On the Soul and its Origin — Book Iii

St. Augustine of Hippo

  1. 0. Greeting
  2. 1. [I.]— Augustine's Purpose in Writing.
  3. 2. [II.]— Why Victor Assumed the Name of Vincentius. The Names of Evil Men Ought Never to Be Assumed by Other Persons.
  4. 3. [III.]— He Enumerates the Errors Which He Desires to Have Amended in the Books of Vincentius Victor. The First Error.
  5. 4. [IV.]— Victor's Simile to Show that God Can Create by Breathing Without Impartation of His Substance.
  6. 5. — Examination of Victor's Simile: Does Man Give Out Nothing by Breathing?
  7. 6. — The Simile Reformed in Accordance with Truth.
  8. 7. [V.]— Victor Apparently Gives the Creative Breath to Man Also.
  9. 8. [VI.]— Victor's Second Error. (See Above in Book I. 26 [XVI.].)
  10. 9. [VII.]— His Third Error. (See Above in Book II. 11 [VII.].)
  11. 10. — His Fourth Error. (See Above in Book I. 6 [VI.] and Book II. 11 [VII.].)
  12. 11. [VIII.]— His Fifth Error. (See Above in Book I. 8 [VIII.] and Book II. 12 [VIII.].)
  13. 12. [IX.]— His Sixth Error. (See Above in Book I. 10-12 [IX., X.], and in Book II. 13, 14 [IX., X.].)
  14. 13. [X]— His Seventh Error. (See Above in Book II. 13 [IX.].)
  15. 14. — His Eighth Error. (See Above in Book II. 13 [IX.].)
  16. 15. [XI.]— His Ninth Error. (See Above in Book II. 14 [X.].)
  17. 16. — God Rules Everywhere: and Yet the Kingdom of Heaven May Not Be Everywhere.
  18. 17. — Where the Kingdom of God May Be Understood to Be.
  19. 18. [XII.]— His Tenth Error. (See Above in Book I. 13 [XI.] and Book II. 15 [XI.]).
  20. 19. [XIII.]— His Eleventh Error. (See Above in Book I. 15 [XII.] and Book II. 16.)
  21. 20. [XIV.]— Augustine Calls on Victor to Correct His Errors. (See Above in Book II. 22 [XVI.].)
  22. 21. — Augustine Compliments Victor's Talents and Diligence.
  23. 22. [XV.]— A Summary Recapitulation of the Errors of Victor.
  24. 23. — Obstinacy Makes the Heretic.

Addressed to Vincentius Victor.

Augustine points out to Vincentius Victor the corrections which he ought to make in his books concerning the origin of the soul, if he wishes to be a Catholic. Those opinions also which had been already refuted in the preceding books addressed to Renatus and Peter, Augustine briefly censures in this third book, which is written to Victor himself: moreover, he classifies them under eleven heads of error.