by A. C. Grayling, Psychology Today, October 15, 2013
Influenced in some measure by Cicero's texts, De Amicitia and Hortensius, Augustine gave a splendid account of friendship in his Confessions. Looking back on the death of a playmate of his youth, and the consolation provided by other friends, Augustine wrote: “to discourse and jest with him; to indulge in courteous exchanges; to read pleasant books together; to trifle together; to be earnest together; to differ at times without humor…and find zest in our more frequent agreements; sometimes teaching, sometimes being taught…These and similar tokens of friendship, which spring spontaneously from the hearts of those who love and are loved in return - in countenance, tongue, eyes, and a thousand ingratiating gestures – were all so much fuel to melt our souls together, and out of the many made us one.”
