The first ten books are mostly autobiographical, as Augustine describes in them episodes from his earlier life, and how his position concerning religion and philosophy had changed throughout his existence.
All across the book, Augustine refrains from portraying himself in a way that would glorify him. Instead, he chooses to present himself as the worst individual possible, emphasizing the sins he committed until eventually being saved by Christianity and Neoplatonistic philosophy.
The fact that Augustine insists on how his entourage was mostly responsible for his immoral behavior strengthens the theory that he tended to overestimate himself through considering that he was much better than anyone he came in contact with. Nonetheless, he admits his faults and does not attempt to claim that he is innocent. One can be inclined to believe that the author was actually determined to highlight his character as a Christian and as an intellectual.
While it might initially seem surprising that Augustine gave up his most praised passion-Manichaeism, it gradually becomes clear that he did not actually appreciated everything related to it and that he actually considered that there...
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