But on whose authority do we learn this? Surely, not on that of
matter itself, unless that, because of its modification, it becomes
intelligence; but this (alleged) modification is but a meaningless
addition; it must therefore be matter which perceives these things,
and expresses them. If we should ask whether matter utter sensible
things, we might indeed ask ourselves how matter thinks and fulfils
the functions of the soul, although matter lacks both soul and
intelligence. If, on the contrary, matter utter something nonsensical,
insisting that it is what it is not, and what it could not be, to whom
should this silly utterance be ascribed? Surely only to matter, if it
could speak. But matter does not speak; and he who speaks thus does
so only because he has borrowed much from matter, that he has become
its slave, though he have a soul. The fact is that he is ignorant of
himself, as well as of the nature of the faculty which can divulge the
truth about this subject (intelligence).