Book Thirteen

For the trinitarian structure of the last three books, see on the beginning of Bk. 11. Bk. 13 is devoted to the third person of the trinity: as Bk. 11 balanced the eternity of God and the temporality of humanity, and Bk. 12 set the unity and clarity of the Word side by side with the plurality and ambiguity of the words through which we approach the Word - the two together showing God and mankind drawing closer, Bk. 13 therefore embodies the dynamic union with God under the action of the Spirit in the world. Alone of the last three books, it has a structure that clearly reflects the exegetical purpose. The verse-by-verse exegesis of Genesis makes progress.

13.1.1

Invocation

13.2.2 - 13.11.12

Why did God create?

13.3.4 - 13.4.5

False explanations discarded

13.5.6 - 13.11.12

The third person of the trinity: the spirit and will of God

13.12.13 - 13.30.45

Allegorical exposition of Gn.

13.12.13 - 13.14.15

The First Day

13.15.16 - 13.16.19

The Second Day

13.17.20 - 13.17.21

The Third Day

13.18.22 - 13.19.25

The Fourth Day

13.20.26 - 13.20.28

The Fifth Day

13.21.29 - 13.30.45

The Sixth Day

13.21.29 - 13.21.31

Creation of the Animals

13.22.32 - 13.27.42

Creation of Humanity in God's Image and Likeness

13.28.43 - 13.30.45

`And God saw that it was very good' (against the Manichees)

13.31.46 - 13.34.49

Summary of Exegesis (Literal, then Allegorical)

13.35.50 - 13.38.53

Conclusion: The Seventh Day

On this book as a whole, see A. Holl, Die Welt der Zeichen bei Augustin: religionsphänomenologische Analyse des 13. Buches der Confessiones (Vienna, 1963), rightly complaining at 13 of the `verhältnismäßig stiefmütterliche Behandlung' of this book in the scholarly literature; a lengthy methodological preface does not lead to dramatic results. See also F. Cayré, REAug 2(1956), 143-161;¹ on the Genesis exegesis here, see E. TeSelle, RA 5(1968), 95-137, with investigation into the place of the doctrine propounded in A.'s exegesis of Gn. in the history of his theological development and interesting discussion of the place of Plotinian influence in the making of ideas that would later loom large in the Pelagian controversies; for a good sketch of the place of the interpretation given here of Genesis in the series of essays on that subject that A. wrote, see A. Solignac, in the collective volume In Principio (Paris, 1973), 153-71; for a challenging philosophical assessment of A.'s contribution here, see V. Goldschmidt, in études sur l'histoire de la philosophie en hommage à Martial Gueroult (Paris, 1964), 15-43. For comparison of approaches of Gn. litt. and conf., see further BA 48.581-584.

Text of Genesis 1.1 - 2.2

This text reconstructs hypothetically what A. had before him at the time of conf., drawing upon the app. crit. to the VL (Beuron) ed. of Genesis and upon citations and echoes in conf. (1.1) in principio fecit deus caelum et terram. (2) terra invisibilis erat et incomposita, et tenebrae erant super abyssum. et spiritus dei superferebatur super aquas. (3) et dixit deus, `fiat lux,' et facta est lux. (4) et vidit deus lucem quia bona est. et divisit deus inter lucem et tenebras. (5) et vocavit deus lucem diem et tenebras vocavit noctem, et facta est vespera et factum est mane, dies unus. (6) et dixit deus, `fiat firmamentum in medio aquarum, et sit divisio inter aquam et aquam,' et sic est factum. (7) et fecit deus firmamentum, et divisit deus inter aquam quae erat sub firmamento et inter aquam quae erat supra firmamento, (8) et vocavit deus firmamentum caelum. et vidit deus quia bonum est. et facta est vespera et factum est mane, dies secundus. (9) et dixit deus, `congregetur aqua quae est sub caelo in congregationem unam ut appareat arida,' et factum est sic. et congregata est aqua quae erat sub caelo in congregationem suam et apparuit arida, (10) et vocavit deus aridam terram, et congregationem aquae vocavit mare. et vidit deus quia bonum est. (11) et dixit deus, `germinet terra herbam pabuli ² ferentem semen secundum suum genus et secundum similitudinem, et lignum fructiferum ³ faciens fructum, cuius semen sit in se secundum suam similitudinem,' et sic est factum. (12) et eiecit terra herbam pabuli ⁴ ferentem semen secundum suum genus, et lignum fructuosum faciens fructum, cuius semen est in se secundum suam similitudinem. et vidit deus quia bonum est. (13) et facta est vespera et factum est mane, dies tertius. (14) et dixit deus, `fiant luminaria in firmamento caeli, ita ut luceant super terram et dividant inter diem et noctem, et sint in signa et tempora et in dies et annos, (15) et sint in splendorem in firmamento caeli, sic ut luceant super terram,' et sic est factum. (16) et fecit deus duo luminaria magna, luminare maius in inchoationem diei, et luminare minus in inchoationem noctis et stellas, (17) et posuit illa deus in firmamento caeli, ut luceant super terram, (18) et praesint diei et nocti, et dividant inter diem et noctem. et vidit deus quia bonum est. (19) et facta est vespera et factum est mane, dies quartus. (20) et dixit deus, `producant aquae reptilia animarum viventium secundum genus, et volatilia volantia super terram secundum firmamentum caeli secundum genus,' et sic est factum. (21) et fecit deus cetos magnos, et omnem animam animalium repentium quae eduxerunt aquae secundum genus eorum, et omne volatile pennatum secundum genus. et vidit deus quia bona sunt. (22) et benedixit ea deus dicens, `crescite et multiplicamini et implete aquas maris, et volatilia multiplicentur super terram,' et sic est factum. (23) et facta est vespera et factum est mane, dies quintus. (24) et dixit deus,` eiciat ⁵ terra animam vivam ⁶ secundum ⁷ genus, quadrupedia et reptilia et bestias terrae secundum genus, et pecora secundum genus,' et sic est factum. (25) et fecit deus bestias terrae secundum genus, et pecora secundum genus, et omnia reptilia terrae secundum genus. et vidit deus quia bona sunt. (26) et dixit deus, `faciamus hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram, et dominetur piscium maris et volatilium caeli et omnium pecorum et omnis terrae et omnium repentium quae repunt super terram.' (27) et fecit deus hominem ad imaginem dei; masculum et feminam fecit eos. (28) et benedixit eos deus dicens, `crescite et multiplicamini et inplete terram et dominamini eius, et principamini piscium maris et volatilium caeli et omnium pecorum terrae et omnium reptilium quae repunt super terram.' (29) et dixit deus, `ecce dedi vobis omne pabulum seminale seminans semen quod est super omnem terram, et omne lignum fructiferum quod habet in se fructum seminis seminalis vobis erit ad escam, (30) et omnibus bestiis terrae et omnibus volatilibus caeli et omni reptili repenti super terram quod habet in se animam vitae et omne pabulum viride in escam,' et factum est sic. (31) et vidit deus omnia quae fecit et ecce bona valde. et facta est vespera et factum est mane, dies sextus. (2.1) et consummata sunt caelum et terra et omnis ornatus illorum. (2) et consummavit deus in die sexto opera sua quae fecit, et requievit deus die septimo ab omnibus operibus suis quae fecit. et benedixit deus diem septimum et sanctificavit eum, quia in ipso requievit ab omnibus operibus suis quae inchoavit deus facere.

13.1.1

The whole of conf. elucidates and deals with the amazement of contingent being. ~ The discovery that his own being is not necessary leads to the recognition of an antecedent esse that is the source and model - `et hoc dicimus deum'.

invoco . . . praevenisti: See on 1.1.1; invocation seems the place to begin, but human beginnings are preceded by divine ones; at 1.1.1, praedicatio precedes, while here cf. `vocantem me invocarem te'.

deus meus, misericordia mea: Ps. 58.11ff, `misericordia eius praeveniet me . . .; (18) deus meus, misericordia mea'; en. Ps. 58. s. 1.19, `non ego prior ad te exsurrexi, sed tu ad me excitandum venisti'; en. Ps. 58. s. 2.11, `si aliquid tuum primum attulisti, et ex tuo aliquo bono primo dei misericordiam meruisti, non te praevenit. . . . totum quidquid sum, de misericordia tua est. sed promerui te, invocando te? ut essem, quid feci? ut essem qui te invocarem, quid egi?' Knauer 175-6: `Merkwürdigerweise wird in den Dogmengeschichten [i.e., Harnack, Loofs, Seeberg] nicht darauf Rücksicht genommen, daß doch Erfahrungen, die Augustin selber gemacht hatte, und die ja auch erst zur Ausbildung seiner Gnadenlehre entscheidend beigetragen haben, ihre Bestätigung und Begründung in einem Psalmwort fanden, das für ihn die höchste Autorität als Gottes Wort besaß.'

oblitum: Adam (13.21.30) and Patricius (2.3.6) are forgetful of God, but not A.: 10.24.35, `nam ex quo didici te, non sum oblitus tui.'

invoco te in animam meam: See 1.2.2-1.5.6; the problems explored at length there do not raise themselves further here.

praeparas: Ps. 9.38, `desiderium pauperum exaudivit dominus; praeparationem cordis eorum audivit auris tua'; Prov. 8.35 (VL), `praeparatur voluntas a deo' (the latter verse is never quoted before 411, then abundantly throughout the anti-Pelagian works).

inspirasti: 1.1.1, `fides mea . . . quam inspirasti mihi'.

inspirasti ei inspirasti ei Skut.:   inspiras ei G O Maur. Ver.:   inspirasti S Knöll:   inspiras et C D

praevenisti: Cf. Ps. 58.11, quoted above. en. Ps. 118. s. 5.3, `praeveniens eius adiuvet caritas'; ench. 32.9, `praecedit enim bona voluntas hominis multa dei dona, sed non omnia: quae autem non praecedit ipsa, in eis est et ipsa, nam utrumque legitur in sanctis eloquiis: et “misericordia eius praeveniet me,” et “misericordia eius subsequitur me” [Ps. 22.6]. nolentem praevenit et velit; volentem subsequitur ne frustra velit'; sim. at en. Ps. 18. en. 2.2, 30. en. 2. s. 1.6, s. 176.5.5, pat. 20.17.

audirem de longinquo: 7.10.16, `et clamasti de longinquo'; the prodigal again: Lk. 15.13, `profectus est in regionem longinquam' (for further final changes rung on that theme, see on 13.2.2, 13.7.8, 13.11.12).

tu enim tu enim C D G O Maur. Ver.:   etenim S Knöll Skut.

delevisti . . . quibus me fecisti: The arrangement of clauses here is exactly symmetrical.

ne retribueres: Ps. 17.21, `et retribuet mihi dominus secundum iustitiam meam, et secundum puritatem manuum mearum retribuet mihi'; en. Ps. 17.21, `et retribuet mihi dominus secundum iustitiam bonae voluntatis, qui prior praebuit misericordiam antequam haberem bonam voluntatem.'

defeci . . . fecisti: The implication (as noted by BA ad loc.) is that human action without grace is to unmake (de-facere) what God has made.

manibus tuis: Ps. 118.73, `manus tuae fecerunt me.' Cf. ep. 194.5.19, `cum deus coronat merita nostra, nihil aliud coronet quam munera sua.'

dominus meus et deus meus: Jn. 20.28, `respondit Thomas et dixit ei, “dominus meus et deus meus!”' (echoed exactly only here; near-misses at 1.11.17, 9.4.12, 9.13.37).

ut de te . . . cui bene sit: Gn. litt. 8.11.24, `ille quippe nostra servitute non indiget, nos vere dominatione illius indigemus, ut operetur et custodiat nos. et ideo verus solus est dominus, quia non illa ad suam sed ad nostram utilitatem salutemque servimus.'

13.2.2

aequale tibi: Phil. 2.6, `non rapinam arbitratus est esse se aequalem deo' (see on 7.9.14); the echo, if felt, suggests just what `equality with God' entails and where it is to be located (see on 7.9.14, `in forma patris').

promeruit: Cf. en. Ps. 58. s. 2.11, quoted on 13.1.1 and (among many similar passages) en. Ps. 137.5, `his [sc. misericordia et veritate dei] adiuvamur a deo, his promeremur deum.' For fuller details, see on 6.12.21; the verb occurs now 8x in this and the following two paragraphs.

quas quas C D G O Skut. Ver.:   quae S Knöll Pell.

spiritalis corporalisque natura: i.e., caelum [= caelum caeli] et terra: the phrase is chosen to suggest the interpretation advanced in Bk. 12.

quas fecisti in sapientia tua: Ps. 103.24, `quam magnificata sunt opera tua, domine omnia in sapientia fecisti'; also at 11.9.11, 12.17.25, 12.19.28.

in longinquam dissimilitudinem: Lk. 15.13, `profectus est [sc. prodigalis: see on 1.18.28] in regionem longinquam et ibi dissipavit substantiam suam'; see on 7.10.16, `regione dissimilitudinis' (and cf. 13.2.3).

per idem verbum [2] . . . formarentur [2].

13.2.3

The belief that the conversio of the fallen creature metaphysically resembles the original formatio of the creature from materia informis is central to A.'s adaptation of Platonism. In both formatio and conversio, the decisive action is that of the second person of the trinity (see on Bk. 8 passim), but in the case of `conversion' the third person of the trinity plays a part so in unison with the second that the two are almost indistinguishable. Bk. 12 has expounded the primordial formatio; the allegorical reading of Gn. proposed in this book sketches the corresponding conversio. (Accordingly, no form of convertere or conversio appears in Bks. 11 or 12; the verb occurs 8x in Bk. 13, the noun only here.) For fuller discussion, see BA 14.613-617, and see at length Gn. litt. 1.4.9-1.5.10, esp. Gn. litt. 1.4.9, `in qua conversione et formatione . . . pro suo modo [1] imitatur deum verbum [2]'; see also Gn. litt. 2.8.16, `inlustratione veritatis, ad quam conversa formata est'; Gn. litt. 4.22.39, `a sua quadam informitate ad creatorem conversa atque formata . . . deus est, cuius contemplatione formatur'; Gn. litt. 7.6.9, `nunc autem mutabilitas eius satis indicat eam interim vitiis atque fallaciis deformem reddi, formari autem virtutibus veritatisque doctrina'.

promeruit: See on 13.2.2.

fecisti fecisti O S Knöll Skut. Ver.:    fecisti eam C D G Maur.

quamvis non aequaliter: See on 13.22.32.

conformis formae [2] aequali tibi: Rom. 8.29, `nam quos praescivit et praedestinavit conformes fieri imaginis filii eius' (and another echo of Phil. 2.6 [see on 13.2.2]).

esse [1] . . . pulchrum esse [2].

haerere tibi: Ps. 72.28, `mihi autem adhaerere deo bonum est'; see on 7.11.17. Knauer 104n2 suggests the `semper' half-invokes Mt. 18.10, `angeli . . . in caelis semper vident faciem patris mei', which is otherwise often evoked in connection with Ps. 72.28.

haerere haerere C D G O Skut. Ver.:   adhaerere S Knöll
Knauer ibid. accepts adhaerere, arguing that haerere is used by A. in no citation or echo of Ps. 72.28, though in-, co- (13.3.4), and adhaerere all occur. According to the appendix to Skut. ed. 1969, however, adhaerere does not even occur in Vindob. 712 lat. (saec. XI: MS W in Knöll, and cf. Skutella [1969] 383), otherwise a virtual clone of S, and cf. 4.4.7, `inter haerentes tibi caritate diffusa in cordibus nostris per spiritum sanctum', and 4.14.23, `ecce ubi iacet anima infirma nondum haerens solidae veritatis.'

aversione: `Aversion' also at 2.1.1 and 4.16.31.

fuimus aliquando tenebrae: Eph. 5.8, `eratis enim aliquando tenebrae, nunc autem lux in domino' : a leit-motif of Bk. 13. Already echoed clearly at 8.10.22 and 9.4.10, the phrase emerges (often in connection with other scriptural texts) at 13.8.9, 13.10.11, 13.12.13, 13.14.15: as Knauer 124n6 rightly says, it is `im 13. Buche vor allem als das neutestamentliche Gegenbild zu gen. 1,3 (“fiat lux”).'

reliquiis obscuritatis: vera rel. 27.50, `veteris hominis sui reliquias'; cf. 11.2.2, `primordia inluminationis tuae et reliquias tenebrarum mearum'. BA ad loc. blurs the issue by saying that the reliquiae (the opposite of the primitiae spiritus of 9.10.24 and 12.16.23, recurring at 13.13.14) are both the traces of original unformed-ness and the consequences of sin. By juxtaposing these two while distinguishing them, A. makes the text of Gn. 1 tell literally of the formatio of created informis materia, but allegorically of the conversio of the fallen creature.

donec simus iustitia tua . . . sicut montes dei: 2 Cor. 5.21, `eum qui non noverat peccatum pro nobis peccatum fecit, ut nos simus iustitia dei in ipso' (for text, see on 12.15.20); Ps. 35.7, `iustitia tua sicut montes dei, iudicia tua sicut abyssus multa'; en. Ps. 35.9, `qui sunt montes dei? qui dicti sunt nubes, ipsi sunt et montes dei: magni praedicatores, montes dei. et quomodo, quando oritur sol, prius luce montes vestit, et inde lux ad humillima terrarum descendit, sic quando venit dominus noster Iesus Christus, prius radiavit in altitudinem apostolorum, prius inlustravit montes, et sic descendit lux eius ad convallem terrarum.'

13.3.4

fiat lux: Gn. 1.3, `et dixit deus “fiat lux,” et facta est lux' (echoed here for the first time in conf.).

eique cohaerendo: Ps. 72.28, `adhaerere deo' (see on 13.2.3).

vivit [1] . . . beate vivit [3]: Cf. `aliud vivere . . .' below.

conversa: See on 13.2.3. See E. TeSelle, RA 5(1968), 115-123, detecting in the conf. exposition a new emphasis on `the gratuity of beatitude' (and specifically on the double gratuity: that God first creates and then perfects) and hence an important stage in the development of A.'s ideas.

solus simpliciter es: See on 2.6.13.

cui non est aliud vivere: Gn. litt. 1.5.10, `cui non solum hoc est esse quod vivere, sed etiam hoc est ei vivere, quod est sapienter ac beate vivere'.

13.4.5

convertens ad formam: See on 13.2.3.

perfecto . . . imperfecto: Adjectives with `tibi'. On the perfection of creature, see on 10.30.42.

spiritus . . . tuus bonus: Ps. 142.10, `spiritus tuus bonus deducet me in terram rectam' (see on 12.32.43); Gn. 1.2, `et spiritus dei superferebatur super aquas'. Gn. litt. 1.5.11-1.7.13 discusses the question whether this spirit is God or creature, concluding in favor of the former; the question had some currency, for it recurred in (and was answered with quotation from Gn. litt.) at Dulc. qu. 8.

requiesceret: The yearning for repose runs through conf. (see on 1.1.1) and esp. Bk. 13 (first here, frequent throughout, culminating at 13.38.53). Num. 11.25, `cumque requievisset in eis spiritus, prophetaverunt, nec ultra cessaverunt'; Is. 11.2-3 (the seven gifts of the spirit), `et requiescet super eum spiritus domini, spiritus sapientiae et intellectus, spiritus consilii et fortitudinis, spiritus scientiae et pietatis, (3) et replebit eum spiritus timoris domini'; Is. 66.2 (in an idiosyncratic version that departs from both LXX and Vg.), `super quem requiescet spritus meus, nisi super humilem et quietum et trementem verba mea?' (cited at en. Ps. 73.24, 92.6, 103. s. 2.10, 103. s. 4.16, 131.4); in NT, 1 Pet. 4.14, `si exprobramini in nomine Christi, beati eritis; quoniam quod est honoris, gloriae, et virtutis dei, et qui est eius spiritus, super vos requiescit.'

voluntas tua: = spiritus sanctus, as the context proves beyond a doubt; cf. 13.11.12, `esse, nosse, velle'.

sufficiens [3]: Cf. 12.15.19, 13.8.9, `cui nullo modo sufficit ad beatam requiem', and esp. 13.11.12, `quo est [1] et sibi notum est [2] et sibi sufficit [3] incommutabiliter'.

apud fontem vitae . . . lumen: Ps. 35.10, `quoniam apud te fons vitae in lumine tuo videbimus lumen'; see on 3.8.16 and cf. 13.16.19, `fons vitae'. N.B. `magis magisque': conversion as continuing process (`a lingering-out sweet skill': G. M. Hopkins), not once-for-all lightning stroke.

perfici [1] et inlustrari [2] et beari [3]. No exact parallel, but cf. civ. 11.24, `nam si quaeratur unde sit: deus eam condidit; si unde sapiens: a deo inluminatur; si unde sit felix: deo fruitur; subsistens modificatur, contemplans inlustratur, inhaerens iucundatur; est, videt, amat; in aeternitate dei viget, in veritate dei lucet, in bonitate dei gaudet'; civ. 8.5, `platonicis philosophis cedant (!), qui verum deum et rerum auctorem et veritatis inlustratorem et beatitudinis largitorem esse dixerunt'; civ. 8.10, `isti deo cognito reppererunt ubi esset et causa constitutae universitatis, et lux percipiendae veritatis, et fons bibendae felicitatis.'

13.5.6

Gn. litt. 1.6.12, `ut, quemadmodum in ipso exordio inchoatae creaturae, quae caeli et terrae nomine propter id quod de illa perficiendum erat commemorata est, trinitas insinuatur creatoris (nam dicente scriptura, “in principio fecit deus caelum et terram,” intellegimus patrem in dei nomine et filium in principii nomine, qui non patri sed per se ipsum creatae primitus ac potissimum spiritali creaturae et consequenter etiam universae creaturae principium est, dicente autem scriptura, “et spiritus dei superferebatur super aquam,” completam commemorationem trinitatis agnoscimus), ita et in conversione atque perfectione creaturae, ut rerum species digerantur, eadem trinitas insinuetur, verbum dei scilicet et verbi generator, cum dicitur, “dixit deus”, et sancta bonitas, in qua deo placet quidquid ei pro suae naturae modulo perfectum placet, cum dicitur, “vidit deus quia bonum est.”'

A. continued to pursue traces of the three persons of the trinity in these OT texts, even to keeping count as he read through Genesis many years later of the number of passages in which the Spirit appeared: At qu. hept. 1.134, on Gn. 41.38, A. notes to that point only Gn. 1.2 (`superferebatur') and 6.3 (`non permanebit spiritus meus in hominibus istis') and 41.38 (`hominem . . . qui habeat spiritum dei in se'); he adds: `nondum tamen legimus “spiritum sanctum.”' At qu. hept. 2.55, he notes a cumulative total of 5x, including Exod. 8.19 and 15.10.

ecce apparet mihi: Where? In the preceding line and in the scriptural text of Gn. 1.1-2 (see below).

in aenigmate: 1 Cor. 13.12 (see on 8.1.1).

trinitas: See on 12.7.7.

aequalis: Phil. 2.6 (see on 13.2.2).

aequalis tibi et coaeterna: Cf. Gal. exp. 24, `deitatis aeternitate et aequalitate constante'; cat. rud. 19.33, `verbum patris, aequale et coaeternum patri'; see also trin. 3.10.27 and 15.15.25; on the Nicene doctrine reflected here, see B. Studer, RA 19(1984), 133-154.

filio tuo: The link between filius and principium is now reiterated; filius has not been used of the second person since 11.29.39; already at 11.9.11 a series of equivalences made the link explicit, and it is implicit elsewhere (11.6.8). Otherwise since 10.1.1, this way of evoking the incarnation has been little used (see only 10.43.69, 11.2.4). Filius now occurs 3x in this paragraph, then 6x over the next dozen paragraphs.

caelo caeli: Ps. 113.24(16), `caelum caeli' (see on 12.2.2).

deliquia: G-M: `downflowing,' from deliquo; cf. Prudentius, hamart. 750-1, `sed nulla ex fluido plenae dispendia formae sentit deliquio'; Souter defines as `melting' and adds refs. to Hil. Pict. in psalm. 147.7 (of melting snow) and Hier. in Esaiam 14.51.6 (of dissolving salt), but cf. 5.5.9, `deliquia luminum', of eclipses (as at, e.g., Plin. n. h. 2.54); these are the only two occurrences in all of A. TLL takes this occurrence as `latiore sensu' with reference to the earlier one, but attests such a usage only here. The exact sense is probably irrecoverable; note that the verb adduced by G-M is only archaic or technical; A. uses deliquesco, also rare but attested in Ovid and Cicero, 1x only at en. Ps. 147.26; and that the equally rare noun deliquio is also attested both for `lack, deficiency' (Plaut. capt. 626) and for `eclipse' (in the fragmentary second cent. BC annalist Cn. Gellius, who attests both deliquio and deliquium for `eclipse' in the same passage). The resemblance to the perfect forms from delinquo may have subconsciously affected A.'s use.

inluminatione [2] . . . speciosa [2].

postea: Gn. 1.6, `“et sit divisio inter aquam et aquam,” et sic est factum.'

tenebam: Here not `memorized' (see on 1.13.20), but `grasped mentally, understood' (OLD s.v. #23).

ecce trinitas: Reading Gn. 1.2 shows A. the presence of the Spirit, and with that phrase all three persons of the trinity have been designated by the scriptural text.

13.6.7

On the surface, this is a discussion of why mention of the Spirit is postponed in the scriptural narrative; at the same time, it emphasizes that it is here - early Bk. 13 - that the spirit becomes the object of A.'s exegesis, indeed the thematic object of all Bk. 13.

veridicum: `true-speaking' in a wide variety of contexts (3.4.7, 9.12.32, 11.26.33); here, the light that speaks truth, but at 12.18.27 (`lux omnium veridicarum mentium') the light that gives our minds the possibility of speaking truth. Cf. Jn. 1.9, `lumen verum' (cf. in this book 13.24.36, `lumen meum veritas').

tenebras: See on 13.2.3, `fuimus aliquando tenebrae'.

dic mihi . . . dic mihi: 1.6.9, `dic mihi . . . dic mihi'.

matrem caritatem [3]: caritas = Spirit, e.g. trin. 6.5.7, `quapropter etiam spiritus sanctus in eadem unitate substantiae et aequalitate consistit. sive enim sit unitas amborum sive sanctitas sive caritas sive ideo unitas quia caritas et ideo caritas quia sanctitas . . .' (sim. at trin. 15.17.29); the identification is made in A. from mor. 1.13.23 (see on 13.7.8, `caritas tua'). (See BA 15.587: The theology that makes the spirit the bond, the love, of Father and Son, is A.'s. The Greeks have the Father make the unity of the trinity, and the Son the bond between Father and Spirit.)

For the `motherhood of God', cf. cat. rud. 15.23, `et quia cum eadem omnibus debeatur caritas, non eadem est omnibus adhibenda medicina: ipsa item caritas alios parturit, cum aliis infirmatur; alios curat aedificare, alios contremiscit offendere; ad alios se inclinat, ad alios se erigit; aliis blanda, aliis severa, nulli inimica, omnibus mater'; sim. at Io. ep. tr. 2.4, en. Ps. 147.14.

13.7.8

qui potest intellectu: Cf. 12.29.40, `qui potest intellegat'.

caritas tua . . . nobis: Rom. 5.5, `spes autem non confundit, quia caritas dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per spirtum sanctum qui datus est nobis' (also echoed at 4.4.7 and 13.31.46). First in A. at mor. 1.13.23, tied up with his identification of caritas and the spirit; on this verse, see A.-M. La Bonnardière, Aug. Mag. 2.657-665.

et de spiritalibus: 1 Cor. 12.1, `de spiritalibus autem, fratres, nolo vos ignorare'.

demonstrantem supereminentem viam: 1 Cor. 12.31, `adhuc supereminentem viam vobis demonstro' (text from en. Ps. 71.18): en. Ps. 103. s. 1.9, `quam dicit supereminentiorem viam? si linguis hominum loquar et angelorum, caritatem autem non habeam, factus sum velut aeramentum sonans, aut cymbalum tinniens. si ergo nihil supereminentius in scriptura sancta inveniri potest quam caritas superiora caeli quomodo in aquis proteguntur, si superiora scripturae praecepta caritatis sunt? audi quemadmodum, “caritas”, inquit, “dei diffusa . . .”'; en. Ps. 141.7, `ergo caritatem dixit supereminentiorem viam.'

flectentem genua: Cf. perhaps Eph. 3.14, `huius rei gratia flecto genua mea ad patrem.'

supereminentem scientiam: Eph. 3.19, `scire etiam supereminentem scientiae caritatem Christi'; A.'s texts waffle between `scientiae caritatem' (e.g., en. Ps. 118. s. 14.4) and `scientiam caritatis' (e.g., here and en. Ps. 8.5), unconsciously, with no differentiation of meaning.

pondere cupiditatis: A metaphor brings with it difficulties of interpretation; the moment of (ostensible) doubt leads to a resolution of those difficulties in an enhancement of metaphor; the metaphor of weight is linked to amor at 13.9.10. Cupiditas is the natural antonym of caritas for A.: doctr. chr. 3.10.15, `non autem praecipit scriptura nisi caritatem, nec culpat nisi cupiditatem'.

defluens: See on 2.2.4 and cf. 2.10.18, 10.29.40, 12.10.10, and 3x at 13.8.9.

sursum cor: See on 12.16.23, `sursum corde'; here we have both halves of the liturgical exchange, `sursum cor' and `habemus ad dominum.'

cum pertransierit anima nostra aquas: Ps. 123.5, `fortasse pertransiit anima nostra aquam sine substantia'; en. Ps. 123.9, `quae est aqua sine substantia nisi aqua peccatorum sine substantia? peccata enim non habent substantiam; inopiam habent, non substantiam; egestatem habent, non substantiam. in ista aqua sine substantia perdidit ille minor filius [sc. prodigalis!] totam substantiam suam. . . . considerent ergo omnes peccata sua, videant si habent substantiam ipsa peccata.'

13.8.9

defluxit: See on 13.7.8.

oboediens: Elsewhere in conf. of humankind (1.10.16), of Christ (7.9.14), and of civil society as a model for the cosmos (3.8.15)

caelum caeli: Ps. 113.24(16): see on 12.2.2.

nunc autem lux est in domino: Eph. 5.8, `eratis enim aliquando tenebrae, nunc autem lux in domino'; see on 13.2.3.

sufficit: To the insufficiency of creature is contrasted the self-sufficiency of God: see on 13.4.5, and cf. 13.11.12, `trinitas . . . sibi sufficit'. civ. 22.1, `nam sicut caecitas oculi vitium est et idem ipsum indicat ad lumen videndum oculum esse creatum, . . . ita natura quae fruebatur deo optimam se institutam docet etiam ipso suo vitio quo ideo misera est quia non fruitur deo.'

inluminabis tenebras nostras: Ps. 17.29, `quoniam tu inluminabis lucernam meam, deus meus, inluminabis tenebras meas'; see on 11.25.32. Here also an implicit link to 13.2.3, `fuimus aliquando tenebrae' (Eph. 5.8: see also just above).

vestimenta: qu. ev. 2.13 (ad Lk. 8.26ff), `quod sine vestimento erat, non habebat fidem' (i.e., the baptismal garment, sign of the presence of the spirit). en. Ps. 103. s. 1.7, `ipsa est vestis eius, de qua iam dixi, “non habens maculam, neque rugam.” [Eph. 5.27] lux vocatur; et hoc iam dixi: “fuistis aliquando tenebrae, nunc autem lux in domino.” [Eph. 5.8] . . . quomodo fecerit hoc, ut indueret se sicut vestimentum lucem ecclesiam, enumerare vult figuratis quibusdam sacramentis; quomodo lux facta sit ecclesia, quomodo facta sit sine macula et ruga, quomodo facta sit candida, dealbata, fulgens in vestitu sponsi sui, inhaerens illi, quomodo facta sit audiamus' (v. sim. at en. Ps. 103. s. 2.2). Cf. Ps. 103.6, `abyssus sicut vestimentum amictus ipsius'; en. Ps. 103. s. 2.6, `ergo si deus luce vestitus est, cuius rursum vestimentum est abyssus? . . . fortasse ipsum tempus significavit iste psalmus, cum diceret, abyssus sicut vestimentum amictus ipsius.'

et tenebrae nostrae: Is. 58.10, `et tenebrae tuae erunt sicut meridies'; cf. other echoes at 10.5.7 and 12.15.21.

amplexus tuos: See on 2.2.3, `felicior expectarem amplexus tuos'.

donec abscondatur: Ps. 30.21, `abscondes eos in abscondito vultus tui'; en. Ps. 30. en. 2 s. 3.8, `vilescat totum quidquid praeter deum est. qui nos tuetur in loco vitae huius, ipse post istam vitam sit locus noster. . . . in abscondito vultus tui non conturbantur.' Col. 3.3, `mortui enim estis et vita vestra abscondita est cum Christo in deo'; 1 Cor. 4.5, `et inluminabit abscondita tenebrarum et tunc laus erit unicuique a deo.' en. Ps. 139.17, `ergo pauperes sumus, abscondita est vita nostra; clamemus ad panem; est enim panis vivus qui de caelo descendit [Jn. 6.41]; et qui in via reficit nos, in patria saturabit nos.'

egestas: See on 2.10.18, `et factus sum mihi regio egestatis.'

13.9.10

BA 14.618, `A notre connaissance, Augustin est le premier à fournir les éléments d'une doctrine chrétienne de l'amour: en tout cas, il ne dépend sur ce point ni de Plotin, ni d'Ambroise, les deux grands maîtres de sa pensée.' There has been controversy over the congruence between his doctrine and that of the NT (denying, A. Nygren, Agape and Eros [London, 1932]; defending, J. Burnaby, Amor Dei [London, 1938]), and there is a standard treatment by Gilson (The Christian Philosophy of Saint Augustine [New York, 1967], 132-42). Of all A.'s works, none so concentrates on the subject as Io. ep. tr. (reflecting the contents of the epistle), on which see P. Agaësse's introduction to his edition and translation in SC 75.31-102, and D. Dideberg, Saint Augustin et la première épitre de saint Jean (Paris, 1975).

Note the rapid succession of short sentences.

cur ergo tantum . . .: What is characteristic of the third person of the trinity that makes it the appropriate subject for this verb here?

in dono tuo: Act. 2.38, `et accipietis donum spiritus sancti' (cf. below); trin. 15.18.32, `quocirca rectissime spiritus sanctus, cum sit deus, vocatur etiam donum dei.' First in A. in ep. 11.4, `donum et munus proprie spiritui sancto tribuitur,' and vera rel. 12.24, `per spiritum sanctum, quod est donum dei' (cf. vera rel. 7.13, 55.113); see du Roy 320, tracing A.'s use of the term to Hil. Pict., trin. 11.1 (quoted at A., trin. 6.10.11). The term appears along with munus, but while donum is common in A., munus fades away (du Roy 321: see on 13.38.53, `ex munere tuo').

fruimur: doctr. chr. 1.4.4, `frui est enim amore inhaerere alicui rei propter se ipsam'; cf. 7.17.23, `frui deo meo'. See R. Lorenz's study at Zschr. für Kirchengesch. 63(1950), 75-132, and 64(1952-3), 34-60; and see du Roy 321-322, with texts as early as ord. 2.2.6 and sol. 1.9.16-1.13.22.

spiritus tuus bonus: Ps. 142.10 (see on 13.4.5).

exaltat humilitatem nostram: Ps. 9.14-15, `miserere me, domine, vide humilitatem meam ab inimicis meis, (15) qui exaltas me de portis mortis ut annuntiem universas laudes tuas in portis filiae Sion'; en. Ps. 9.14, `exaltatur enim homo in illo non solum quem gestat, quod caput ecclesiae est, sed etiam quisquis nostrum est in ceteris membris; et exaltatur ab omnibus pravis cupiditatibus, quae sunt portae mortis, quia per illas itur in mortem.'

in bona voluntate pax nobis est: Lk. 2.14, `et super terram pax in hominibus bonae voluntatis'; s. dom. m. 2.6.21, `ut cum praecesserit bona voluntas nostra, . . . perficiatur in nobis voluntas dei . . . ut nulla adversitas resistat nostrae beatitudini, quod est pax'; adn. Iob on 39.32, `qui autem contradicit deo, quiescere non potest, hoc est, non invenit quietem nisi in eius voluntate sine ulla contradictione consentiat.'

corpus . . . locum suum: For A.'s version of gravity, see quant. an. 22.37, `lege naturae cedunt pondera minora maioribus, non modo cum ad proprium locum suopte nutu feruntur, ut humida et terrena corpora in ipsius mundi medium locum qui est infimus, rursus aeria et ignea sursum versus, sed etiam cum aliquo tormento aut iactu aut impulsu aut repulsu, eo quo non sponte ferrentur, vi aliena ire coguntur.' Cf. Cic., Tusc. 1.17.40, `reliquae duae partes, una ignea altera animalis, ut illae superiores in medium locum mundi gravitate ferantur et pondere, sic hae rursum rectis lineis in caelestem locum subvolent, sive ipsa natura superiora appetente sive quod a gravioribus leviora natura repellantur. quae cum constent, perspicuum debet esse animos, cum e corpore excesserint, sive illi sint animales, id est spirabiles, sive ignei, sublime ferri.' (Hence the dream of Scipio that closed Cicero's rep.) Cf. Cic., Tusc. 5.24.69, `quaeque ex alio in aliud vicissitudo atque mutatio, unde terra et quibus librata ponderibus, quibus cavernis maria sustineantur, qua omnia delata gravitate medium mundi locum semper expetant, qui est idem infimus in rotundo.'

minus ordinata [3] inquieta sunt; ordinantur [3] et quiescunt.

pondus meum amor meus: The association of `weight' with the third person of the trinity stems from the triad implicit in Wisd. 11.21, `omnia in mensura et numero et pondere disposuisti' (see on 5.4.7, and cf. here W. Beierwaltes, REAug 15[1969], 58-61), and often linked to the triad modus/species/ordo (with pondus and ordo interchangeable in discussion of the Wisd. 11.21 triad at, e.g., Gn. c. man. 1.16.26). `Weight' itself is, of course, neutral, hence the word applies to both good and bad kinds of love (as at 10.4.5, pondus contrasted with munus [3]). The classic studies did little to throw light: du Roy (esp. at 421-4) notes the triad from Wisd. 11.21, but gives little attention to pondus; Theiler 45 saw the hand of Porphyry. But D. O'Brien, Studia Patristica 16(1985), 524-7, argues that the notion of the twofold `weight of the soul' derives from Iamblichus (followed by O'Daly 10); the convincing text is Simplicius, cat. 128.32-5 (ed. Kalbfleisch, in CAG 8: quoted by O'Brien 525): kai en tois asômatois de, phêsin (sc. Iamblichus), posois enargês hê toiautê diaphora: ean gar tis tên psuchên hupothêtai hôs kath' heauto poson, hêi neuei eis to sôma rhopên hexei tên epi to katô, hêi de apo tôn katô pros to noêton neuei, epi to anô: hi de nous arrepes poson. See also R. J. O'Connell, Imagination and Metaphysics in St. Augustine (Milwaukee, 1986), 16ff.

The notion is fruitfully linked (esp. at trin. 12.11.16) with the Platonic notion of the middle place of the soul, poised between material creation and God, sinking to the one or rising to the other: see on 7.7.11, `media regio salutis meae'. So the ingenious argument at civ. 13.18, `sed necesse est, inquiunt [platonici], ut terrena corpora naturale pondus vel in terra teneat vel cogat ad terram et ideo in caelo esse non possint. . . . quia et ad hoc respondendum est vel propter Christi corpus cum quo ascendit in caelum vel propter sanctorum qualia in resurrectione futura sunt, intueantur paulo attentius pondera ipsa terrena. . . . non itaque nostram fidem redarguunt philosophi de ponderibus corporum. nolo enim quaerere, cur non credant terrenum esse posse corpus in caelo, cum terra universa libretur in nihilo.'

Two other passages in conf. speak the same language: 4.15.27, `pondere superbiae meae in ima decidebam', and 7.17.23, `rapiebar ad te decore tuo moxque diripiebar abs te pondere meo et ruebam in ista cum gemitu; et pondus hoc consuetudo carnalis.' Before this, the association occurs early and consistently in A.'s work:

beata v. 4.33 (implicit), `sapientia . . . nihil est enim aliud quam modus animi, . . . quo sese animus librat, ut neque excurrat in nimium neque infra quam plenum est coartetur. . . . cum vero sapientiam contemplatur inventam, cumque, ut huius pueri verbo utar, ad ipsam se tenet, nec se ad simulacrorum fallaciam, quorum pondus amplexus a deo suo cadere atque demergi solet, ulla commotus inanitate convertit, nihil immoderationis, et ideo nihil egestatis, nihil igitur miseriae pertimescit.' Next in order is the earliest explicit testimony, mus. 6.11.29, `non ergo invideamus inferioribus quam nos sumus, nosque ipsos, inter illa quae infra nos sunt et illa quae supra nos sunt, ita deo et domino nostro opitulante ordinemus ut inferioribus non offendamur, solis autem superioribus delectemur. delectatio quippe quasi pondus est animae. delectatio ergo ordinat animam. “ubi enim erit thesaurus tuus, ibi erit et cor tuum”: ubi delectatio, ibi thesaurus: ubi autem cor, ibi beatitudo aut miseria.' It appears in a simile at lib. arb. 3.1.2, `motus quo fruendi voluntatem ad creaturam a creatore convertit. qui motus si culpae deputatur - unde qui dubitat inrisione dignus tibi visus est - non est utique naturalis, sed voluntarius; in eoque similis est illi motui quo deorsum versus lapis fertur, quod sicut iste proprius est lapidis, sic ille animi; verum tamen in eo dissimilis, quod in potestate non habet lapis cohibere motum quo fertur inferius; animus vero dum non vult, non ita movetur.' Otherwise before 400, cf. Gn. c. man. 2.22.34, `pondere malae suae consuetudinis'.

From around the time of conf.: cat. rud. 19.31 (adumbrating the two cities doctrine), `omnes enim homines amantes superbiam et temporalem dominationem cum vano typho et pompa arrogantiae, omnesque spiritus qui talia diligunt et gloriam suam subiectione hominum quaerunt, simul una societate devincti sunt; et si saepe adversum se pro his rebus dimicant, pari tamen pondere cupiditatis in eandem profunditatem praecipitantur, et sibi morum et meritorum similitudine coniunguntur.' ep. 55.10.18ff, `amant enim requiem, sive piae animae, sive iniquae; sed qua perveniant ad id quod amant, plurimum nesciunt: nec aliquid appetunt etiam ipsa corpora ponderibus suis, nisi quod animae amoribus suis. nam sicut corpus tam diu nititur pondere, sive deorsum versus sive sursum versus, donec ad locum quo nititur veniens conquiescat (pondus quippe olei si dimittatur in aere, deorsum, si autem sub aquis, sursum nititur), sic animae ad ea quae amant propterea nituntur, ut perveniendo requiescant. . . . (21) ad ipsum autem ignem amoris nutriendum et flatandum quodam modo, quo tamquam pondere sursum vel introrsum referamur ad requiem, omnia ista pertinent quae figurate nobis insinuantur; plus enim movent et accendunt amorem, quam si nuda sine ullis sacramentorum similitudinibus ponerentur. cuius rei causam difficile est dicere.'

After conf. but continuing the line of thought: Gn. litt. 4.3.7-4.5.12, esp. 4.4.8, `pondus voluntatis et amoris, . . . pondus sine pondere est, quo referuntur ut quiescant, quorum quies purum gaudium est, nec illud iam refertur ad aliud'; Gn. litt. 4.18.34, `ut quiescat, id est, ut sui momenti ordinem teneat. . . . sed quia et ipsa corpora non manent in loco, nisi quo sui ponderis tamquam appetitu perveniunt, ut eo conperto requiescant, ideo non incongruenter a corporalibus ad spiritalia verbum transfertur, ut dicatur locus, cum res ipsa plurimum distet'.

Later: trin. 6.10.12, `haec igitur omnia quae arte divina facta sunt et unitatem [1] quandam in se ostendunt et speciem [2] et ordinem [3]. quidquid enim horum est et unum aliquid est . . . et aliqua specie formatur . . . et ordinem aliquem petit aut tenet, sicut sunt pondera vel conlocationes corporum atque amores aut delectationes animarum'; trin. 8.2.3, `ecce in ipso primo ictu quo velut coruscatione perstringeris, cum dicitur, veritas, mane si potes: sed non potes; relaberis in ista solita atque terrena. quo tandem pondere, quaeso, relaberis, nisi sordium contractarum cupiditatis visco et peregrinationis erroribus'; and cf. trin. 11.11.18 (quoted on 5.4.7). So esp. en. Ps. 29. en. 2.10 (414/15),⁸ `pondera gemina sunt. pondus enim est impetus quidam cuiusque rei, velut conantis ad locum suum; hoc est pondus. fers lapidem manu, pateris pondus; premit manum tuam, quia locum suum quaerit. et vis videre quid quaerat? subtrahe manum, venit ad terram, quiescit in terra; pervenit quo tendebat, invenit locum suum. pondus ergo illud motus erat quasi spontaneus, sine anima, sine sensu. sunt alia quae sursum versus petunt locum. namque si aquam mittas super oleum, pondere suo in ima tendit. locum enim suum quaerit, ordinari quaerit; quia praeter ordinem est aqua super oleum. donec ergo veniat ad ordinem suum, inquietus motus est, donec teneat locum suum. contra, oleum funde sub aqua, verbi gratia, quemadmodum si vas olei cadat in aquam, in abyssum, in mare, et frangatur, non se patitur oleum subter. . . . rebus ergo ad ima tendentibus in imo ponitur fundamentum; ecclesia vero dei in imo posita tendit in caelum. fundamentum ergo nostrum ibi positum est, dominus noster Iesus Christus sedens ad dexteram patris.' (The same thought more briefly at ss. 337.4.4 [n. d. but early?], and 362.8.8 [410/11].)

Most impressively apposite to many themes of conf. is civ. 11.28, `si essemus lapides aut fluctus aut ventus aut flamma vel quid huius modi, sine ullo quidem sensu atque vita, non tamen nobis deesset quasi quidam nostrorum locorum atque ordinis appetitus. nam velut amores corporum momenta sunt ponderum, sive deorsum gravitate sive sursum levitate nitantur. ita enim corpus pondere, sicut animus amore fertur, quocumque fertur. quoniam igitur homines sumus ad nostri creatoris imaginem creati [13.22.32], cuius est vera aeternitas, aeterna veritas, aeterna et vera caritas [7.10.16], estque ipse aeterna et vera et cara trinitas neque confusa neque separata: in his quidem rebus quae infra nos sunt, quoniam et ipsa nec aliquo modo [1] essent nec aliqua specie [2] continerentur nec aliquem ordinem [3] vel appeterent vel tenerent, nisi ab illo facta essent, qui summe est [1], qui summe sapiens est [2], qui summe bonus est [3], tamquam per omnia, quae fecit mirabili stabilitate, currentes quasi quaedam eius alibi magis, alibi minus impressa vestigia conligamus; in nobis autem ipsis eius imaginem contuentes [see on 11.20.26, `contuitus'] tamquam minor ille evangelicus filius [see on 1.18.28] ad nosmet ipsos reversi surgamus et ad illum redeamus, a quo peccando recesseramus.' Cf. civ. 11.16, `quoddam veluti pondus voluntatis et amoris'; civ. 19.12, `et quod terrenum corpus in terram nititur et vinculo quo suspensum est renititur, in suae pacis ordinem tendit et locum quo requiescat quodam modo voce ponderis poscit'; civ. 22.11, `ex ponderibus atque ordine elementorum'. Sim. at en. Ps. 77.24 (414/16) and ep. 157.2.9; the last occurrence is probably s. 344.1 (428 or later), `et horum duorum [sc. amorum, i.e., amor saeculi et amor dei] qui vicerit, illuc amantem tamquam pondere trahit.'

Cf. Greg. Mag., mor. 3.16.31, `quia vero cum recte diligimus, nil in rebus conditis anima nostra carius amamus; et sicut animam nos eos diligere dicimus, quibus amoris nostri exprimere pondus conamur.'

ascendimus ascensiones in corde: Ps. 83.6, `ascensiones in corde eius disposuit, in convalle plorationis' (text from en. Ps. 119.1; at en. Ps. 83.10 he read `ascensus in corde eius').

canticum graduum: Cf. Pss. 119-33, and see on 9.2.2. en. Ps. 119.1, `corpus quod corrumpitur aggravat animam [Wisd. 9.15], et deprimit terrena inhabitatio sensum multa cogitantem. . . . et quis est iste mons quo ascendimus, nisi dominus Iesus Christus?'

igne tuo . . . inardescimus: See on 10.27.38, `exarsi'.

sursum . . . Hierusalem: See on 12.16.23, `recordans Hierusalem extento in eam sursum corde, Hierusalem pacem meam'.

quoniam iucundatus sum in his: Ps. 121.1ff, `iucundatus sum in his qui dixerunt mihi, in domum domini ibimus. . . . (6) interrogate quae ad pacem sunt Hierusalem'; en. Ps. 121.2, `iucundatus sum in prophetis, iucundatus sum in apostolis.'

permanere illic in aeternum: Ps. 60.8, `permanebit in aeternum in conspectu dei'; divine `permanence' also at 4.11.16, 10.40.65, 12.28.38, 13.36.51; cf. 9.10.24, `et quid simile verbo tuo, domino nostro, in se permanenti sine vetustate atque innovanti omnia?' (cf. Wisd. 7.27)

13.10.11

beata creatura: = caelum caeli (Knauer, 160). Even the `blessed creation' is in need of `conversion'.

dono tuo: Acts. 2.38 (see on 13.9.10).

nullo intervallo temporis: For the four kinds of priority, see 12.29.40.

vocatione: Phil. 3.14 (see on 9.10.23), as at 11.29.39, `in ea quae ante sunt non distentus sed extentus, non secundum distentionem sed secundum intentionem sequor ad palmam supernae vocationis'.

`fiat lux,' et fieret lux: This paragraph therefore continues commentary (begun at 13.3.4, to continue through 13.14.15) on `fiat lux.'

tenebrae fuimus et lux efficimur: Eph. 5.8 (see on 13.2.3).

fluxa: See on 13.7.8, `defluens'; on fluxus, see on 2.2.4.

lumen indeficiens: Sirach 24.6, `ego feci in caelis ut orietur lumen indeficiens'; the epithet of God at 2.6.13 and 9.10.24; cf. en. Ps. 103. s. 1.8, `illud quidem verbum dei semper idem, semper incommutabile atque indeficiens', en. Ps. 87.8, `interiores [oculi] . . . cum in eis esset lux indeficiens'.

qui potest intellegat: See on 12.29.40, `qui potest intellegat'.

a te petat: Mt. 7.7-8.

ut quid mihi molestus est: Gal. 6.17, `de cetero nemo mihi molestus sit; ego enim stigmata Iesu in corpore meo porto' (cf. 12.25.34, `nemo iam mihi molestus sit dicendo mihi').

quasi ego inluminem: Jn. 1.9, `lumen verum inluminentem omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum'.

13.11.12

quis intelleget: Ps. 18.13, `delicta enim quis intellegit?' (see on 2.9.17).

et quis non loquitur eam: Cf. on 1.4.4, `vae tacentibus de te'.

quae, cum quae, cum O Maur. Ver.:   quaecumque G S Knöll Skut.:   quae dum C D

haec tria: ep. 11.3 (388/91, to Nebridius), `nulla natura est, Nebridii, et omnino nulla substantia quae non in se habeat haec tria et prae se gerat: primo ut sit, deinde ut hoc vel illud sit, tertio ut in eo quod est maneat quantum potest. . . . sed breviter tibi aperire volui, si tamen egi quod volui, quam subtiliter et quanta veritate in catholica intellegatur huiusce inseparabilitas trinitatis.'

in se ipsis: This is the explicit statement within conf. of A.'s doctrine of triadic reflection of God in creature; on the origins and development of that way of thinking, which receives its final development in the last books of trin., see du Roy passim (esp. 436-50) and Kusch 129-39, together replacing M. Schmaus, Die psychologische Trinitätslehre des heiligen Augustinus (Münster, 1927). Here it is a vehicle for better understanding the trinity: creatures are signs of a reality beyond sight (the invisibilia dei of Rom. 1.20).

That the three persons in one God are reflected in three essential elements in the one soul of a human person is an early and pervasive teaching in A. du Roy 299 finds it first in div. qu. 38. (386/91), and rightly observes that the position developed there leads to `deux plus grandes fresques trinitaires', trin. 9-15 and civ. 11; the governing triad in div. qu. 38. is natura/disciplina/usus, which is not dissimilar to the one here, if usus is allowed some of its moral force (encapsulated by A. in the distinction uti/frui). On the present passage, see also du Roy 432-4, good on the difficulties that surround A.'s attempt to apply these three qualities to God. Any attempt to put a modern paraphrase next to these words will be unsatisfactory to many readers, for we are so close to what all agree to be ineffable that any translation or paraphrase offers no more than an interpretation of A.'s words, which deserve to be attended to themselves.

esse, nosse, velle: This is the only place in A. where just this triad occurs explicitly (strongly implicit at sol. 2.1.1, `[A.] deus semper idem, noverim me, noverim te. oratum est. [Ratio] tu qui vis te nosse, scis esse te? [A.] scio.'); but many of the others are convertible with it. For parallels, cf. s. 52.7.19-10.23 (memory, intelligence, will: also at trin. 10.11.18, ep. 169.6); civ. 11.26, `nam et sumus, et nos esse novimus, et id esse ac nosse diligimus'; civ. 11.28 (quoted on 13.9.10); trin. 14.12.15 and 15.28.51 (memory, intelligence, love). For the form being/knowledge/love, Theiler, P.u.A. 52, adduces a Porphyrian (sent. 40 [ed. Lamberz pp. 50-1]) ousia, gnôsis ousias, heautôn philia and concludes, too confidently, `Die psychologische Trinitätslehre des hl. Augustin zeigt sich so auch als Ableger porphyrischen Denkens'; but though the elements appear on the same page in Porphyry, there is no hint of the structure that is an essential element of A.'s use of the elements.

vita [3] . . . mens [2] . . .essentia [1]. De Marchi 315-16 would read voluntas for the second `vita'. This is closer to the familiar triadic pattern, but the received version finds some support in triads at civ. 8.4, `et causa subsistendi [1] et ratio intellegendi [2] et ordo vivendi [3]' and 8.9, `et principium naturae [1] et veritas doctrinae [2] et felicitas vitae [3].'

mens: For the equation, emphasizing the wording of the last triad here, see Io. ev. tr. 40.5, `si enim, quod pauci intellegunt, simplex est natura veritatis, hoc est filio esse quod nosse'.

essentia: In conf. only here and 13.16.19, in a similar triad (essentia [1], scientia [2], voluntas [3]). Quintilian knows and disapproves of the word (and assigns its coinage to two different obscure writers in different passages [Quint. 2.14.2., 3.6.23, 8.3.33]); Seneca knows it and attributes it to Cicero (ep. 58.6). It has a life among philosophers as equivalent for Gk. ousia (e.g., Apul. Plat. 1.6), but it only really comes into use in the fourth century, among Christian writers, to help in their discussions of eastern debates: note, e.g., Hil. Pict. syn. 12. A. would like to think it recent at civ. 12.2, `sicut enim ab eo quod est sapere vocatur sapientia, sic ab eo quod est esse vocatur essentia, novo quidem nomine, quo usi veteres non sunt latini sermonis auctores, sed iam nostris temporibus usitato, ne deesset etiam linguae nostrae quod graeci appellant “ousian”'; sim. at trin. 5.2.3. The word appears 248x in all in A., from imm. an. 11.18-12.19 to c. Iul. imp. 5.45 (but 169x in trin., of which 107x in trin. 7); on its history, see J. de Ghellinck, ALMA 16(1941), 77-112, with minor additions at 17(1942), 129-133.

distinctio [2]: See on 12.3.3.

attendat: Lam. 1.12, `o vos omnes qui transitis per viam attendite et videte' (see on 11.18.23).

illud . . . incommutabile: See on 7.1.1

utrum . . . an . . . an: G-M paraphrase at length but accurately: `and whether it is the coexistence of these three (being, knowledge and will) that constitutes a Trinity in God, or whether these three are in Each Person so that Each possesses all three; or whether both things are true, the boundary between Person and Person, though it is real in and for the Trinity, being, in ways beyond our understanding, a boundary that fades from view, both in the more simple acceptation of the analogy and in the more complex, and in this dual way the Trinity is, and is known to itself, and suffices to itself as being immutably the same in the manifold greatness of its unity - of these things who can easily form to himself a conception?' du Roy 433n3 is right to find this difficult, but the difficulty is in the idea, not the expression.

miris modis: See on 5.7.13.

infinito in se sibi fine: BA ad loc., `Augustin veut dire, semble-t-il, que la Trinité est en un sens finie sur elle-même, puisque les Personnes se connaissent intimement et totalement l'une l'autre, tout en restant également infinies.'

sufficit [3]: See on 13.4.5.

idipsum: See on 9.4.11 (and 9.10.24).

copiosa unitatis magnitudine: oxymoron; cf. above `infinito . . . fine', `simpliciter multipliciter'.

13.12.13

Here begins the allegorical interpretation of Gn., which will read Gn. 1 as the adumbration of the story of the Spirit working in the world in Christian times. Baptism is the natural point of departure for the allegory, while Gn. 1.1-5 is again the text on the table. (The discussion of Gn. from Bk. 11 to here offers many direct parallels to Gn. litt.; from here the interpretation takes an entirely different course.) On the allegory, see Gn. litt. 2.9.22, `quid autem hinc allegoriae senserim, confessionum nostrarum liber tertius decimus habet. sive igitur ita ut ibi posui, sive aliquo alio modo intellegendum sit caelum sicut pellis extentum, propter molestos et nimios exactores expositionis ad litteram hoc dico, quod, sicut arbitror, omnium sensibus patet. utrumque enim fortasse, id est et pellis et camera, figurate intellegi potest, utrumque autem ad litteram quomodo possit, videndum est.'

sancte, sancte, sancte: Is. 6.3, Apoc. 4.8 (see on 12.7.7).

in nomine tuo baptizati sumus: Mt. 28.19, `ite, baptizate omnes gentes in nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti' (text from en. Ps. 103. s. 3.2); cf. 1 Cor. 1.15, `ne quis dicat quod in nomine meo [i.e., Pauli] baptizati sitis.'

fecit deus caelum et terram: The interpretation offered in Bk. 12 now almost supplants the text itself. The interpreted text takes the same form and corresponds element for element to the original, but is itself less (at first glance) susceptible to interpretation, its meaning more determined.

spiritales et carnales ecclesiae suae: 1 Cor. 3.1, `et ego, fratres, non potui vobis loqui quasi spiritalibus sed quasi carnalibus: tamquam parvulis in Christo' (again in 13.13.14, and see on 12.30.41).

ecclesiae: The word ecclesia plays a dwindling part in conf.: 31x in the narrative books, then 3x in 10.33.50 (on church music), and not from there to here. From here, though the `church' is the direct object of this allegory, the word itself occurs only at 13.23.33, 13.26.40, and 13.34.49.

terra nostra: Terra for morally and physically vulnerable flesh also at 1.11.18 and 9.11.28.

formam doctrinae: Both words are apposite to the second person of the trinity, forma for the creative effort (see on 12.3.3), doctrina for the preparation of conversion (see on 1.1.1, `praedicatus enim es nobis'); cf. 7.5.7, `in multis quidem adhuc informis et praeter doctrinae normam fluitans'.

ignorantiae tenebris: Ps. 54.6, `timor et tremor venerunt super me, et contexerunt me tenebrae.'

pro iniquitate: Ps. 38.12, `pro iniquitate erudisti hominem et tabescere fecisti sicut araneam animam meam'; en. Ps. 38.17-18, `audi hoc planius ex alio psalmo: “bonum est mihi quod humilasti me, ut discam iustificationes tuas.” [Ps. 118.71] . . . si ergo ego in poena sum et apud te iniquitas non est, nonne restat ut pro iniquitate erudieris hominem? (18) et quomodo “erudisti”? . . . “et tabescere . . . animam meam.” haec est eruditio.' (Also at 7.10.16; see Knauer 139n2.)

iudicia tua: Ps. 35.7, `iustitia tua sicut montes dei, iudicia tua sicut abyssus multa'; see on 13.2.3.

`fiat lux'; `paenitentiam agite, appropinquavit enim regnum caelorum' : G-M: `The latter phrase is given as the allegorical interpretation of the former'; but the juxtaposition is hardly accidental or arbitrary. The phrase `fiat lux' presents the first words of God quoted in the OT; the second phrase gives us at the same time (1) the first words of John baptizing as the gospel narrative proper begins (Mt. 3.2) and (2) the first words of Jesus beginning his public mission after baptism and the temptation in the desert (Mt. 4.17). The first phrase bespeaks formatio, the second reformatio (conversio). Cf. en. Ps. 150.3, `vocamur praedicatione paenitentiae; sic enim coepit dominus evangelizare, “agite paenitentiam; appropinquavit enim regnum caelorum”'; s. 109.1.1, `dominus autem ipse Iesus Christus evangelii sui praedicationem ita coepit: “agite paenitentiam; appropinquavit enim regnum caelorum.” similiter et Iohannes Baptista et praecursor ipsius ita coepit . . .' (A. regarded Matthew as the first gospel [doctr. chr. 2.8.13].)

conturbata: Ps. 41.6 (for full text, see at end of notes on this paragraph); this verse already echoed at 4.4.9 (see notes there); cf. also Ps. 42.5, `quare tristis es anima mea et quare conturbas me.' Now this mystical Psalm runs through the following paragraphs. en. Ps. 41.10, `ecce iam quadam interiore dulcedine laetati sumus, ecce acie mentis aliquid incommutabile, etsi perstrictim et raptim, perspicere potuimus; quare adhuc conturbas me, quare adhuc tristis es? [see on 13.13.14] . . . iam aliquid incommutabile persensi, quare adhuc conturbas me? . . . et quasi responderet illi anima eius in silentio: quare conturbo te, nisi quia nondum sum ibi, ubi est dulce illud, quo sic rapta sum quasi per transitum?'

commemorati sumus tui: Finding God in memory: 10.24.35-10.26.37.

de terra Iordanis et de monte aequali tibi [= Christ: Phil. 2.6], sed parvo propter nos [i.e., Christ incarnate]: en. Ps. 41.12, `unde memoratus sum tui? a monte parvo, et de terra Iordanis. forte de baptismo, ubi est remissio peccatorum. etenim nemo currit ad remissionem peccatorum nisi qui displicet sibi [10.2.2; see below]; nemo currit ad remissionem peccatorum nisi qui se confitetur peccatorem; nemo se confitetur peccatorem nisi huMilando seipsum deo.' On the equation mons = Christus, with an abundance of texts, see A. Lauras, Aug. Mag. 2.667-675.

displicuerunt: 10.2.2, `cum enim malus sum, nihil est aliud confiteri tibi quam displicere mihi.'

conversi sumus: See on 13.2.3. This is the last occurrence of any convert- root word in conf.

et ecce fuimus: Eph. 5.8, `fuimus aliquando tenebrae, nunc autem lux in domino' (see on 13.2.3). Knauer 124: `Dies ist der Schluss der Erklärung der Genesis verse, die die Schaffung und Teilung des Lichtes betreffen (gen. 1,3-4). Danach kommt Eph. 5,8 nicht mehr vor.'

Psalm 41 was apparently sung in procession by baptismal candidates on their way to the baptistry in A.'s Africa (van der Meer 364, interpreting en. Ps. 41.1 [quoted on 13.13.14, `et sitit anima eius' ]). A.'s sermon on this Psalm, quoted frequently in the commentary, was preached at some date after 410. (For commentary on the place of this Psalm in A.'s thought, see C. Butler, Western Mysticism [2nd ed., London, 1926], 20-6.) Psalm 41 (following en. Ps. 41)

(2) quemadmodum desiderat cervus ad fontes aquarum, ita desiderat anima mea ad te, deus. (3) sitivit anima mea ad deum vivum; quando veniam et apparebo ante faciem dei? (4) fuerunt mihi lacrimae meae panis die ac nocte, cum dicitur mihi per singulos dies, ubi est deus tuus? (5) haec meditatus sum, et effudi super me animam meam. quoniam ingrediar in locum tabernaculi admirabilis, usque ad domum dei. in voce exsultationis et confessionis, soni festivitatem celebrantis. (6) quare tristis es, anima mea, et quare conturbas me? spera in deum, quoniam confitebor illi salutare vultus mei, (7) deus meus. ad meipsum anima mea turbata est. propterea memoratus sum tui, domine, de terra Iordanis et Hermoniim a monte parvo. (8) abyssus abyssum invocat, in voce cataractarum tuarum. omnes suspensiones tuae et fluctus tui super me ingressi sunt. (9) in die mandavit dominus misericordiam suam, et nocte declarabit; apud me oratio deo vitae meae. (10) dicam deo, susceptor meus es, quare mei oblitus es? utquid me repulisti, et utquid contristatus incedo, dum affligit me inimicus? (11) dum confringit ossa mea, exprobraverunt mihi qui tribulant me, dum dicunt mihi per singulos dies: ubi est deus tuus? (12) quare tristis es, anima mea, et quare conturbas me? spera in deum, quoniam adhuc confitebor illi, salutare vultus mei, et deus meus.

13.13.14

A vivid repraesentatio of Paul, to be read in light of his role in Bk. 8 (prepared at 7.21.27: see on 8.1.1). The paragraph is almost completely made up of scriptural citations, save only a few necessary connecting words. Its key texts evoke both 7.10.16 and 9.10.24-5 (mystic ascents). In this baptismal section A. juxtaposes (as vividly, but yet more concisely and clearly, as in Bk. 9) the relation between the coming of the spirit in baptism and the possibilities for the ascent of the baptized soul; see Knauer 126n1 for the structural function (against G-M's claim that this is a "digression suggested by this mystical interpretation"). The essential turn is noted below on `non in voce sua'.

adhuc: 4x in this paragraph alone; see on 10.4.6, `quis adhuc sim'. 2 Cor. 5.6-7, `audentes igitur semper et scientes quoniam dum praesentes sumus in corpore peregrinamur a domino, (7) per fidem ambulamus et non per speciem'. en. Ps. 123.2, `mundantur autem corda nostra per fidem, ut possint esse idonea capere speciem. ambulamus enim nunc per fidem, nondum per speciem, sicut apostolus dicit.' N.B. `lux speciei' below, almost the only words of that are A.'s - i.e., not scriptural citations - in the paragraph.

spe enim salvi facti sumus: Rom. 8.24, `spe enim salvi facti sumus, spes autem quae videtur non est spes; nam quod videt quis sperat?' Cf. 11.9.11, `spe enim salvi facti sumus', 13.14.15.

abyssus abyssum invocat: Ps. 41.8 (see above for text); en. Ps. 41.13, `si profunditas est abyssus, putamus non cor hominis abyssus est? quid enim est profundius hac abysso? . . . si ergo homo abyssus est, quomodo abyssus invocat abyssum? homo invocat hominem? invocat quasi quomodo deus invocatur? non. . . . abyssus abyssum invocat, homo hominem. sic discitur sapientia, sic discitur fides, cum abyssus abyssum invocat. abyssum invocant sancti praedicatores verbi dei. numquid et ipsi non abyssus? . . . quanta profunditas infirmitatis latebat in Petro, quando quid in se ageretur intus nesciebat, et se moriturum cum domino vel pro domino temere promittebat! quanta abyssus erat! quae tamen abyssus nuda erat oculis dei [10.2.2]. . . . ergo omnis homo licet sanctus, licet iustus, licet in multis proficiens, abyssus est, et abyssum invocat, quando homini aliquid fidei, aliquid veritatis propter vitam aeternam praedicat. sed tunc est utilis abyssus abysso invocatae, quando fit in voce cataractarum tuarum.'

non potui vobis: 1 Cor. 3.1, `non potui vobis loqui quasi spiritalibus sed quasi carnalibus, tamquam parvulis in Christo' (see on 12.30.41).

et quae retro oblitus: Phil. 3.13 (see on 9.10.23). The allegorical sense of scripture liberates from time (cf. Eliot's `use of memory' in `Little Gidding': quoted in excursus on 10.8.12): vera rel. 7.13, `huius religionis sectandae caput est historia et prophetia dispensationis temporalis providentiae pro salute generis humani in aeternam vitam reformandi atque reparandi. quae cum credita fuerit, mentem purgabit vitae modus divinis praeceptis conciliatus, et idoneam faciet spiritalibus percipiendis, quae nec praeterita sunt nec futura, sed eodem modo semper manentia, nulli mutabilitati obnoxia, id est unum ipsum deum patrem et filium et spiritum sanctum'.

ingemescit gravatus: 2 Cor. 5.4, `nam et qui sumus in tabernaculo ingemiscimus gravati, in quo nolumus spoliari sed supervestiri' (for text, cf. en. Ps. 68. s. 1.3); cf. `superindui cupiens'. en. Ps. 78.15, `“in conspectu tuo gemitus compeditorum.” [Ps. 78.11] . . . ab his compedibus concupiscebat dissolvi apostolus et esse cum Christo. . . . has ergo compedes non sentiunt, nisi qui in semetipsis ingemiscunt gravati, habitaculum quod de caelo est superindui cupientes, quia et mors horrori est, et maerori vita mortalis.'

et sitit anima eius: Ps. 41.2-3 (see text above); en. Ps. 41.1, `et quidem non male intellegitur vox esse eorum qui, cum sint catechumeni, ad gratiam sancti lavacri festinant. unde et sollemniter cantatur hic psalmus, ut ita desiderent fontem remissionis peccatorum, quemadmodum desiderat cervus ad fontes aquarum. sit hoc, habeatque locum intellectus iste in ecclesia et veracem et sollemnem. verumtamen, fratres, videtur mihi etiam in baptismate fidelibus nondum esse satiatum tale desiderium; sed fortassis, si norunt ubi peregrinentur, et quo eis transeundum sit, etiam ardentius inflammantur.'

cervi: en. Ps. 41.3, `audi quid aliud est in cervo. serpentes necat, et post serpentium interemptionem maiori siti inardescit, peremptis serpentibus ad fontes acrius currit.'

habitaculum suum . . . cupiens: 2 Cor. 5.2-3, `nam et in hoc ingemiscimus habitationem nostram quae de caelo est, superindui cupientes, (3) si tamen et exspoliati non nudi inveniamur' (already cited at 10.34.51). en. Ps. 110.1, `haec autem vita de nobis exigit continentiam, ut etiam cum labore atque luctamine ingemiscentes gravati, et habitaculum nostrum quod de caelo est superindui cupientes, a saecularibus delectationibus temperemus.'

et vocat inferiorem abyssum: Ps. 41.8 (as above).

vocat vocat G S Knöll Skut.:   invocat C D O2 Maur. Ver.:   indvocat O1
The sense not an absolute `calls upon' but a `calls and says'; invocat is thus facilior. See also en. Ps. 41.13, `homo invocat hominem? invocat quasi quomodo deus invocatur? non. sed invocat dicitur: ad se vocat.' It would clearly be inappropriate for Paul to `invoke'.

nolite conformari huic saeculo: Rom. 12.2, `et nolite conformari huic saeculo, sed reformamini in novitate sensus vestri' (echoed again at 13.21.30, 13.21.31, 13.22.32). en. Ps. 32. en. 2 s. 2.16, `in animo tuo est imago dei, mens hominis capit eam. . . . ipse ad eam venit reformator, qui erat eius ante formator; quia per verbum facta sunt omnia, et per verbum impressa est haec imago. venit ipsum verbum, ut audiremus ab apostolo, “reformamini in novitate mentis vestrae.”' Sim. at en. Ps. 118. s. 18.3 and 118. s. 19.1.

nolite pueri effici mentibus: 1 Cor. 14.20, `nolite pueri effici mentibus, sed malitia parvuli estote, mentibus autem perfecti estote' (Gk. has phresin for mentibus in both places, Vg. sensibus). en. Ps. 130.12 (after quoting Ps. 41.4-5), `audi evidentem sententiam de hac re: nolite pueri effici mentibus; sed malitia infantes estote, ut mentibus perfecti sitis. certe explicatum est, fratres mei, ubi nos deus voluit esse humiles, ubi altos; humiles, propter cavendam superbiam, altos, propter capiendam sapientiam.' The link between the two verses is in part purely formal: `nolite . . .'

o stulti Galatae: Gal. 3.1, `o stulti [Gk. anoêtoi] Galatae, quis vos fascinavit, ante quorum oculos Iesus Christus descriptus est crucifixus?' (Vg. has `insensati' but A. cites it as here at Gal. exp. 18, s. 10.2, and ep. 93.9.31, never otherwise.)

non in voce sua: The gift of divine speech, for which A. prayed at 1.5.5 (`miserere ut loquar), is one that Paul has achieved; that is, his words are no longer his words but God's. Paul has learned to `facere veritatem' and has come to the light - see on 10.1.1 and cf. the last sentence of the preceding paragraph.

qui misisti spiritum tuum: Wisd. 9.17, `sensum autem tuum quis sciet nisi tu dederis sapientiam et miseris spritum sanctum tuum de altissimis?'

qui ascendit in altum: Ps. 67.19, `ascendisti in altum, captivasti captivitatem, accepisti dona in hominibus' (en. Ps. 67.25, `Christo ergo sine dubitatione dictum est, “ascendisti in altum . . .”'), quoted by Paul at Eph. 4.7-10 (text from en. Ps. 67.25), `unicuique autem nostrum datur gratia secundum mensuram donationis Christi, (8) propter quod dicit ascendit in altum, captivavit captivitatem, dedit dona hominibus. (9) quod autem ascendit, quid est, nisi quia et descendit in inferiores partes terrae? (10) qui descendit, ipse est et qui ascendit super omnes caelos, ut adimpleret omnia.'

et aperuit cataractas: Mal. 3.10, `et probate me super hoc, dicit dominus: si non aperuero vobis cataractas caeli et effudero vobis benedictionem usque ad abundantiam'; cf. Gn. 7.11, `et cataractae caeli apertae sunt' (and so the Flood came to pass). The connection here is Ps. 41.8, `cataractarum', adapted to baptismal water/spirit imagery.

ut fluminis impetus laetificarent: Ps. 45.5, `fluminis impetus laetificant civitatem dei'; en. Ps. 45.8, `qui sunt isti impetus fluminis? inundatio illa spiritus sancti, de qua dominus dicebat, “si quis sitit, veniat et bibat; qui credit in me, flumina aquae vivae fluent de ventre eius.” [Jn. 7.38] ergo haec flumina fluebant de ventre Pauli, Petri, Iohannis, aliorum apostolorum, aliorum evangelistarum fidelium.'

suspirat: See on 9.10.24, `suspiravimus'; there in a mystical context, as at 7.10.16 and 9.10.25.

sponsi amicus: Jn. 3.29, `qui habet sponsam, sponsus est; amicus autem sponsi; qui stat et audit eum, gaudio gaudet propter vocem sponsi hoc ergo gaudium meum impletum est.' G-M: `The term is here applied to St. Paul in view of the coming reference to 2 Cor. 11.3.' (The vox sponsi is heard at 4.15.27 and 11.8.10.)

spiritus primitias: Rom. 8.23, `sed et nos ipsi primitias spiritus habentes, et ipsi intra nos gemimus adoptionem filiorum exspectantes, redemptionem corporis nostri.' See on 9.10.24 (and cf. 12.16.23).

penes eum: G-M: `may be rendered “by virtue of his union with Christ” (in contrast with “in semet ipso”).' exp. prop. Rom. 45 (53), `spiritus primitias habemus, quia iam spiritu adhaeremus deo per fidem. . . . haec enim adoptio, quae iam facta est in his qui crediderunt, spiritu non corpore facta est.'

sicut serpens Evam decepit: 2 Cor. 11.3, `timeo autem ne, sicut serpens Evam seduxit astutia sua, sic et mentes vestrae corrumpantur a simplicitate et castitate quae est in Christo' (text from en. Ps. 126.3, suppl. by en. Ps. 118. s. 28.2). en. Ps. 39.1, `serpens ergo iste adulter antiquus virginitatem corrumpendam non carnis sed cordis inquirit'; en. Ps. 18. en. 2.2, `“ipse tamquam sponsus procedens de thalamo suo.” [Ps. 18.1] quis est enim sponsus, nisi cui desponsata est illa virgo ab apostolo, cui timet caste castus sponsi amicus [!], ne sicut serpens Evam fefellit astutia sua, sic et huius virginis sponsae Christi sensus corrumpantur a castitate quae est in Christo?'

cum videbimus eum sicuti est: 1 Jn. 3.2, `scimus quoniam cum ipse apparuerit similes ei erimus [i.e., no longer in the regio dissimilitudinis of 7.10.16], quoniam videbimus eum, sicuti est.'

quae mihi factae sunt panis: Ps. 41.4 (see text above; also at 12.11.13); en. Ps. 41.6, `suaves erant mihi ipsae lacrimae; sitiens illum fontem, quia bibere nondum poteram, avidius meas lacrimas manducabam. . . . sive, inquit, in prosperis rebus saeculi, sive in adversis rebus saeculi, ego desiderii mei lacrimas fundo, ego desiderii mei aviditatem non desero; et cum in mundo bene est, mihi male est, antequam apparebo ante faciem dei.'

13.14.15

ego: i.e., not Paul (whose words fill the preceding paragraph).

deus meus ubi es: A variant of the question from Ps. 41.4 and 11, `ubi est deus tuus?', rendered rhetorical and not plaintive by the next words.

respiro: Cf. 9.7.16, `olim suspirans tibi et tandem respirans,' and 8.11.25, `nec relabebar [see below] tamen in pristina, sed de proximo stabam et respirabam.' Skut. and others instance Job 32.20 (Vg), `loquar et respiro paululum', but the VL reading is `loquar et requiescam'.

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