Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by Augustine of Hippo (Roman-African Christian Philosopher)

Saint Augustine of Hippo (354–430) was a Christian philosopher and theologian. This bishop of the City of Hippo was an important figure in the evolution of pagan attitudes into Christian philosophy.

Born in Tagaste in the Roman province of Numidia in North Africa, now Algeria, to a pagan father and a Christian mother, Augustine converted to Christianity at the age of 31 under the influence of Bishop Ambrose of Milan. Augustine desired a quiet life of philosophizing about theology and writing books. However, when he moved to the port town of Hippo to establish a monastery, he was required to take over the duties of the local bishop. He regretted that he had to spend much time delivering sermons and running a parish instead of writing.

Saint Augustine is known today for his two major works, The Confessions (397–400 CE,) and The City of God (426 CE,) the latter written after the fall of Rome to the Barbarians in 410 CE. In The Confessions, one of the first memoirs of Western literature, Augustine scrutinized his earlier life—the sins he had committed—crying over a fictional character in a poem, stealing pears from a neighbor’s tree, sexual fantasies and exploits, long relationship with a concubine, and so forth. His meditations on his emotional development and the growth of his soul in the context of his own pagan experience are often seen as an argument for Roman Catholicism.

Saint Augustine is also remembered for his philosophies about the notion of original sin—he asserted that all humans are born sinful because they are descended from Adam and Eve, who committed the first sin.

Soon after his death of Augustine, the City of Hippo was destroyed by Vandals. Augustine’s library survived, and all his ideas about resisting pagan influences became church doctrine. His urging that all Christian churches follow the central church in Rome was responsible for preventing the Christian faith from breaking up into separate churches during the medieval period.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Augustine of Hippo

If two friends ask you to judge a dispute, don’t accept, because you will lose one friend; on the other hand, if two strangers come with the same request, accept, because you will gain one friend.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Feelings, Friendship, Friends

The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only one page.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Travel

Nothing whatever pertaining to godliness and real holiness can be accomplished without grace.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Accomplishment

Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Work, Prayer

We make a ladder of our vices, if we trample those same vices underfoot.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Faults

What I needed most was to love and to be loved, eager to be caught. Happily I wrapped those painful bonds around me; and sure enough, I would be lashed with the red-hot pokers or jealousy, by suspicions and fear, by burst of anger and quarrels.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Love, Feelings

Who can map out the various forces at play in one soul? Man is a great depth, O Lord. The hairs of his head are easier by far to count than his feeling, the movements of his heart.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Soul

A good conscience is the palace of Christ; the temple of the Holy Ghost; the paradise of delight; the standing Sabbath of the saints.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Conscience

Charity is no substitute for justice withheld.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Charity

God will not suffer man to have a knowledge of things to come; for if he had prescience of his prosperity, he would be careless; and if understanding of his adversity, he would be despairing and senseless.
—Augustine of Hippo

Poetry is devil’s wine.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Wine

Faith is to believe, on the word of God, what we do not see, and its reward is to see and enjoy what we believe.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Faith

I asked the whole frame of the world about my God; and he answered, “I am not He, but He made me.”
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Creation

In doing what we ought we deserve no praise, because it is our duty.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Praise, Proverbs, Duty

A wanton eye is the messenger of an unchaste heart.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Eyes

What you are must always displease you, if you would attain to that which you are not.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Motivation, Life

Love, and do what you like.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Simplicity, Love, Simple Living, Time Management, Value of Time

It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Humility

I want my friend to miss me as long as I miss him.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Friends and Friendship

Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Faith

I have read in Plato and Cicero sayings that are wise and very beautiful; but I have never read in either of them: “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden.”
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Worry

Never judge a philosophy by its abuse.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Philosophy, One liners

He that is not jealous is not in love.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Jealousy

The world is a great book, of which they who never stir from home read only a page.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Travel

My mind withdrew its thoughts from experience, extracting itself from the contradictory throng of sensuous images, that it might find out what that light was wherein it was bathed…. And thus, with the flash of one hurried glance, it attained to the vision of That Which Is.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Experience

Beauty is indeed a good gift of God; but that the good may not think it a great good, God dispenses it even to the wicked.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Beauty

The people who remained victorious were less like conquerors than conquered.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Victory

By faithfulness we are collected and wound up into unity within ourselves, whereas we had been scattered abroad in multiplicity.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Marriage, Faithfulness

Order your soul; reduce your wants; live in charity; associate in Christian community; obey the laws; trust in Providence.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Life and Living

Wouldst thou have thy flesh obey thy spirit? Then let thy spirit obey thy God. Thou must be governed, that thou may’st govern.
—Augustine of Hippo
Topics: Self-Control

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