Book VI traces the internal turmoil of Augustine during his relatively brief period of skepticism in Milan. By the conclusion of Book V, Augustine has eliminated Manichaeism as a viable intellectual option and has begun to 'doubt everything'. Book VI expands upon themes introduced in the previous book and is interspersed with biographical sketches regarding Monica, Ambrose, Alypius and Nebridius. The extensive biographical material in this book serves to illuminate Augustine's own spiritual and intellectual quest through comparison and contrast. Monica, Ambrose and Alypius, in particular, function as literary foils for Augustine.
Book VI opens with the arrival of Monica in Milan where she finds her son in a slightly more promising spiritual condition than when he had left Rome. Augustine testifies that "I had not yet attained the truth, but I was rescued from falsehood." (VI.i.1) In this first biographical sketch, Augustine focuses on his Mother's willingness to part with African tradition (rooted in the 'physical' realm) in order to embrace a higher spiritual ideal: "Instead of a basket full of the fruits of the earth, she learned to bring a heart full of purer vows to the memorials of the martyrs." (VI.ii.2) The ease with which Monica turns from the realm of the 'physical', which is lower on the scale of good, (cf. II.v.10) is in stark contrast with Augustine who is still mired in his pursuit of physical pleasure. In contrast to Augustine, "her quest was for devotion, not pleasure." (VI.ii.2)
The second biographical sketch centres on Bishop Ambrose. The serene Ambrose, who sits reading in silence for long periods of time contrasts sharply with Faustus and the "loquacious" Manichees. The serenity and stability of Ambrose also contrasts with Augustine, whose mind at this juncture was "intent on inquiry and restless for debate." (VI.iii.3) This section builds upon the important discussion regarding figurative hermeneutics in Book V. The essence of Ambrose's hermeneutic is summarized in VI.iv.6 with a Pauline citation: "'The letter kills, the spirit gives life' (2 Cor. 3:6)." Through the influence of Ambrose, Augustine experiences a 'paradigm shift' of sorts which demonstrates, to his own shame, that his former conception of the Catholic Church was little more than a straw man. As a result, Augustine the skeptic hesitantly decides to give preference to the Catholic faith. (VI.v.7)
The discussion on figurative hermeneutics opens up a larger discussion on authority. Here, we can discern progress in Augustine's thinking. In VI.iv.6 it is evident that Augustine is looking for a belief system which could be held with mathematical certainty. By VI.v.7-8, however, he seems to have moved away from a strict form of evidentialism to a certain kind of presuppositionalism as evidenced by his view of Scriptural authority. Augustine's doctrine of Scripture appears to foreshadow that of Calvin, who argued in his Institutes that the Bible has a self-attesting quality which does not require rational proof.[1]
Beginning in VI.vi.9-10 the focus of the book shifts onto Augustine's vain quest for "honours, money [and] marriage." The utter vanity of his secular ambition is unmasked through an encounter with a drunken beggar in the streets of Milan. Even though the beggar didn't possess true joy, the well educated Augustine realizes to his dismay that "he was far happier" in his drunken stupor. Furthermore, the beggar attained happiness honestly "by wishing good luck" while Augustine pursued happiness "by telling lies".
Augustine's disillusionment is shared by his roommates and pupils Alypius and Nebridius. Much of the second half of this Book is taken up by a detailed biographical sketch of Alypius, who is presented to us in rather idealistic terms. Chadwick postulates that this information was included largely to satisfy the request of Paulinus of Nola for a biography of this young man who went on to become the Bishop of Thagaste. Like Monica, Alypius is portrayed as a person who is not enslaved to the physical realm. He thus serves as another literary foil for Augustine who is still hopelessly mired in lust. Embedded within this biography of Alypius is an internal monologue which reveals, through its distinctive style, Augustine's volatile state of mind as he wavers between the quest for truth and the quest for secular success. (VI.xi.18-19)
Particularly notable in the concluding paragraphs of Book VI is a discussion on marriage in which Augustine laments the painful loss of his mistress. The quest for secular success made possible through a dowry has once again impeded his quest for happiness and left Augustine in a state of despair and frigid numbness. The only factors which keep him from spiraling into unrestrained hedonism are his fear of death and divine punishment and the influence of his friends, who "he loved…for their own sake". (VI.xvi.26)
[1] "Let this point therefore stand: that those whom the Holy Spirit has inwardly taught truly rest upon Scripture, and that Scripture indeed is self-authenticated; hence, it is not right to subject it to proof and reasoning." (Institutes, I.vii.5)
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