narrator augustine

Relationships

• esteemedAmbrose

  description

  The narrator esteemed Ambrose as a happy man, honored by great personages, despite finding his celibacy painful.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  Ambrose himself, as the world counts happy, I esteemed a happy man

• accusedCatholic Church

  description

  The narrator formerly accused the Catholic Church with blind contentiousness, later realizing his error.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  I accused Thy Catholic Church, whom I now discovered, not indeed as yet to teach truly, but at least not to teach that for which I had grievously censured her

• preferredCatholic Doctrine

  description

  The narrator was led to prefer the Catholic doctrine over others due to its unassuming and honest approach.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  Being led, however, from this to prefer the Catholic doctrine

• extracted_fromSource

  extracted_at

  2026-03-02T21:55:08.020Z

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

• hadConcubine (of Augustine)

  description

  The Narrator had a long-term relationship with a concubine, who was later taken from him as a hindrance to his marriage plans.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  my concubine being torn from my side

• was_a_slave_toLust

  description

  The Narrator confesses that he was a slave to lust, which motivated him to seek another woman rather than a genuine desire for marriage.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  not being so much a lover of marriage as a slave to lust

• debated_withAlypius

  description

  The Narrator engaged in philosophical disputes with his friend Alypius concerning the nature of good and evil.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  And in my disputes with my friends Alypius and Nebridius of the nature of good and evil

• debated_withNebridius

  description

  The Narrator engaged in philosophical disputes with his friend Nebridius concerning the nature of good and evil.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  And in my disputes with my friends Alypius and Nebridius of the nature of good and evil

• initially_favored_Epicurus_but_rejectedlife for the soul

  description

  The Narrator believed Epicurus would have won the philosophical debate in his mind, had he not believed that after death there remained a life for the soul.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  I held that Epicurus had in my mind won the palm, had I not believed that after death there remained a life for the soul

• found_wisdom_inCatholic Church

  description

  The Narrator rejoiced to have found wisdom in the faith of the Catholic Church, which he recognized as his spiritual mother.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  rejoiced to have found the same in the faith of our spiritual mother, Thy Catholic Church

• extracted_fromSource

  extracted_at

  2026-03-02T21:55:26.119Z

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

• readCicero's Hortensius

  description

  The narrator read Cicero's Hortensius when he was nineteen, which first stirred his love for wisdom.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  upon the reading of Cicero's Hortensius, I was stirred to an earnest love of wisdom

• begs God forChastity and Contineny

  description

  The narrator begged God for chastity and continency, but with a caveat, desiring not to receive them immediately.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  had begged chastity of Thee, and said, "Give me chastity and continency, only not yet

• suffers fromDisease of Concupiscence

  description

  The narrator feared being cured of the disease of concupiscence, which he wished to satisfy rather than extinguish.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  cure me of the disease of concupiscence, which I wished to have satisfied, rather than extinguished

• practicedSacrilegious Superstition

  description

  The narrator had previously wandered through and preferred sacrilegious superstition, though he was not assured of its truth.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  And I had wandered through crooked ways in a sacrilegious superstition

• contends withAlypius

  description

  In his great internal contention, the narrator turned upon Alypius, exclaiming about their spiritual state.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

• retreats toGarden (location)

  description

  The narrator retired into the garden to grapple with his intense internal struggle in privacy.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  I retired then into the garden, and Alypius, on my steps

• is troubled byGod's Will and Covenant

  description

  The narrator was vehemently indignant that he had not yet entered into God's will and covenant, despite his bones crying out for it.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  most vehemently indignant that I entered not into Thy will and covenant, O my God

• extracted_fromSource

  extracted_at

  2026-03-02T21:55:27.358Z

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

• learns to be angry atNarrator (Augustine)

  description

  The narrator describes how he learned to direct his anger towards his past self and actions, aiming to prevent future sins.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  who had now learned to be angry at myself for things past, that I might not sin in time to come!

• puts trust inGod

  description

  The narrator indicates his decision to place his trust in God as he begins a new life purpose.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  commencing the purpose of a new life, putting my trust in Thee,--there hadst Thou begun to grow sweet unto me

• waspestilent person

  description

  The narrator describes his past self as a 'pestilent person,' characterized by bitterness and blindness against sacred writings.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  of whom myself had been, a pestilent person, a bitter and a blind bawler against those writings, which are honied with the honey of heaven

• desired to pray toGod

  description

  Overwhelmed by pain, the narrator wished for his friends to pray to God, the source of all health, on his behalf.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  it came into my heart to desire all my friends present to pray for me to Thee, the God of all manner of health. And this I wrote on wax, and gave it them to read.

• gave notice toMilanese

  description

  The narrator informed the people of Milan that he was relinquishing his teaching position.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  I gave notice to the Milanese to provide their scholars with another master to sell words to them

• made choice to serveGod

  description

  The narrator decided to dedicate himself to serving God, which led to him leaving his professorship.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  for that I had both made choice to serve Thee, and through my difficulty of breathing and pain in my chest was not equal to the Professorship.

• signified by letters toAmbrose

  description

  The narrator communicated his past errors and current desires to Bishop Ambrose through written correspondence, seeking guidance.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  And by letters I signified to Thy Prelate, the holy man Ambrose, my former errors and present desires, begging his advice what of Thy Scriptures I had best read

• joined withAdeodatus

  description

  The narrator brought his son Adeodatus to be part of their spiritual community and upbringing.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  We joined with us the boy Adeodatus, born after the flesh, of my sin.

• was baptized withAlypius

  description

  The narrator, Alypius, and Adeodatus underwent baptism together, marking a significant step in their spiritual journey.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  Him we joined with us, our contemporary in grace, to be brought up in Thy discipline: and we were baptised, and anxiety for our past life vanished from us.

• extracted_fromSource

  extracted_at

  2026-03-02T21:55:43.172Z

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

• addressesGod

  description

  The Narrator directs his confessions, prayers, and pleas for help to God throughout the text.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  O love, who ever burnest and never consumest! O charity, my God, kindle me.

• is_entangled_byConcupiscence (General)

  description

  The Narrator's soul is ensnared and bound by the sticky 'birdlime' of concupiscence.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  birdlime of concupiscence; that it rebel not against itself

• struggles_withGreediness

  description

  The Narrator confesses his struggle to discern whether his desire for sustenance is genuine need or the deceitful influence of greediness.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  whether a voluptuous deceivableness of greediness is proffering its services.

• resistsTemptations (General)

  description

  The Narrator makes a daily effort to resist various temptations that beset him.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  These temptations I daily endeavour to resist

• is_strengthened_byChrist

  description

  The Narrator affirms his ability to do 'all things' through the strengthening power of Christ.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me.

• extracted_fromSource

  extracted_at

  2026-03-02T21:55:50.741Z

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

• contemplatesChangeableness

  description

  The narrator reflects deeply on the changing nature of bodies and their forms.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  I bent myself to the bodies themselves, and looked more deeply into their changeableness, by which they cease to be what they have been

• confesses toGod

  description

  The narrator expresses his desire for his words to acknowledge God's guidance in his understanding.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  If then my voice and pen would confess unto Thee the whole, whatsoever knots Thou didst open for me in this question

• praisesGod

  description

  The narrator's heart continually gives honor and praise to God for things he cannot fully express.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  Nor shall my heart for all this cease to give Thee honour, and a song of praise, for those things which it is not able to express

• fell intoEnemies of Peace

  description

  The narrator describes a past state of spiritual decline and inner turmoil that led him away from divine light.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  I fell off into that, and became darkened

• lovedGod

  description

  Despite his spiritual straying and being in a state of darkness, the narrator maintained his love for God.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  but even thence, even thence I loved Thee

• heardGod's voice

  description

  The narrator perceived God's call to return, though faintly, amidst spiritual disturbances.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  I heard Thy voice behind me, calling to me to return, and scarcely heard it

• returns toGod's fountain

  description

  The narrator expresses his fervent desire to return to God, seeking sustenance and life from Him.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  And now, behold, I return in distress and panting after Thy fountain

• lived ill fromhimself

  description

  The narrator acknowledges that living by his own will and apart from God led to a detrimental and self-destructive existence.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  from myself I lived ill, death was I to myself

• revives inGod

  description

  The narrator finds renewed spiritual life and restoration by connecting with God.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  and I revive in Thee

• believesBooks (Divine)

  description

  The narrator accepts the truth and mysterious content of sacred scriptures.

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk

  source_text

  I have believed Thy Books, and their words be most full of mystery

• extracted_fromSource

  extracted_at

  2026-03-02T21:56:23.174Z

  source

  Sourcetext_chunk