AN HOC SIT "SAECULUM SAECULI" SIVE "SAECULA SAECULORUM".
A World of Worlds
Anselm wonders whether 'a world of a world' or 'worlds of worlds' names the divine eternity.
So then, is this what "a world of a world" means, or "worlds of worlds"?
Eternity Holding All Time
God's eternity contains and holds together all temporal worlds just as a world of times contains all that is temporal.
For just as a world of times holds together everything temporal, so your eternity holds together even the worlds of times themselves.
One and Boundless
The singular 'world' signifies God's indivisible unity, while the plural 'worlds' signifies boundless immensity.
The singular "world" is on account of its indivisible unity, and the plural "worlds" on account of its boundless immensity.
Full Yet Without Parts
Though all things are full of God and exist in God, God is without space, center, or parts.
And although you are so great, Lord, that all things are full of you and exist in you, nevertheless you are yourself without any space, so that there is no middle in you, no halfway point, and no part at all.
Read the original Latin
An ergo hoc est "saeculum saeculi" sive "saecula saeculorum"? Sicut enim saeculum temporum continet omnia temporalia, sic tua aeternitas continet etiam ipsa saecula temporum. Quae saeculum quidem est propter indivisibilem unitatem, saecula vero propter interminabilem immensitatem. Et quamvis ita sis magnus, domine, ut omnia sint te plena et sint in te: sic tamen es sine omni spatio, ut nec medium nec dimidium nec ulla pars sit in te.
Proslogion (Address / Discourse on the Existence of God) companion
One chapter of historic wisdom, every day
Chosen Portion delivers works like the Proslogion as short daily readings with a prayer — free on iOS.
Anselm designed the Proslogion to be read slowly as prayer, and the Chosen Portion app serves it exactly that way — one short portion per day.
- Finish the entire Proslogion in 14 days at about 10 minutes a day
- Modern-English rendering of all 27 chapters, no Latin required
- Each reading paired with Anselm's own prayers so study ends in worship