing. A. I grant the inference. R. What if this very knowledge of things should itself make you wretched? A. I do not believe that that is in any way possible.

But if it is so, no one can be blessed; for I am not now wretched from any other source than from ignorance of things. And therefore if the knowledge of things is wretchedness, wretchedness is everlasting. R. Now I see all which you desire. For since you believe no one to be wretched by knowledge, from which it is probable that intelligence renders blessed; but no one is blessed unless living, and no one lives who is not: you wish to be, to live and to have intelligence; but to be that you may live, to live that you may have intelligence.

Therefore you know that you are, you know that you live, you know that you exercise intelligence. But whether these things are to be always, or none of these things is to be, or something abides always, and something falls away, or whether these things can be diminished and increased, all things abiding, you desire to know. A. So it is. R. If therefore we shall have proved that we are always to live, it will follow also that we are always to be. A. It will follow. R. It will then remain to inquire concerning intellection.