Lesson 1: SOURCES : facts about St.

Augustine
1. Autobiographical Sources - is a story of
a person’s life, written by that person
himself/herself.

2. Biographical Sources - is the life history of

an individual, written by someone else
A. Autobiographical Sources

1. TheDialogues of
Cassiciacum
2. The Confessions
3. The Retractations
4. Sermon 355 and 356
B. Biographical Sources

VITA
AUGUSTINI

by St. Possidius
 AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
SOURCES
1. THE DIALOGUES OF CASSICIACUM
* The Dialogue can be considered as the first “Confessions.”
* Composed between Nov. 386 and March 387…
* The first important notices concerning Augustine’s life, and in the
works themselves, indications of his interior disposition prior to
baptism…
 AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
SOURCES

2. THE
CONFESSIONS
 AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
SOURCES

2. THE CONFESSIONS
• both an autobiographical composition as well as work of philosophy, of
theology, of mysticism, and of poetry.
• Among the most widely read and studied of Augustine’s works today.
• Object of study are, in particular, the origin, date, division, unity, and
historical value of the work.
 AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
SOURCES
STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK
It is divided into two parts:
• First part (I-IX) describes Augustine up to the time of his conversion and the death of
his mother…
• Second part (X-XIII), describes Augustine as he is writing…
It was begun after April 4, 397 and completed around 400.
 AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
SOURCES

3. THE RETRACTATIONS
* These are a fundamental work for a study of Augustine’s writings, but are
important also for a knowledge of the spirit and the religious motives which
inspired them.
* They are a long examination of conscience of the elderly writer on his own
literary activity;
* The final “Confessions”
 AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
SOURCES

4. SERMONS 355 and 356.

• Given, respectively, on Dec.18, 425 and shortly after Epiphany the
following year, these sermons make up in part for the silence of the
Confessions concerning the time between Augustine’s return to Africa and
the beginning of his episcopate.
• They provide information on the foundation of the monasteries at Hippo
and present a sketch of the life live there.
 Biographical Source
The Vita Sancti
Augustini
by Possidius
 BIOGRAPHICAL
SOURCE
1. THE VITA SANCTI AUGUSTINI by POSSIDIUS.
• Written between 431-439…
• The Vita was composed on the basis of personal reminiscences and the written sources
available in the library of Hippo.
• It possesses an exceptional historical value and is an indispensable guide for a knowledge of
the life and activity of Augustine from his ordination as a priest until his death.
 THE VITA SANCTI AUGUSTINI
by POSSIDIUS

* this form of biography lays

principal stress on personal
traits
 THE VITA SANCTI AUGUSTINI
by POSSIDIUS

a plain recital of facts and incidents

*

which give a clear insight into

Augustine’s daily life in public and
private, based on the writer’s
personal and intimate knowledge.
 THE VITA SANCTI AUGUSTINI
by POSSIDIUS

PURPOSE OF WRITING:
1. To reveal Augustine as a man and bishop in
his daily life, work and character.
2. He did believe that posterity ought not to
forget Augustine and to help those who would
keep his memory alive.
 THE VITA SANCTI AUGUSTINI
by POSSIDIUS

STRUCTURE: 4 parts
I-V -Introductory
VI-XVIII -Activities against heresies
XIX-XXVII -Daily Life at home and
in the Church
XXVIII-XXXI – Last days and death
 IMPORTANCE OF VITA SANCTI AUGUSTINI

Augustine’s own writings are indispensable in

forming an estimate of his far-reaching powers as
a theologian, philosopher and preacher, but were
it not for the intimate revelations of Possidius, our
picture of his personality would be incomplete.
 Who is Possidius?
* First biographer of St.
Augustine
* Bishop of Calama,
(Numidia)
* member of Augustine’s
monastic community
in Hippo
 Who is Possidius?

* life-long
friend, a
disciple and
considered the
favorite of
Augustine
 Who is Possidius?
* was at Augustine side
when he died.
- he assisted Augustine against
heretical movements of Donatism
and Pelagianism
 Who is Possidius?
Possidius appears as one of the
group of intimate friends whom
Augustine gathered around him in
the monastery at Hippo and is
mentioned only once after
Augustine’s death
 Who is Possidius?
Possidius himself states at
the close of the Vita he had
lived with Augustine on
terms of intimate friendship
for “almost forty years”…
Possidius’ appreciation of Augustine

1. Though Possidius only partly realized

Augustine’s true greatness and his
increasing importance to the Church, he
did recognize in Augustine a devout
Christian, a profound and eager student, a
devoted and watchful shepherd, a mighty
opponent of heretics and a daily example
in his domestic life.
Possidius’ appreciation of Augustine

2. Possidius sees the present and

local greatness, but has less
conception of the lasting and
widening influence in which a
mind and personality like
Augustine’s were destined to
exert for ages to come.
Possidius’ appreciation of Augustine

3. Possidius sees that

Augustine’s arguments and
reasoning have established the
faith and brought peace to the
Church, but that centuries later
theologians and philosophers
Possidius’ appreciation of Augustine

should still base many of their

upon the writings of his friend
is far outside the range of his
imagination; Yet he did
believe that posterity ought
not to forget Augustine
Possidius’ appreciation of Augustine

4. Therefore, he wrote the

VITA AUGUSTINI and
compiled, INDICULUS, a
catalogue of Augustine’s
works, to help those who
would keep his memory alive.
Concluding Statement
•Few figures from antiquity are as well known
to us as Augustine of Hippo. Thanks to his
Confessions, we know a great deal about
Augustine’s life prior to his conversion to
Christianity. Yet, without the little biography
written by his intimate friend Possidius, Bishop
of Calama, we would know comparatively little
about Augustine’s life after his baptism.