Augustine: Earlier Writings
ON FREE WILL 127 question we now have on hand does not prevent us from seeking an answer to it as far as that is possible.
25. Let me ask you: have we a will? Ev.—I do not know. Aug.—Do you want to know? Ev.—Again I do not know. Aug.—Then do not ask me any more questions. Ev.—Why? Aug.—Because I ought not to answer your questions unless you want to know what you ask. Furthermore, if you do not wish to reach wisdom I ought not to hold conversation with you on matters of this kind. Finally you cannot be my friend unless you desire my good. So far as you are concerned yourself, you will have to see whether you have a will to the happy life for yourself. Ev.—I agree it is impossible to deny that we have will. Go on and let us see what conclusion you draw from this. Aug.—So
I shall. But first tell me whether you are conscious of having a good will. Ev.—What is a good will? Aug.—A will to live rightly and honourably and to reach the highest wisdom. Just see whether you do not desire to live a right and honourable life, whether you do not eagerly desire to be wise, or whether at least you would venture to deny that when we wish such things we have a good will. Ev.—I deny none of these things, and accordingly admit that I have not only a will but also a good will. Aug.—What value, pray, do you set on such a will? Could you think that riches or honours or bodily pleasures or all these together are to be compared with it? Ev.—God avert such wicked madness! Aug.—Are we, then, to rejoice a little in having something in our souls, I mean a good will, by comparison with which all those things we have mentioned are worthless, although we see that the mass of men refuse no toils and no dangers in order to obtain them? Ev.—We should rejoice exceedingly. Aug.—Do you think that those who do not have the joy of possessing so great a good suffer only a small loss?
Ev.—Nay, a great loss.
26. Aug.—You see, then, I imagine, that it is in the power of our will to enjoy or to be without so great and so true a good. For what is so completely within the power of the will as the will itself? Whoever has a good will has something which is far better than all earthly realms and all bodily pleasures. Whoever does not have it, lacks that which is more excellent than all the goods which are not in our power, and yet he can have it by willing it simply. He will probably judge himself to be most miserable if he loses glory, fame or immense riches, or other bodily goods. But won't you think him most miserable even if he have abundance of all these things, if he cleaves to things which