Augustine's Confessions Research Paper

In Augustine’s Confessions, Augustine is faced with many different situations and tough times, but during these times he is also blessed with good friends who help him through all of it. His story as a whole represents the purpose of life, which is finding people to inspire him, help him, love him, and have his best interests at heart to lead him to his destiny. Throughout
Augustine’s lover and the mother of his child is a great example of what gives life purpose. He explores different areas of friendship and it’s relation to love. He explained in Book II that the things that delighted him were, “only this – to love and to be loved.” For a long time all he wanted was love, because he loved the idea of it and the physical aspect. Although

Although Cicero was never present during his time, he plays a role in Augustine’s journey because his writings inspire and influence him. When Augustine is through with his readings he says, “that book inflamed me with the love of wisdom.” He was inspired to adventure and obtain wisdom from various parts of his life. Augustine became more enlightened in regards to the meaning of friendship, and fervent for the journey to wisdom. Cicero had such an influence on Augustine’s understanding of friendship because of his definition of it in Laelius, which said, “friendship is nothing other than agreement on all things divine and human, along with good will and affection.” In the Confessions, Augustine’s friend passes away and he is faced with a feeling of less. He describes friendship then after in such ways that Cicero did, claiming that they shared a bond that was no longer existent because without him their life is not the same. The same feelings between friends are dated as far back as possible and Augustine explores the bond shared between two people is similar ways that Cicero did. Although Cicero was not physically present in Augustine’s journey, his historical texts had an immeasurable influence on his life and understanding of