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De Trinitate

V.

[V 8] An forte illud est quod nos ab his angustiis possit eruere, ut quoniam diximus ibi quosque posuisse beatam vitam quod eos maxime delectavit (ut voluptas Epicurum, virtus Zenonem, sic alium aliquid aliud), nihil dicamus esse beate vivere nisi vivere secundum delectationem suam, et ideo falsum non esse quod omnes beate vivere velint quia omnes ita volunt ut quemque delectat? Nam et hoc populo si pronuntiatum esset in theatro, omnes id in suis voluntatibus invenirent. Sed hoc quoque Cicero cum sibi ex adverso proposuisset, ita redarguit ut qui hoc sentiunt erubescant. Ait enim: Ecce autem non philosophi quidem sed prompti tamen ad disputandum omnes aiunt esse beatos qui vivant ut ipsi velint (hoc est quod nos diximus, ut quosque delectat). Sed mox ille subiecit: Falsum id quidem. Velle enim quod non deceat id est ipsum miserrimum, nec tam miserum est non adipisci quod velis quam adipisci velle quod non oporteat. Praeclarissime omnino atque verissime. Quis namque ita sit mente caecus et ab omni luce decoris alienus ac tenebris dedecoris involutus ut eum qui nequiter vivit ac turpiter et nullo prohibente, nullo ulciscente, nullo saltem reprehendere audente, insuper et laudantibus plurimis quoniam sicut ait scriptura divina: Laudatur peccator in desideriis animae suae, et qui iniqua gerit benedicetur, implet omnes suas facinorosissimas et flagitiosissimas voluntates, ideo beatum dicat quia vivit ut vult cum profecto, quamvis et sic miser esset, minus tamen esset si nihil eorum quae perperam voluisset habere potuisset? Etiam mala enim voluntate vel sola quisque miser efficitur, sed miserior potestate qua desiderium malae voluntatis impletur. Quapropter quoniam verum est quod omnes homines esse beati velint idque unum ardentissimo amore appetant et propter hoc cetera quaecumque appetunt, nec quisquam potest amare quod omnino quid vel quale sit nescit, nec potest nescire quid sit quod velle se scit, sequitur ut omnes beatam vitam sciant. Omnes autem beati habent quod volunt, quamvis non omnes qui habent quod volunt continuo sint beati; continuo autem miseri qui vel non habent quod volunt vel id habent quod non recte volunt. Beatus igitur non est nisi qui et habet omnia quae vult et nihil vult male.

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The Fifteen Books of Aurelius Augustinus, Bishop of Hippo, on the Trinity

Chapter 5.--Of the Same Thing.

8. Or is, perhaps, the deliverance from our difficulties to be found in this, that, since we have said that every one places his idea of a blessed life in that which has most pleased him, as pleasure pleased Epicurus, and goodness Zeno, and something else pleased other people, we say that to live blessedly is nothing else but to live according to one's own pleasure: so that it is not false that all will to live blessedly, because all will that which pleases each? For if this, too, had been proclaimed to the people in the theatre, all would have found it in their own wills. But when Cicero, too, had propounded this in opposition to himself, he so refuted it as to make them blush who thought so. For he says: "But, behold! people who are not indeed philosophers, but who yet are prompt to dispute, say that all are blessed, whoever live as they will;" which is what we mean by, as pleases each. But by and by he has subjoined: "But this is indeed false. For to will what is not fitting, is itself most miserable; neither is it so miserable not to obtain what one wills, as to will to obtain what one ought not." Most excellently and altogether most truly does he speak. For who can be so blind in his mind, so alienated from all light of decency, and wrapped up in the darkness of indecency, as to call him blessed, because he lives as he will, who lives wickedly and disgracefully; and with no one restraining him, no one punishing, and no one daring even to blame him, nay more, too, with most people praising him, since, as divine Scripture says, "The wicked is praised in his heart's desire: and he who works iniquity is blessed," ¹ gratifies all his most criminal and flagitious desires; when, doubtless, although even so he would be wretched, yet he would be less wretched, if he could have had nothing of those things which he had wrongly willed? For every one is made wretched by a wicked will also, even though it stop short with will but more wretched by the power by which the longing of a wicked will is fulfilled. And, therefore, since it is true that all men will to be blessed, and that they seek for this one thing with the most ardent love, and on account of this seek everything which they do seek; nor can any one love that of which he does not know at all what or of what sort it is, nor can be ignorant what that is which he knows that he wills; it follows that all know a blessed life. But all that are blessed have what they will, although not all who have what they will are forewith blessed. But they are forewith wretched, who either have not what they will, or have that which they do not rightly will. Therefore he only is a blessed man, who both has all things which he wills, and wills nothing ill.