R. I am astonished at thee, why thou sayest that thou knowest nothing like unto God, and yet dost not know what He is.
A. If I knew aught like unto Him, I would love that thing exceedingly. Since I know naught like unto Him, I love nothing but Him and mine own soul; howbeit, I know not what either of them is.
R. Thou sayest that thou lovest naught but God and thy soul; if that is true, lovest thou then no other friend?
A. Why, if I love a soul, do I not love my friend? Hath not he a soul?
R. If thou lovest thy friend because he hath a soul, why, then, lovest thou not every thing that hath a soul? Why dost thou not love mice and fleas?
A. I love them not, because they are carnal animals, not men.
R. Have not thy friends likewise bodies, even as beasts have?
A. Yet it is not on this account I love them, but because they are men, and have reason in their minds—that quality I love even in slaves. Those that I hate, I hate because they turn the good of reason into evil, since I am allowed both to love the good and to hate the evil. Therefore I love all my friends, some less, some more; and him whom I love more than another, I love him so much more than the other as I perceive that he hath a better will than the other, and the desire to make his reason more serviceable.
R. Thou understandest it well enough, and rightly enough. But if any one should now say to thee that he could teach thee how thou mightest know God as well as thou knowest Alypius thy servant, would that seem enough to thee, or how much wouldst thou thank him for it?
A. I should thank him, but nevertheless I would not answer 'enough.'
R. Why?
A. Alypius is better known to me than God, yet even him I know not so well as I would.
