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The Confessions of St. Augustin In Thirteen Books

Chapter IV.--Sorely Distressed by Weeping at the Death of His Friend, He Provides Consolation for Himself.

7. In those years, when I first began to teach rhetoric in my native town, I had acquired a very dear friend, from association in our studies, of mine own age, and, like myself, just rising up into the flower of youth. He had grown up with me from childhood, and we had been both school-fellows and play-fellows. But he was not then my friend, nor, indeed, afterwards, as true friendship is; for true it is not but in such as Thou bindest together, cleaving unto Thee by that love which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. ¹ But yet it was too sweet, being ripened by the fervour of similar studies. For, from the true faith (which he, as a youth, had not soundly and thoroughly become master of), I had turned him aside towards those superstitious and pernicious fables which my mother mourned in me. With me this man's mind now erred, nor could my soul exist without him. But behold, Thou wert close behind Thy fugitives--at once God of vengeance ² and Fountain of mercies, who turnest us to Thyself by wondrous means. Thou removedst that man from this life when he had scarce completed one whole year of my friendship, sweet to me above all the sweetness of that my life.

8. "Who can show forth all Thy praise" ³ which he hath experienced in himself alone? What was it that Thou didst then, O my God, and how unsearchable are the depths of Thy judgments! ⁴ For when, sore sick of a fever, he long lay unconscious in a death-sweat, and all despaired of his recovery, he was baptized without his knowledge; ⁵ myself meanwhile little caring, presuming that his soul would retain rather what it had imbibed from me, than what was done to his unconscious body. Far different, however, was it, for he was revived and restored. Straightway, as soon as I could talk to him (which I could as soon as he was able, for I never left him, and we hung too much upon each other), I attempted to jest with him, as if he also would jest with me at that baptism which he had received when mind and senses were in abeyance, but had now learnt that he had received. But he shuddered at me, as if I were his enemy; and, with a remarkable and unexpected freedom, admonished me, if I desired to continue his friend, to desist from speaking to him in such a way. I, confounded and confused, concealed all my emotions, till he should get well, and his health be strong enough to allow me to deal with him as I wished. But he was withdrawn from my frenzy, that with Thee he might be preserved for my comfort. A few days after, during my absence, he had a return of the fever, and died.

9. At this sorrow my heart was utterly darkened, and whatever I looked upon was death. My native country was a torture to me, and my father's house a wondrous unhappiness; and whatsoever I had participated in with him, wanting him, turned into a frightful torture. Mine eyes sought him everywhere, but he was not granted them; and I hated all places because he was not in them; nor could they now say to me, "Behold; he is coming," as they did when he was alive and absent. I became a great puzzle to myself, and asked my soul why she was so sad, and why she so exceedingly disquieted me; ⁶ but she knew not what to answer me. And if I said, "Hope thou in God," ⁷ she very properly obeyed me not; because that most dear friend whom she had lost was, being man, both truer and better than that phantasm ⁸ she was bid to hope in. Naught but tears were sweet to me, and they succeeded my friend in the dearest of my affections.

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Confessiones (CSEL)

Caput 4

In illis annis, quo primum tempore in municipio, quo natus sum, docere coeperam, conparaveram amicum societate studiorum nimis carum, coaevum mihi et conflorentem flore adulescentiae. mecum puer creverat et pariter in scholam ieramus pariterque luseramus. sed nondum erat sic amicus, quamquam ne tum quidem sic, uti est vera amicitia, quia non est vera, nisi cum eam tu agglutinas inter haerentes sibi caritate diffusa in cordibus nostris per spiritum sanctum, qui datus est nobis. sed tamen dulcis erat nobis, cocta fervore parilium studiorum. nam et a fide vera, quam non germanitus et penitus adulescens tenebat, deflexeram eum in superstitiosas fabellas et perniciosas, propter quas me plangebat mater. mecum iam errabat in animo ille homo, et non poterat anima mea sine illo. et ecce tu inminens dorso fugitivorum tuorum, deus ultionum et fons misericordiarum simul, qui convertis nos ad te miris modis, ecce abstulisti hominem de hac vita, cum vix explevisset annum in amicitia mea, suavi mihi super omnes suavitates illius vitae meae. Quis laudes tuas enumerat unus in se uno, quas expertus est? quid tunc fecisti, deus meus, et quam investigabilis abyssus iudiciorum tuorum? cum enim laboraret ille febribus, iacuit diu sine sensu in sudore laetali, et cum desperaretur, baptizatus est nesciens, me non curante, et praesumente id retinere potius animam eius quod a me acceperat, non quod in nescientis corpore fiebat. longe autem aliter erat. nam recreatus est et salvus factus, statimque, ut primo cum eo loqui potui -- potui autem mox, ut ille potuit, quando non discedebam et nimis pendebamus ex invicem -- temptavi apud illum inridere, tamquam et illo inrisuo mecum baptismum, quem acceperat mente atque sensu absentissimus. sed tamen iam se accepisse didicerat. at ille ita me exhorruit ut inimicum, admonuitque mirabili et repentina libertate, ut, si amicus esse vellem, talia sibi dicere desinerem. ego autem stupefactus atque turbatus, distuli omnes motus meos, ut convalesceret prius, essetque idoneus viribus valetudinis, cum quo agere possem quod vellem. sed ille abreptus dementiae meae, ut apud te servaretur consolationi meae, post paucos dies me absente repetitur febribus et defungitur. Quo dolore contenebratum est cor meum, et quidquid aspiciebam mors erat. et erat mihi patria supplicium, et paterna domus mira infelicitas, et quidquid cum illo conmunicaveram, sine illo in cruciatum inmanem verterat. expetebant eum undique oculi mei, et non dabatur: et oderam omnia, quod non haberent eum, nec mihi iam dicere poterant: ecce venit, sicut cum viveret, quando absens erat. factus eram ipse mihi magna quaestio, et interrogabam animam meam, quare tristis esset et quare conturbaret me valde, et nihil noverat respondere mihi. et si dicebam: spera in deum, iuste non obtemperabat, quia verior erat et melior homo, quem carissimum amiserat, quam phantasma, in quod sperare iubebatur. solus fletus erat dulcis mihi et successerat amico meo in deliciis animi mei.