Therefore, Lord, who grant understanding to faith, grant me that, in so far as
you know it beneficial, I understand that you are as we believe and you are that
which we believe. Now we believe that you are something than which nothing greater
can be imagined.
Then is there no such nature, since the fool has said in his
heart: God is not? But certainly this same fool, when he hears this very thing
that I am saying - something than which nothing greater can be imagined -
understands what he hears; and what he understands is in his understanding, even if
he does not understand that it is. For it is one thing for a thing to be in the
understanding and another to understand that a thing is.
For when a painter imagines beforehand what he is going to make, he has in his
undertanding what he has not yet made but he does not yet understand that it is.
But when he has already painted it, he both has in his understanding what he has
already painted and understands that it is.
Therefore even the fool is bound to agree that there is at least in the
understanding something than which nothing greater can be imagined, because when he
hears this he understands it, and whatever is understood is in the understanding.
And certainly that than which a greater cannot be imagined cannot be in the
understanding alone. For if it is at least in the understanding alone, it can be
imagined to be in reality too, which is greater. Therefore if that than which a
greater cannot be imagined is in the understanding alone, that very thing than which
a greater cannot be imagined is something than which a greater can be imagined. But
certainly this cannot be. There exists, therefore, beyond doubt something than
which a greater cannot be imagined, both in the understanding and in reality.