By St. Burleigh, John H. S., Tr. Augustine

Those are Augustine's writings from the time of his conversion to Christianity in A.D.386 until eventually he grew to become Bishop of Hippo in 395-396. This quantity is a part of The Library of Christian Classics containing the nice literature of the Christian background.

Show description

Read Online or Download Augustine: Earlier Writings PDF

Similar nonfiction_2 books

Extra resources for Augustine: Earlier Writings

Example text

Well. You want to know Truth. —Therefore, that must be first 4-O AUGUSTINE! EARLIER WRITINGS known by which other things are known. —I agree. —First let us ask this question. There are two words, Veritas and Verum. Do you think they signify two things, or only one? —Two things, evidently. For just as castitas is one thing and castum another, and so with many other similar pairs of words, so, I believe, Truth is one thing and that which is said to be true is another. —Which of the two do you think is more excellent?

Amen. —Give me your utmost attention. Listen and watch. —Has anything occurred to you which can save us? —Listen. —I am doing nothing else. 10. —First, let us ventilate the problem of falsity. —I wonder if falsity will be found to be anything else than what is not as it seems. —Listen rather, and let us first interrogate our senses. What the eyes see is not said to be false unless it has some resemblance to the truth. For example, a man seen in a dream is not a true man but a false one, just because there is resemblance to the truth.

But as you lay awake last night and the same question arose, you found it was very different with you than you had supposed. Imagined fondlings and bitter sweetness tickled your fancy, much less than formerly, of course, but far more than you had supposed. In that way the mysterious physician was teaching you two things; how you can evade his care, and what remains to be cured. 26. —Oh, be silent, be silent I beseech you! Why do you torture me? Why do you cut so deep? I am not too hardened for weeping.

Download PDF sample

Rated 4.73 of 5 – based on 42 votes