3. For which purpose we must
see what a lie is. For not every one who says a false thing lies,
if he believes or opines that to be true which he says. Now between
believing and opining there is this difference, that sometimes he
who believes feels that he does not know that which he believes,
(although he may know himself to be ignorant of a thing, and yet
have no doubt at all concerning it, if he most firmly believes it:)
whereas he who opines, thinks he knows that which he does not know.
Now whoever utters that which he holds in his mind either as belief
or as opinion, even though it be false, he lies not. For this he
owes to the faith of his utterance, that he thereby produce that
which he holds in his mind, and has in that way in which he
produces it. Not that he is without fault, although he lie not, if
either he believes what he ought not to believe, or thinks he knows
what he knows not, even though it should be true: for he accounts
an unknown thing for a known. Wherefore, that man lies, who has one
thing in his mind and utters another in words, or by signs of
whatever kind. Whence also the heart of him who lies is said to be
double; that is, there is a double thought: the one, of that thing
which he either knows or thinks to be true and does not produce;
the other, of that thing which he produces instead thereof, knowing
or thinking it to be false. Whence it comes to pass, that he may
say a false thing and yet not lie, if he thinks it to be so as he
says although it be not so; and, that he may say a true thing, and
yet lie, if he thinks it to be false and utters it for true,
although in reality it be so as he utters it. For from the sense of
his own mind, not from the verity or falsity of the things
themselves, is he to be judged to lie or not to lie. Therefore he
who utters a false thing for a true, which however he opines to be
true, may be called erring and rash: but he is not rightly said to
lie; because he has not a double heart when he utters it, neither
does he wish to deceive, but is deceived. But the fault of him who
lies, is, the desire of deceiving in the uttering of his mind;
whether he do deceive, in that he is believed when uttering the
false thing; or whether he do not deceive, either in that he is not
believed, or in that he utters a true thing with will to deceive,
which he does not think to be true: wherein being believed, he does
not deceive though it was his will to deceive: except that he
deceives in so far as he is thought to know or think as he
utters.