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De musica

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This is a PhD dissertation. Around the time of his famous conversion in 386, Augustine planned to dedicate a treatise to each of the artes liberals. However, he finished only a work on grammar and the first part of the De Musica, which deals with rythmus; the second part, which was to treat melos, was never written, since Augustine became occupied with his ecclesiastical career. The present work is the first critical edition of the sixth book of the De musica; the latin text is accompanied by an English translation.

143 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 386

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Augustine of Hippo

3,216 books1,956 followers
Early church father and philosopher Saint Augustine served from 396 as the bishop of Hippo in present-day Algeria and through such writings as the autobiographical Confessions in 397 and the voluminous City of God from 413 to 426 profoundly influenced Christianity, argued against Manichaeism and Donatism, and helped to establish the doctrine of original sin.

An Augustinian follows the principles and doctrines of Saint Augustine.

People also know Aurelius Augustinus in English of Regius (Annaba). From the Africa province of the Roman Empire, people generally consider this Latin theologian of the greatest thinkers of all times. He very developed the west. According to Jerome, a contemporary, Augustine renewed "the ancient Faith."

The Neo-Platonism of Plotinus afterward heavily weighed his years. After conversion and his baptism in 387, Augustine developed his own approach to theology and accommodated a variety of methods and different perspectives. He believed in the indispensable grace to human freedom and framed the concept of just war. When the Western Roman Empire started to disintegrate from the material earth, Augustine developed the concept of the distinct Catholic spirituality in a book of the same name. He thought the medieval worldview. Augustine closely identified with the community that worshiped the Trinity. The Catholics and the Anglican communion revere this preeminent doctor. Many Protestants, especially Calvinists, consider his due teaching on salvation and divine grace of the theology of the Reformation. The Eastern Orthodox also consider him. He carries the additional title of blessed. The Orthodox call him "Blessed Augustine" or "Saint Augustine the Blessed."

Santo Agostinho

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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Author 1 book5 followers
January 14, 2024
Comencé a leer este, mi primer libro de San Agustín, más que nada seducido por su figura (un hombre pecador a destajo, que se convirtió de un día para el otro y se hizo Santo), y por el título de la obra, que la música es una de mis actividades fundamentales. Se lo recomendaría a cualquier poeta que vea un fracaso en su esfuerzo, por no poseer doctrina: en general, uno piensa libros como la Ilíada o la Eneida, nada más que como ladrillos que se corresponden con el sentir y el pensar de una era; harta falta haría reconocer a un mal poeta, que, sea esa la extensión, cada mínimo verso del conjunto tuvo que medirse con categoría para ser considerado épico. Yo personalmente entendí poco con esta lectura, le heredaría a mi progenie, al primogénito, el nombre de Aftonio, y le pediría a él que entendiese con el tiempo y la madurez. Como mucho me quedo conque la Bersuit dice Yambo, yambo, en una de sus canciones, debido a la métrica, con una sensación como del principio de Los Detectives Salvajes, de Bolaño, cuando García Madero resume un poema como "rispetto", su profesor tallerista cree que le está pidiendo respeto ante sus creaciones, y Juan resume "el único que sabe este tipo de cosas es Octavio Paz, nuestro gran enemigo". En cualquier caso fue una lectura agradable de principio a fin; sí, con algunas reticencias al principio y entremedio; y de vez en cuando frases o conceptos que me llegaban hondo. Me resonó, hacia el final, un meme del escritor Pablo Rumel, cuando sentencia que no se puede ser ateo con razón sin antes haber leído cuanto texto religioso haya disponible. Quedo cuasi-conforme con la lectura, pues, si bien no es lo que esperaba leer, fue buena lectura, y si bien hay algunas ideas bien arcaicas y extintas, hay otras que sorprenden por su novedad, 1500 años después. Es un texto hermoso, al punto que hacia las notas finales, se atreve a tirar un piropo "dios es poeta y cantor".
Profile Image for Elí G. Arias .
70 reviews2 followers
August 31, 2025
El tratado musical de San Agustín es junto con el Institutione Música de Boecio, el documento sobre teoría musical (en el sentido que tiene la música dentro del marco del Quadrivium) que moldeó la concepción de este arte durante casi toda la Edad Media. Reconozco que esperaba más de la prosa agustiniana, pero el tratado tiende a ser muy técnico y repetitivo, sobre todo cuando le dedica texto a hablar sobre ritmo y métrica. El libro 6 revela el carácter más profundo de la obra.
Profile Image for Fr. Kyle.
71 reviews54 followers
February 10, 2011
It is a laborious read. I hate math and it was about numbers. I was not expecting it to be so numerical. I was hoping for a more theological look at music. Well, nonetheless it had its good points. The main thrust is that rhythm is an image of creation, which is numerical by way of space and time. It ultimately images the Trinity.
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