A major factor in Augustine's whole life is the influences his mother had on him. She was Christian, and through his whole time of seeking for truth she made no secret of her wishes and prayers for him.

In Book III of Saint Augustine: Confessions, Augustine relates his life at the time he went to Carthage to continue his studies. He opens this Book with this statement, "I went to Carthage, where I found myself in the midst of a hissing cauldron of lust." He goes on to relate all the things that he got into there. He fell in love-and in our rude vernacular-just "shacked up" with the lady. He apparently wasn't really concerned with fidelity because he also says he, "...muddied the waters of friendship with the filth of lewdne

He (Victorinus) had studied a great many books of philosophy and published criticisms of them. He had been master to many distinguished members of the Senate, and to mark his outstanding ability as a teacher, he had even been awarded a statue in the Roman forum-a great honor in the eyes of the world. (pg. 159)

Augustine goes on to tell that Victorinus was a worshipper of the many gods of Rome and took part enthusiastically in the rites of the gods. The old priest finishes his tale by relating that Victorinus willingly gave up his school in obedience to a law passed by the emperor Julian which forbade Christians to teach literature or rhetoric.

ss and clouded its clear waters with hell's black river of lust." Augustine also relates that he was, "much attracted by the theater," because the sorrow portrayed on the stage seemed wonderful to him. He declares himself guilty of being in pursuit of, "an unholy curiosity," through which he, "...deserted you (God) and sank to the bottom-most depths of skepticism and the mockery of devil-worship." Although Augsutine continues to heap criticism on himself for his behavior at this time in his life-he was all of sixteen when he first arrived in Carthage-he also acknowledges that he was much better behaved than a group of students who called themselves "The Wreckers." Today we'd call them a gang probably. I think we'd also say his upbringing was holding true that he was upset by their behavior and refused to take part in it.

At about this same time, young Augustine learned through various preachers that the Catholic Church did not hold some beliefs that he had found personally distasteful.

Not in reveling and drunkenness, not in lust and wantonness, not in quarrels and rivalries. Rather, arm yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ; spend no more thought on nature and nature's appetites. (pg. 178)

After all the misery his "long" exploration of ideas caused him, he finally comes to the understanding that each and every "false path" he took was actually where he needed to go to finally find and accept God.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Saint Monica, Confessions Augustine, Augustine Victorinus, Catholic Church, Church Ponticianus, St Augustine, God Christian, Cicero Augustine, Augustine Ambrose, Hortensia Augustine, goes tell, augustine goes tell, augustine goes, catholic church, own conversion, mother monica, search truth, mother christian, augustine relates, apparently conversion, books philosophy,
Approximate Word count = 1841
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)