SAINT AUGUSTINE

TREATISES ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS

The Christian Life, Lying, Against Lying, Continence, Patience, The Excellence of Widowhood, The Work of Monks, The Usefulness of Fasting, The Eight Questions of Dulcitius

Translated by

Sister Mary Sarah Muldowney, R.S.M., Harold B. Jaffee, Sister Mary Francis McDonald, O.P., Sister Luanne Meagher, O.S.B., Sister M. Clement Eagan, C.C.U.I., and Mary E. DeFerrari

Edited by

ROY J. DEFERRARI

the catholic university of america press

Washington, D.C.

Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 65-18319

Copyright © 1952 by

CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA PRESS, INC.

All rights reserved

Second Printing 1965

Third Printing 1981

First paperback reprint 2002

ISBN 0-8132-1320-7

THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH

A NEW TRANSLATION

VOLUME 16

EDITORIAL BOARD

Hermigild Dressler, O.F.M.

Quincy College

Editorial Director

Richard Talaska

Editorial Assistant

FORMER EDITORIAL DIRECTORS

Ludwig Schopp, Roy J. Deferrari, Bernard M. Peebles

PREFACE

The present volume consists of a collection of minor writings of St. Augustine often classified under the general title of ‘Works of Moral and Practical Theology.’ While St. Augustine is well known for his great masterpieces such as the Confessions and City of God, too little is known about him as a writer of short treatises intended for the general spiritual welfare of the people. These little essays still have an unending appeal for people of all times who are concerned about the salvation of their immortal souls.

The treatises included are: The Christian Life (De vita christiana), Lying (De mendacio), Against Lying (Contra mendacium), Continence (De continentia), Patience (De patientia), The Excellence of Widowhood (De bono viduitatis), The Work of Monks (De opere monachorum), The Usefulness of Fasting (De utilitate ieiunii), and The Eight Questions of Dulcitius (De octo Dulcitii quaestionibus). Other works of moral and practical theology are not included, notably the De catechizandis rudibus, and the De doctrina christiana, but arrangements have been made to present these in other volumes. Indeed, these two cannot very well be called ‘minor’ works.

The essay, The Christian Life, is Pelagian in tone and is definitely not Augustine’s, but it is included here because it comes from the same general period as the other essays and treats of a similar subject. Moreover, it has special interest in that it probably was written by a close follower of Pelagius, one of Augustine’s celebrated opponents.

Each treatise in this volume will have its own introduction, giving pertinent information for an intelligent understanding of the essay and other matters of general interest.

Roy J. Deferrari