Augustines Confessions – Essay Example

actions since he cannot remember them. Augustine then reflects on his earliest memories of studying language and discovering the world around him. He admits that this was done in a vain and sinful manner that led him away from a pure lifestyle.

While I was required to commit to memory the journey of Aeneas, a hero, I neglected to recall my own meandering path. I gained knowledge of grieving for Dido, who tragically ended her own life for love, all while in the midst of my own suffering from separation from You, my God and my Life - as evidenced on page 33 b. Nonetheless, I possess the skills of speaking, writing, reading and counting which I wish to dedicate to Your service. When I delved into other pursuits that may have been inadequate or unworthy, You gave me guidance and absolved me of wrongdoing - a mercy for which I am grateful.

In the majority of the subsequent sections, Augustine discusses the mistakes made by his early instructors who were unaware of the intended goals of education. He believes that reading fiction is not productive and it is regarded as a sin to read about other people's sins without acknowledging one's own. Augustine takes a Neoplatonism approach to reflect on his misguided adolescence. a.

On page 39b of a book, the speaker reflects on their training which emphasized the importance of avoiding faulty grammar but failed to teach them to not envy those who avoided such mistakes. However, the speaker recognizes that their own mistake was seeking pleasure, beauty, and truth within themselves and other creations instead of seeking them in God, which led to suffering, disorder,

and mistakes.

In Book II, Augustine reflects on the period of his life that he believes to be the most sinful and extravagant. He provides an explanation for how it all occurred, and his Neoplatonic philosophy continues to underscore his belief that he has strayed from God's ideal and fallen into a state of disorder.

On page 44, I admitted to being filled with wickedness and abandoning you as I got lost in the flow of events. On page 46 b, I acknowledged my audacity in assuming that you, my God, remained silent when I was gradually drifting away from you.

According to page 48c, inquiries into crimes typically seek to determine whether the motive was driven by a desire to gain or fear of losing something considered a lower-order good. The speaker in page 1d reflects on past acts, including thieving, which brought no happiness but shame and increased misery.

On page 52 of Book III, the speaker expresses a desire for purity and fairness, which would be apparent in the eyes of those who have not been corrupted. This sentiment is expressed with the words, "I long instead for innocence and justice, graceful and splendid in eyes whose sight is undefiled." Later, the speaker travels to Carthage with a strong yearning to experience love.

During a period of spiritual emptiness, the author turned to the Manichee faith for answers. However, this decision proved to be a regrettable one, as he spent a significant portion of the book criticizing the beliefs of the sect. He describes his previous way of living as filled with debauchery and a dangerous fascination with evil forces.

"-p.

57 b. I held the foolish belief that we should treat the fruits of the earth with more kindness than humans, who were supposed to use them. " p. 67 "However, you provided assistance from above and saved me from the depths of this darkness because my mother, your faithful servant, prayed to you for my well-being. She shed more tears for my spiritual death than other mothers shed for the physical death of their children.

-p. 68 IV. Book IV: Upon returning to Thagaste from Carthage, Augustine finds himself in a state of inner conflict. Though he has commenced his quest for truth, he is still caught up in sin. He contemplates the impermanent nature of the physical world and its connection to God.

He held contempt for his job, seeking only "worthless popular distinctions" such as audience applause or competition prizes (p.71). However, he admitted that his love for money led him to sell others the means to excel in debates.

- On page 72, it is asked why the speaker discusses certain topics and expresses that it is time for confession rather than questioning. The speaker lived in misery like anyone else who becomes attached to things that are not permanent and then suffers when they are lost. This is described on page 77.

The individual is searching for a chance to be redeemed and expresses this desire to God by stating "My heart lies before you, O my God. Look deep within. See these memories of mine, for you are my hope." This statement can be found on page 77.