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date: 16 May 2025

St Augustine of Hippo ad 354–430
Roman Christian theologian 

  1. You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.
    Confessions (ad 397–8) bk. 1, ch. 1
  2. When he was reading, he drew his eyes along over the leaves, and his heart searched into the sense, but his voice and tongue were silent.
    of St Ambrose
    Confessions (ad 397–8) bk. 6, ch. 3
  3. Give me chastity and continency—but not yet!
    Confessions (ad 397–8) bk. 8, ch. 7
  4. Tolle lege, tolle lege.
    Take up and read, take up and read.
    Confessions (ad 397–8) bk. 8, ch. 12
  5. Too late came I to love thee, O thou Beauty both so ancient and so fresh.
    Confessions (ad 397–8) bk. 10, ch. 27
  6. You command continence; give what you command, and command what you will.
    Confessions (ad 397–8) bk. 10, ch. 29
  7. There is no salvation outside the church.
    De Baptismo contra Donatistas bk. 4, ch. 17, sect. 24; see Cyprian, Cyprian
  8. Audi partem alteram.
    Hear the other side.
    De Duabus Animabus contra Manicheos ch. 14
  9. Hence, a devout Christian must avoid astrologers and all impious soothsayers.
    frequently mistranslated as ‘The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who make empty prophecies’ (the Latin word ‘mathematicus’ means both ‘mathematician’ and ‘astrologer’)
    De Genesi ad Litteram bk. 2, ch. 17, sect. 37
  10. Dilige et quod vis fac.
    Love and do what you will.
    often quoted as ‘Ama et fac quod vis
    In Epistolam Joannis ad Parthos (ad 413) tractatus 7, sect. 8
  11. To many, total abstinence is easier than perfect moderation.
    On the Good of Marriage (ad 401) ch. 21
  12. Cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum.
    With love for mankind and hatred of sins.
    often quoted as ‘Love the sinner but hate the sin’
    letter 211 in J.-P. Migne (ed.) Patrologiae Latinae (1845) vol. 33
  13. Roma locuta est; causa finita est.
    Rome has spoken; the case is concluded.
    traditional summary of words found in Sermons (Antwerp, 1702) no. 131, sect. 10