Augustine’s Personal Story St. Augustine: Confessions
Please answer the following questions from the text as you read so that your grasp of the narrative will be thorough. The identification or definition questions may require reference easily found online. APA FORMAT
The questions on Augustine’s personal story are strictly from Confessions Bks I-IX. Four more “books” (they are more like chapters or sections) follow Bk IX, which also have content no less in importance than what you read in Bks I-IX.
Team effort is acceptable if that is convenient. If you have trouble with any question, do request help in class.
I. Define the following terms in adequate detail using resources from the Internet
1. Liberal Arts
2. Neoplatonism
3. Important cities of Augustine’s career life with details
4. Major writings of Augustine—name at least five
5. Manichaeism
From the Text:
1.What is the paradox [look up the meaning of this term] of prayer that causes Augustine to wonder? (bk I.2,3)
2. What are the “shame and suffering” Augustine speaks of in bk 1.9?
What is Augustine’s recollection of the denial of baptism to him as “catechumen”? (bk 1. 11)
3. What is absurd about the behavior of Jupiter, as Augustine observes? How does a youth take advantage of his behavior by using Jupiter as defense? (bk 1.16)
4. What is an example of Augustine’s squandering his “brains on foolish delusions”? (bk 1.17)
5. How does Augustine compare rules of grammar to the rules of God? (bk 1. 18)
What are the wonderful personal qualities for which Augustine thinks he should be grateful? (bk 1.20)
6. What did his family, to his regret, not do for Augustine, at age 16? (bk II.2)
7. What was Augustine studying? Be specific and provide details (bk III.3).
8. What was the result of Monica meeting Ambrose? (bk III.12)
9. Who was Hortensius? How did he “inflame” Augustine? (bk III.4)
10. What was the sorcerer’s offer to Augustine? What was Augustine’s response? (Bk IV.2)
11. What were Augustine’s thoughts and resolutions about astrology? (Bk IV. 3)
12. What is the “lost book” that Augustine tries to recall in bk IV.13? Why did he write it?
13. Why does Augustine call Faustus, the Manichaean bishop, “a great decoy of the devil”? Include Augustine’s comments on Faustus’ intellect. (bk V.3)
14. What happened in the personal meeting between Augustine and Ambrose? (bk V.13)
15. What did the beggar of Milan serve to teach Augustine? (bk VI. 6)
16. Who was Alypius? How does he merit so much of narrative space? (bk VI. 7-10, 12-13).
17. What was the “sing-song voice of a child” that Augustine heard? What was the result? Be specific. (Bk VIII.12)
18. Bk IX. 4 Augustine says, “you rescued my tongue as you had already rescued my heart.” What is Augustine speaking of here?
19. What was Ambrose’s recommendation for Augustine concerning what book of the scripture to read? What was the result? (Bk IX.5)
20. What was De Magistro? (IX.6) Augustine’s Personal Story
