Ama et quod vis fac

Having nearly completed Garry Wills' biography of Augustine which I blogged earlier, I agree with the reviewers who say it's not really an introduction. Short it is, but it seems to move at an unclear pace and assumes knowledge of philosophy and theology that a lay person might not have. Having said that, it's well enough written and has been reasonably diverting.

I particularly liked these words of Augustine

Because of various circumstances, we see one man looking harsh because he loves and another looking pleasant because of vice. The father gives a son blows, the whoremonger gives blandishments. Consider them in themselves, blows or blandishments – who wouldn't take the blandishmenst and duck the blows? But look at the motives – they are the blows of love, the blandishments of vice. You see my point, that human acts should be judged by their basis in love. Many things have a surface appearance of good, but are not based on love – like blossoms on a thorn plant. Other things look hard, look forbidding, but they instill a discipline informed by love. Once again, to put it simply: Act as you desire, so long as you act with love. If you are silent, be silent from love. If you accuse, accuse from love. If you correct, correct from love. If you spare, spare from love. Let love be rooted deep in you, and only good can grow from it.

(Interpreting John's Parthian Letter 7.8)


I'm conscious I'm writing on academic topics a lot these days; I must find something trivial to comment on next time. It's blinkin cold tonight ;)

listening to Glad I'm Not A Kennedy | Shona Laing