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CONSPECTUS
St. Augustine
(354 – 430 A.D.)
Midterm Period Notes

Background
Augustine of Hippo  or Latin: Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis;13 November 354 – 28
August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, Saint Justin, is known by various
cognomens throughout the Christian world across its many denominations, [and
the Doctor of Grace (Latin: Doctor gratiae)
Hippo Regius, where Augustine was the bishop, was in modern-day Annaba, Algeria,
located in Numidia (Roman province of Africa) .
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CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH

(Thagaste – Madaura – Thagaste – Carthage)

Nov. 13, 354 Born at Thagaste (Souk-Ahras, Algeria), North Africa

365 - 369 Studied Grammar at Madaura (CF II,3,5);
Augustine was 11-15 yrs. old
369 - 370 Spent a year in idleness at Thagaste (pear theft)
(CF II,3,6)[Augustine was 15 yrs. old]
371 Studied in Carthage; Patricius died;
Augustine was 17 yrs. Old
371 - 372 Takes concubine; birth of Adeodatus;
Augustine was 18 yrs. old
370 - 373 Studied Rhetoric at Carthage (CF II,3,5)
373 Conversion to philosophy through reading Cicero’s HORTENSIUS (CF III,4,7);
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Soliloquies I,17; The Happy Life, 4) (Augustine was 19 yrs. old)

Enrolled as a Hearer in the sect of the Manicheans (CF III,6,10)

365 – 369 Studied Grammar at Madaura (CF II,3,5);

Augustine was 11-15 yrs. Old

Reflection on St. Augustine as a Student (By Sr. Niceta Vargas, OSA)

In his Confession, St. Augustine tells about his student days and his attitudes to
studying.
As a boy, he was advised why he had to study.

“I was told that it was right and proper for me as a boy to pay attention to my teachers,
so that I should do well as my study of grammar and get on it in the world. This was the
way to gain respect of others and win for myself what passes for wealth in the world . So
I was sent to school to learn to read. I was too small to understand what purpose it
might serve and yet, if I was idle at my studies, I was beaten for it, because beating was
favored by tradition.” (Book 1, 11)

He enjoyed playing games and was punished by his teacher for doing such.
He preferred to play than to read, write and study as expected of him.
He was in fact disobedient simply for the love of games. As a boy he did not care for his
lessons and disliked being forced to study.
Greek and Latin were the classical languages of his era. He found the Greek language
as a distasteful subject although he learned it as a child.
He loved Latin, under his teachers in literature. But the reason for the difficulty was the
constant violent threats and cruel punishments he was subjected to learn, which was
the discipline of his time (Book 1,14).
But he learned Latin without fear and simply by keeping his ears open at his nurses took
care of him as a baby, and listened to the people who spoke to him and when he spoke
his mind to them.
He pointed out that one learns better in a “free spirit of curiosity than under fear and
compulsion” (Book 1, 14).
Augustine was a naughty boy.
He lied to his tutor and his parents and deceived them because he wanted to play
games or watch stage plays.
He even stole from his parents either for greed or to get something to give to other boys
in exchange for his favorite toys.
In the games, he often cheated so that he would win and yet he hated it when others
cheated him (Book 1, 19).
And yet, over and above these childish ways, he disliked finding himself in the wrong.
Rather he found pleasure in the truth (Book 1, 20).

369 – 370 Spent a year in idleness at Thagaste (pear theft)

(CF II,3,6)[Augustine was 15 yrs. Old]

His first insight into the nature of sin occurred when he and a number of friends stole
fruit they did not want from a neighborhood garden.
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He tells this story in his autobiography, The Confessions.

He remembers that he did not steal the fruit because he was hungry, but because "it
was not permitted."
His very nature, he says, was flawed. 'It was foul, and I loved it. I loved my own error—
not that for which I erred, but the error itself.“
From this incident he concluded the human person is naturally inclined to sin, and in
need of the grace of Christ. (wikipedia)

Reflection:
1. Remember an event in your life when you committed intentional sin.
What kind of sin it was?
2. How do you feel doing such sin?
3. What particular moment you were able to realize your sin as wrong? Why?

370-373 Studied Rhetoric at Carthage (CF II,3,5)

As he studied law, he had the ambition and determination to succeed.

He became the top of the school of rhetoric which pleased him and filled him with
conceit.
It was his ambition to be a good speaker to gratify his vanity.

371 Studied in Carthage; Patricius died;

Augustine was 17 yrs. Old

At the age of 17, through the generosity of his fellow citizen Romanianus, Augustine
went to Carthage to continue his education in rhetoric.
As a youth Augustine lived a  hedonistic lifestyle for a time, associating with young men
who boasted of their sexual exploits.
The need to gain their acceptance forced inexperienced boys like Augustine to seek or
make up stories about sexual experiences. 
It was during this period that he uttered his famous prayer, "Grant me chastity and
continence but not yet.” (wikipedia).

371-372 Takes concubine; birth of Adeodatus;

Augustine was 18 yrs. old

Augustine began an affair with a young woman in Carthage.

Though his mother wanted him to marry a person of his class, the woman remained his
lover for over fifteen years[ and gave birth to his son Adeodatus, who was viewed as
extremely intelligent by his contemporaries. (wikipedia)
373 Conversion to philosophy through reading
Cicero’s HORTENSIUS (CF III,4,7); Soliloquies
I,17; The Happy Life, 4) (Augustine was 19 yrs. old)

It was while he was a student in Carthage that he read Hortensius is a lost

dialogue written by Marcus Tullius Cicero in the year 45 BC.
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The work had followed the conventional form of a protreptic, and taught that genuine
human happiness is to be found by using and embracing philosophy.
The dialogue is named after Cicero's friend, the speaker and politician Quintus
Hortensius Hortallus.
The two other discussants are Lutatius Catulus  and Lucius Lucullus.
This meeting takes place in Lucullus' villa.

While the dialogue was extremely popular in the ancient world, the dialogue only
survived into the sixth century AD.
Today, it is extant in the fragments preserved by Martianus Capella, Servius, Nonius
Marcellus, and St. Augustine of Hippo
Out of the four, St. Augustine preserved the largest portion of text, although the work is
still considered lost.
Hortensius posits that the visual arts are suitable for such a usage of free time.
Catulus, for the same reasons, begins to laud literature, especially tragedy and comedy.
Lucullus interjects and promotes attending lectures and studying history as better use of
otium.

Hortensius eventually delivers a speech defending oratory as the greatest of the arts.
Catulus responds by reminding him of the boons (helps) philosophy grants.
Then, the character of Cicero chimes in to prove that philosophy is single-handedly the
best of all the aforementioned skills.
Thus, each of the four speakers defends a different branch of study:
Catulus defends poetry,
Lucullus argues in favor of history, the eponymous
Hortensius defends rhetoric, and
Cicero himself praises the virtues of philosophy.

St. Augustine described this dialogue of Hortensius as leaving a lasting impression and
sparking his interest in philosophy. 

“ Cicero's book was his advice 'not simply to admire one another of the schools of
philosophy, but to love wisdom itself, whatever it might be, and to search for it, pursue
it, and embrace it firmly.'”
- Fragment of Hortensius found in St. Augustine’s Confessions

The Hortensius was modeled on Greek protreptic literature  and takes the form of a

dialogue.
While taking the traditional form of a protrepeticus, Cicero deviates from the traditional
content as philosophy assumes a more ethical aspect, emphasizing its pragmatic and
utilitarian nature.
However, According to F. J. Sheed, in the work, "Cicero attempts to persuade Quintus
Hortensius Hortalus ... known for his defense of corrupted provincial governors, of the
superiority of philosophy to sophistical rhetoric in facilitating genuine human happiness.“
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”The book changed my feelings. It altered my prayers, Lord, to be towards

yourself. It gave me different values and priorities.”

-  St. Augustine on Hortensius

Reflection:

What is philosophy?
What particular aspect of philosophy that attracts you most?
Describe your philosophy of life?
How your philosophy of life can lead you towards genuine happiness?

Enrolled as a Hearer in the sect of the Manicheans (CF III,6,10)

In St. Augustine’s search for Truth for an alternative to Catholic Christianity, he turned to
this sect which promised to synthesize Christ’s “true” teachings with classical wisdom.
(www. reason .org)
Manichaeism was a major religious movement that was founded by the Iranian (Persia)
prophet Mani (216-277 AD). 
Was crucified for claiming to be the Paraclete and restorer of the true teaching of
Christ.
Strongly opposed Catholic Christianity. (www.reason.org)
Manichaeism taught an elaborate dualistic cosmology describing the struggle between
a good  spiritual world of light, and an evil, material world of darkness. (wikipedia)

An odd blend of materialism and dualism, they taught the world was dominated by two
co-eternal and opposed principles, light and darkness.
These two realities were responsible for bringing eternal strife and conflict to the world.
(www.reason.org)
Its beliefs were based on local Mesopotamian gnostic (the world was created and ruled
by a lesser divinity, and that Christ was an emissary of the remote supreme divine
being) and religious movements. (wikipedia)
They believed that Christ was solely spiritual, had no material body, and did not
actually died on the cross. (www.reason.org)

Manichaean churches and scriptures existed as far east as China and as far west as
the Roman Empire.  
It was briefly the main rival to Christianity in the competition to replace
classical paganism.
Manichaeism survived longer in the east than in the west, and it appears to have finally
faded away after the 14th century in southern China.
The term "Manichean" is widely applied (often used as a derogatory term) as an
adjective to a philosophy of moral dualism , according to which a moral course of action
involves a clear (or simplistic) choice between good and evil. (wikipedia)

As a faithful Manichee, Augustine had three basic problems with Christianity:

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First, Augustine’s materialism prevented him from conceiving of God as an immaterial,

transcendent reality, imperceptible to the senses.
Second, Augustine had question about the problem of evil, especially evil’s relationship
to God. He asked: “Where then is evil? What is its origin? How did it steal into the
world? … Where does evil come from, if God made all things and, because he is good,
made them good too?”
In the mind of Augustine, Manicheans provided a better explanation to the problem of
evil through its dualism.
Third, Augustine believed that while Christianity is based on faith, Manicheans was
based on reason and, thus, provided the truth.
Finding the truth was Augustine’s main objective.
Also, Manichaeism’s view allowed Augustine to justify his own sinful tendencies
(especially sexual) as actions beyond his personal control.
Augustine remained a Manichee for nine years. (www.reasons.org)

Reflection:
Remember an event in your life when you committed and enjoyed intentional sin/s.
Indentify and elaborate that kind of sin/s
How did you endure enjoying such sin/s?
What was your justification on it?
How it contradict to the Truth?

SECULAR TEACHER
(Carthage – Rome – Milan)

373 - 374 Taught Grammar at Thagaste (CF IV,4,7)

(Augustine 19 yrs. old)
374 - 383 Taught Rhetoric at Carthage (CF V,7,13)
Wrote ON THE FAIR AND THE FITTING
(De Pulchro et Apto) (CF IV,13,20) [This book
was lost.]
Read Aristotle’s CATEGORIES
383 Introduced to the Manichean Bishop Faustus
(CF V,3,3) (Augustine was 29 yrs. old)
383 - 384 Taught Rhetoric in Rome (CF V,8,14)
(Augustine was 29 yrs. old)
384 Appointed public teacher of Rhetoric in Milan
(autumn) (Augustine was 30 yrs. old) (CF V,13,23)
385 Monica arrives in Milan; Meets Ambrose

374–383 Taught Rhetoric at Carthage (CF V,7,13)

Wrote ON THE FAIR AND THE FITTING
CF IV,13,20) [This book was lost.]
Read Aristotle’s CATEGORIES
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During the space of his 19 to 28 years, he became a teacher of public speaking

(rhetoric) at Carthage.
He worked for love of money (Book IV, 2) and taught his students the means on how to
win debates, although he did his best with honesty.
At the same time, he was attracted to astrology and read many scientific books.
At 20, he studied philosophy (he read Aristotle’s Ten Categories) and the liberal Arts.
Categories Greek Kategorein) = accuse or predicate (in English)
In Aristotelian logic, the term “categories” is preferred to “predicaments”.
Generally, categories are ideas that express the essence (quiddity) of a thing as such.
To Aristotle, there are two kinds of categories, namely, substance and accident.
However, he divides the accidental into nine (9), making a total of ten (10) categories or
predicaments.

Substance is a being whose existence is independent of other beings.

Accident is a being whose existence is dependent on other beings.

1. Substance – e.g. table, rock, mountain, cat, bird, snake, elephant, man
2. Quantity – e.g. number, width, length, size
3. Quality – e.g. color, figure, shape, health
4. Relation – e.g. maternity, paternity, sorority, fraternity, superiority
5. Action – e.g. driving a car, peeling a banana, cooking a kilo of rice
6. Passion – e.g. being humiliated, being murdered,
7. When – e.g. today, yesterday, tomorrow, noon,
morning, afternoon
8. Where – e.g. on the table, downstairs, in the
Philippines
9. Posture – e.g. walking, kneeling, standing, sitting
10. Habit – e.g. clothed, hated, armed

What is the purpose of discussing the Categories?

In logic, it is always necessary to assign an idea under its appropriate category.

Augustine found the Categories very clear, but he says it was a further obstacle to his
thought about God, whom he imagined in Aristotelian categories as a subject with
attributes, not as greatness itself or beauty itself (4.16.29).  
He said, “I read and understood by myself all the books that I could find on the so called
liberal arts” and he did this for ambition and pleasure (Book IV, 6).

383 AD Introduced to the Manichean Bishop Faustus (CF V,3,3) (Augustine was 29
yrs. old)

Augustine’s keen analytical mind began to question the Manichaeism’s dualism.

Whether it could provide the adequate explanation of ultimate truth and reality he
sought.
Manichaeism’s hold on Augustine finally broke when he met the Manichee bishop
Faustus.
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Faustus could not answer Augustine’s metaphysical and epistemological objections to

Manichaeism.
Augustine came to view this religious system as having deep philosophical flaws and
therefore, unworthy of his deepest commitment.
However, while he was no longer officially within the Manichee fold, some of its ideas
continued to shape his philosophical and religious thinking.
Thus, he retained his three stated objections to Christianity. (www.reasons.org)
He turned to skepticism, the theory that certain knowledge is impossible.
A skeptical attitude; doubt as to the truth of something.

383-384 Taught Rhetoric in Rome (CF V,8,14)

(Augustine was 29 yrs. old)

He went to Rome to teach rhetoric, not so much for higher fees and honors but because
he heard that the young students there were quieter, that discipline was stricter.
This was not true at Carthage where the students were beyond control and with
disgraceful behavior (Book V,5).
He was, however, disillusioned with them since they were unscrupulous and were
unjust to their teacher. ((www.reasons.org)
Augustine was disappointed with the apathetic reception.
It was the custom for students to pay their fees to the professor on the last day of the
term, and many students attended faithfully all term, and then did not pay. (Wikipedia)
He states: “For their warped and crooked minds I still hate students like these, but I love
them too, hoping to teach them to mend their ways, so that they may learn to love their
studies more than money…”

384 Appointed public teacher of Rhetoric in Milan (Augustine was 30 yrs. old)
(CF V,13,23)
385 Monica arrives in Milan, meets Ambrose

Manichaean friends introduced him to the prefect of the City of Rome, Symmachus, who
while traveling through Carthage had been asked by the imperial court at Milan to
provide a rhetoric professor.
Augustine won the job and headed north to take his position in Milan in late 384.
In his thirty years old, he had won the most visible academic position in the Latin world
at a time when such posts gave ready access to political careers. (wikipedia)

385 Monica arrives in Milan, meets Ambrose

Augustine's mother Monica had followed him to Milan and arranged a marriage for him.
It was in Milan that he meet Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan who received him like a
father.
He was attracted to him, not at first as a teacher of truth but as a man of kindness.
After listening to his homilies, especially his commentaries on Scripture texts, Augustine
made up his mind to quit Manichees (Book V,14).