Augustine adopted in his early works (386-391) the set of four virtues,
known as the cardinal virtues, in accord with how they had been defined
by Cicero. They appeared in a number of his works in this period, but is
it possible to trace a development in their use? In this paper I
investigate the evolvement of Augustine's interest in one particular of
these virtues, temperance, within this early period. I propose that
while keeping with the definition adopted from the philosophical
tradition, Augustine gradually integrated temperence within a larger
frame of his thought and while perhaps not making it the preponderant of
the virtues, certainly began to take a particular interest in its
meaning. Tracing this short history I hope to show how temperance
gradually was engaged by Augustine in a more prolific string of thoughts
after its original emergence as mere imitation.
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