QUOD DEUS SIT QUIDQUID MELIUS EST ESSE QUAM NON ESSE; ET SOLUS EXISTENS PER SE OMNIA ALIA FACIAT DE NIHILO.
The Unthinkable Greatness of God
Anselm asks what God is, since nothing greater can be thought, and identifies God as the self-existent Creator of all things from nothing, concluding that this surpasses thought itself.
What, then, are you, Lord God, than whom nothing greater can be thought? But what are you, unless it is that which, alone existing through itself, the highest of all, made everything else from nothing? For whatever is not this is less than can be thought. But this cannot be thought about you.
The Fullness of the Highest Good
Anselm reflects that no good can be lacking in the highest good, and affirms that God is just, truthful, blessed, and whatever is better to be than not to be.
What good, then, is lacking in the highest good, through which every good exists? You are therefore just, truthful, and blessed, and whatever it is better to be than not to be. For it is better to be just than not just, blessed than not blessed.
Read the original Latin
Quid igitur es, domine deus, quo nil maius valet cogitari? Sed quid es nisi id quod summum omnium solum existens per seipsum, omnia alia fecit de nihilo? Quidquid enim hoc non est, minus est quam cogitari possit. Sed hoc de te cogitari non potest. Quod ergo bonum deest summo bono, per quod est omne bonum? Tu es itaque iustus, verax, beatus, et quidquid melius est esse quam non esse. Melius namque est esse iustum quam non iustum, beatum quam non beatum.
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