disappointing. The note of regret runs strong, as Augustine now wishes that he had done better. It is possible that in Augustine’s imagination, sexual misconduct is metaphoric of sin generally, thereby accounting for the hyperbolic rhetoric that he uses. The social context in which Augustine lived offers a helpful explanation of his conduct and thinking in regard to sex.* First, Augustine lived in a Romanized culture. This half of his social milieu was pagan, and its sexual conduct and values ran