Augustine, in late antiquity the bishop of hippo in africa modern annaba, algeria, is a. Confessions, an online text with scholarly commentary, for it provides insight and links concerning ancient and medieval views on curiosity. He succeeded in this selfpresentation beyond his wildest dreams. Odonnells book was on the nonfiction summer reading display at the. Augustine of hippo 354430 ad took great pains to create and project a powerful image of himself beyond the churches and towns where he wrote and taught in roman north africa. Odonnell expands on other biographies and contemporary perceptions to deconstruct how we view augustine by focusing on his ambitions, image, and his relative importance both during his life and now. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Odonnell then attempts to break down that narrative with a freudian analysis of the bishop of hippo regius. Odonnells most popular book is this explains everything. Odonnell, 9780199660735, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Confessiones is the name of an autobiographical work, consisting of. The fact that this is not the augustine many of us think we know is a testament, o donnell believes, to augustine s remarkable power for constructing a public self, especially in the confessions, that work of extraordinary artifice 6. Odonnell, harper perennial, 2005, 396 pp i picked this up a few years ago to be a refresher on augustine. Augustine, in late antiquity the bishop of hippo in africa modern annaba. In this eyeopening and eminently readable biography, renowned historical scholar james j. An indepth introduction to the text and its importance. The chapter titles and subtitles of odonnells book taunt the great doctor of catholicism. Odonnell dismisses much of the sexual selfreproach in the confessions. Take up and read, from a series of frescos on the life of augustine, bishop of hippo now annaba, algeria done by benozzo gozzoli in san gimignano 1465. Curiously, however, in his commentary to augustines confessions book 10, chapter 35, paragraph 54, odonnell tells us. Commentary, books 8 james joseph odonnell, james j.
To encourage additional scholarship, odonnell includes a final chapter with advice for further study. Continued interest in the online book led to a subsequent reprint and later. He is the former president of the american philological. His experiences at rome prove disappointing and he applies for a teaching post at milan.
O donnell then attempts to break down that narrative with a freudian analysis of the bishop of hippo regius. For the concept of curiositas in augustine prior to his fuller view in his confessions, see the commentary to confessions. Odonnell picks up where augustine himself left off to offer a fascinating, indepth portrait of an unparalleled politician, writer, and. Odonnell is the university librarian at arizona state university libraries and has published widely on the history and culture of the late antique mediterranean world. The author of this book, odonnell, would seem to have the credentials.
Augustine is born in north africa, to a christian mother and a nonchristian father. The text and commentary were encoded in sgml by the stoa consortium in cooperation with the perseus project. Odonnell leads the way with a biographical sketch 825 on our subject which concludes that augustine invents. O donnell picks up where augustine himself left off to offer a fascinating, indepth portrait of an unparalleled politician, writer, and. Why you should read augustines confessions crossway articles. And, if you pay attention, you might learn something too. An introduction to augustines confessions, by james j. Odonnell is a classicist who served for ten years as provost of georgetown university and is now university librarian at arizona state university. A translation for the 21st century by bishop of hippo saint augustine and maria boulding 4. Odonnell provides unique insight into the cultural history of late antiquity and life of saint augustine in augustine. But in this book, suffused with the methods though thankfully not the tortured. I read peter browns landmark augustine of hippo back in seminary, but i wanted to revisit this epic and influential figure, his controversies and his theologies. O donnell is the university librarian at arizona state university libraries and has published widely on the history and culture of the late antique mediterranean world.
Saint augustine the celebrated theologian who served as bishop of hippo from 396. Google stoa confessions t his document is an online reprint of augustine. Odonnell, provost at georgetown university and editor of the definitive. Apr 05, 2005 in a lyrical, multilayered biography, a georgetown classics scholar creates this generations augustine. The author of this book, o donnell, would seem to have the credentials. Odonnell, sgml encoding and html conversion by anne mahoney online reprint of oxford text and commentary 1992. Augustines confessions ranks among the richest texts of the late antique world. Yesterday, we encountered the usefulness of james j. The story of the confessions is the story of augustine s return to god, so it is appropriate that story should begin with augustine s tribute of praise to the god he loves. From augustines large output the loeb classical library offers that great autobiography the confessions in two volumes.
The work outlines saint augustine s sinful youth and his conversion to christianity. O donnell leads the way with a biographical sketch 825 on our subject which concludes that augustine invents. The confessions is in one sense augustines personal story, but it is also a story with an almost mythological or archetypal appeal. Specialized studies in augustine and the limits of virtue,8 james wetzel focuses on augustines account of the relations among knowledge, desire, and volition. The chapter titles and subtitles of o donnell s book taunt the great doctor of catholicism. Augustine confessions the confessions of augustine have long both demanded and eluded the sustained and serious attention to detail that a scholarly commentary can provide. The book has been on the market for 7 years, but since i endured reading it, i felt i should record my opinion of it here.
James o donnell s critical edition of augustine s confessions is a monument of augustine scholarship, and will serve as the standard for our age. Augustine the selfpromoter, augustine the social climber, augustine and the. Dec 23, 2007 curiously, however, in his commentary to augustine s confessions book 10, chapter 35, paragraph 54, o donnell tells us. The text and commentary were encoded in sgml by the stoa consortium in cooperation with the. He successfully reverted rights to his 1992 edition of augustines confessions and made the book available in an open access digital version. His autobiography, confessions, remains among the most important religious writings in.
Odonnell the confessions of augustine have long both demanded and eluded the sustained and serious attention to detail that a scholarly commentary can provide. Odonnell oup oxford, nov 22, 2012 history 492 pages. Well, augustine proved himself to be a freaking pro at answering that question for himself in the confessions. Modern english translations of it are sometimes published under the title the confessions of saint augustine in order to distinguish the book. Faustus comes to carthage and augustine is disenchanted in his hope for solid demonstration of the truth of manichean doctrine. Apr 25, 2006 the author of this book, o donnell, would seem to have the credentials. Saint augustine the celebrated theologian who served as bishop of hippo from 396 c. Odonnell is the author of numerous books, including cassiodorus 1979, a highly acclaimed threevolume critical edition of augustines confessions 1992, as well as augustine. Odonnell, provost at georgetown university and editor of the definitive edition of augustines confessions, is admirably qualified to chronicle the life of the man who wrote historys most famous autobiography. Odonnell has 19 books on goodreads with 17836 ratings. Augustines confessions cliffsnotes study guides book.
The work outlines saint augustines sinful youth and his conversion to christianity. He decides to flee from his known troubles at carthage to troubles yet unknown at rome. His autobiography, confessions, remains among the most important religious writings in the christian tradition. O donnell, sgml encoding and html conversion by anne mahoney online reprint of oxford text and commentary 1992. Confessiones is the name of an autobiographical work, consisting of books, by saint augustine of hippo, written in latin between 397 and 400 ad. The fact that this is not the augustine many of us think we know is a testament, odonnell believes, to augustines remarkable power for constructing a public self, especially in the confessions, that work of extraordinary artifice 6. James odonnells critical edition of augustines confessions is a monument of augustine scholarship, and will serve as the standard for our age. Book overview the confessions of augustine have long both demanded and eluded the sustained and serious attention to detail that a scholarly commentary can provide. Footnotes in the commentary appear at the end of each book. The confessions of augustine have long both demanded and eluded the sustained and serious attention to detail that a scholarly commentary can provide.
Still others have contended that the confessions is, in fact, unfinished, and that augustine intended the autobiographical portion simply as an introduction to a much longer work, either a full analysis of the book of genesis augustine produced several of these analyses or a catechism for new members of the church. He successfully reverted rights to his 1992 edition of augustine s confessions and made the book available in an open access digital version. It takes augustine many years before he realizes just how important being inscribed in the walls of the church actually is to his moral and spiritual wellbeing 8. Gillian clark cambridge up 1995 we may also make use of augustine, confessions.
In making a confession of praise, augustine says, he is also demonstrating his faith, because he is not praising some distant or unknowable deity. Commentary on, books 17 saint augustine, augustine, james j. But the book is really about his journeys as he ages and commits. On the city of god seven volumes, which unfolds gods action in the progress of the worlds history, and propounds the superiority of christian beliefs over pagan in adversity. The story of the confessions is the story of augustines return to god, so it is appropriate that story should begin with augustines tribute of praise to the god he loves. Augustine is a kind of everyman, representing a lost and struggling humanity trying to rediscover the divine, the only source of true peace and satisfaction. Odonnell, sgml encoding and html conversion by anne mahoney. A revised latin text of the confessions in volume i forms the basis for a detailed linebyline commentary volumes iiiii designed to elucidate the many layers of. Odonnell s most popular book is this explains everything. He is the author of several books including augustine, the ruin of the roman empire, and avatars of the word. Its original title was confessions in thirteen books, and it was composed to be read out loud with each book being a complete unit. Odonnells study of augustines life, work and influence would be worth the price of entry if it consisted only of the first 86 pages, which offer one of the most nuanced and sensitive readings ever of the confessions including an evenhanded investigation of why augustine was so. The present work, which is in three volumes, seeks to supplement that lack. Augustine was, if anything, more restrained in that.
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