The Life of St. Augustine
Thalia Gomez
History 110
Written Report
12/10/12
The Life of St. Augustine
Augustine was born in 354 in what is now Souk Ahras, Algeria. His father was a Pagan and his mother was a Christian. When he was 11 years old he was sent off to a school in a small Numidian city that was about 19 miles south of Thagaste. He became familiar with Latin literature and practices there. Augustine was very interested in philosophy because he had read Cicero’s dialogue –Hortensius. When Augustine was 17 he went to Carthage where he continued his studies. Although Augustine was brought up Christian by his mother he decided to leave his faith behind so he could explore what was out there in the world. Link many of the youths today he experimented with sex among other things and lived a care-free life in order to fit in. Just like peer pressure today among many teenagers in high school or even college. During this experimental point in Augustine’s life he was having an affair with a young woman, whom he was with for thirteen years. She had his son Adeodatus. He is named the patron saint of brewers because of how he lived in his younger years, partying and having fun living a “loose life” according to catholic.org. Augustine went on to teach grammar at Thagaste for two years in 373 and 374. Then after that he went on to teach rhetoric for another nine years back in Carthage. The students in Carthage were horrible students and never paid their tuition when it was due. It was devastating to Augustine so he applied for a new position to teach the imperial court rhetoric in Milan, Rome and he was accepted. Augustine’s mother followed him to Milan, and while he was there he explored different faiths. His mother pressured him to get married and to go back to Christianity. Augustine tried to get married be he broke off the engagement because she was not “the one” that he had loved for so many years. It was the bishop of Milan, by the name of Ambrose, who steered Augustine back into
History 110
Written Report
12/10/12
The Life of St. Augustine
Augustine was born in 354 in what is now Souk Ahras, Algeria. His father was a Pagan and his mother was a Christian. When he was 11 years old he was sent off to a school in a small Numidian city that was about 19 miles south of Thagaste. He became familiar with Latin literature and practices there. Augustine was very interested in philosophy because he had read Cicero’s dialogue –Hortensius. When Augustine was 17 he went to Carthage where he continued his studies. Although Augustine was brought up Christian by his mother he decided to leave his faith behind so he could explore what was out there in the world. Link many of the youths today he experimented with sex among other things and lived a care-free life in order to fit in. Just like peer pressure today among many teenagers in high school or even college. During this experimental point in Augustine’s life he was having an affair with a young woman, whom he was with for thirteen years. She had his son Adeodatus. He is named the patron saint of brewers because of how he lived in his younger years, partying and having fun living a “loose life” according to catholic.org. Augustine went on to teach grammar at Thagaste for two years in 373 and 374. Then after that he went on to teach rhetoric for another nine years back in Carthage. The students in Carthage were horrible students and never paid their tuition when it was due. It was devastating to Augustine so he applied for a new position to teach the imperial court rhetoric in Milan, Rome and he was accepted. Augustine’s mother followed him to Milan, and while he was there he explored different faiths. His mother pressured him to get married and to go back to Christianity. Augustine tried to get married be he broke off the engagement because she was not “the one” that he had loved for so many years. It was the bishop of Milan, by the name of Ambrose, who steered Augustine back into
Cited: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=418 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo