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Confessiones

Caput 12

Et dedisti alterum responsum interim, quod recolo. nam et multa praetereo, propter quod propero ad ea quae me magis urguent confiteri tibi, et multa non memini. dedisti ergo alterum per sacerdotem tuum, quendam episcopum nutritum in ecclesia et exercitatum in libris tuis. quem cum illa femina rogasset, ut dignaretur mecum conloqui, et refellere errores meos, et dedocere me mala ac docere bona -- faciebat enim hoc, quos forte idoneos invenisset -- noluit ille prudenter sane, quantum sensi postea. respondit enim me adhuc esse indocilem, et quod inflatus essem novitate haeresis illius, et nonnullis quaestiunculis iam multos inperitos exagitassem, sicut illa indicaverat ei. sed inquit sine illum ibi. tantum roga pro eo dominum: ipse legendo reperiet, quis ille sit error et quanta inpietas. Simul etiam narravit, se quoque parvulum a seducta matre sua datum fuisse Manichaeis, et omnes paene non legisse tantum verum etiam scriptitasse libros eorum, sibique adparuisse nullo contra disputante et convincente, quam esset illa secta fugienda: itaque fugisse. quae cum ille dixisset, atque illa nollet adquiescere, sed instaret magis deprecando et ubertim flendo, ut me videret et mecum dissereret, ille iam substomachans: vade inquit a me; ita vivas, fieri non potest, ut filius istarum lacrimarum pereat. quod illa ita se accepisse inter conloquia sua mecum saepe recordabatur, ac si de caelo sonuisset.

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The Confessions of St. Augustin In Thirteen Books

Chapter XII.--The Excellent Answer of the Bishop When Referred to by His Mother as to the Conversion of Her Son.

21. And meanwhile Thou grantedst her another answer, which I recall; for much I pass over, hastening on to those things which the more strongly impel me to confess unto Thee, and much I do not remember. Thou didst grant her then another answer, by a priest of Thine, a certain bishop, reared in Thy Church and well versed in Thy books. He, when this woman had entreated that he would vouchsafe to have some talk with me, refute my errors, unteach me evil things, and teach me good (for this he was in the habit of doing when he found people fitted to receive it), refused, very prudently, as I afterwards came to see. For he answered that I was still unteachable, being inflated with the novelty of that heresy, and that I had already perplexed divers inexperienced persons with vexatious questions, ¹ as she had informed him. "But leave him alone for a time," saith he, "only pray God for him; he will of himself, by reading, discover what that error is, and how great its impiety." He disclosed to her at the same time how he himself, when a little one, had, by his misguided mother, been given over to the Manichaeans, and had not only read, but even written out almost all their books, and had come to see (without argument or proof from any one) how much that sect was to be shunned, and had shunned it. Which when he had said, and she would not be satisfied, but repeated more earnestly her entreaties, shedding copious tears, that he would see and discourse with me, he, a little vexed at her importunity, exclaimed, "Go thy way, and God bless thee, for it is not possible that the son of these tears should perish." Which answer (as she often mentioned in her conversations with me) she accepted as though it were a voice from heaven.