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ANSWER TO SKEPTICS! BOOK I Chapter 1 tIlROMANIANUS,' would that fmm the grasp of stubborn fortune virtue could snatch a man fitted for herself, just as surely as she suffers no man to be snatched away from her by fortune. In that case she would long ago have laid hand on you, and proclaimed you to be From the fact that Plato used to deliver his discourse in the Academy at Athens, his pupils and adherents became known as Academics. The Academy continued after Plato's death, and his immediate successors devoted themselves exclusively to the task of expounding the system which he had elaborated. They were, however, incapable of understanding his sublime theories and they distorted them. This process of change was gradual, but not constant: its several stages can be distinguished. Accordingly, each notable departure from genuine Platonism has been designated as the beginning of a new Academy. But, since this principle of division varies according to one's view of a departure as notable or otherwise, historians are not in complete agreement as to the number of distinct Academies. Some enumerate five, and designate them respectively as the Academy under: (a) Plato, (b) Arcesilas, (c) Carneades, (d) Philo and (e) Antiochus. Others recognized four, namely: The Old Academy, under Plato and his successors, who contented themselves with expounding his doctrines; The Middle Academy, beginning with Arcesilas, who was the first to introduce questions not expressly treated by Plato: he introduced Skepticism; The Third Academy, dominated by Carneades, who is said to have modified the skepticism of Arcesilas; and The New Academy, under Philo and under Antiochus, who introduced what he falsely belie¥ed to be the teachings of Plato. 2 Father of Licentius and a fellow townsman and lifelong friend of Augustine. At Tagaste he supplied the needed funds to enable the youthful Augustine to pursue a course of higher studies at Carthage. At Milan, some fifteen years later, he was foremost in promoting their plan of a common household for Augustine and himself, and seven or eight others, and shared his wealth in the undertaking. His continued confidence in Augustine is evident from the fact that his son is now placed under the latter's tutorship at Cassiciacum. Romanianus had been an adherent of Manichaeism, then of Skepticism; the purpose of this disputation being committed to writing is obviollsly an attempt to convert him to Christianity, through the study of Platonic philosophy. A letter of Paulinus of Nola indicates that Romanianus was a devout Christian in 396. 103 104 SAINT AUGUSTINE rightfully hers. She would have led you to the possession of the most reliable kind of goods, and she would not have suffered you to be a slave to transitory things-even to those of fairest promise. But, either in accordance with our own merits or by virtue of nature's law, it is so appointed that the divine mind indwelling in mortals3 shall never gain entrv to the port of wisdom-where it cannot be tossed about by either a favoring breeze or an adverse gale of fortune-unless Fortune herself lead it thereto, either by manifest favor or by seeming adversity. Wherefore, nothing remains for us in your behalf except prayers to the God who has those things in His care-to the end that, if it is possible, we may obtain from Him that He restore you to yourself. And in doing that, He will readily restore you to us, also. We pray that He permit your mind-which has long been gasping for breathto emerge, at length, into the pure air of true liberty. But, perhaps what is commonly called fortune is itself governed by a certain hidden order. What we call a matter of chance may be only something whose why and wherefore are concealed . Perhaps nothing fitting or unfitting happens in a part which is not suited and advantageous to the whole. I am inviting you to a philosophy which offers to demonstrate to her true lovers this import of most copious doctrines-an import which has been divinely proclaimed, but which is ever so remote from the intellect of the profane.4 Wherefore, when many things unworthy of your mind befall you, do not contemn yourself; for, if Divine Providence reaches even unto 3 'The human mind, being an offshoot from the divine reason, can be compared with nothing else than God himself, if such comparison is allowed' (Cicero, Tusculan. Quaest. 5.13.38). Cf. idem. 1.15...
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