But it is a very tricky business to convey such a Latin
style into anything like modern English without considerable
violence one way or the other. A literal rendering of the text is
simply not readable English. And this falsifies the text in
another way, for Augustine's Latin is eminently readable! On the
other side, when one resorts to the unavoidable paraphrase there
is always the open question as to the point beyond which the
thought itself is being recast. It has been my aim and hope that
these translations will give the reader an accurate medium of
contact with Augustine's temper and mode of argumentation. There
has been no thought of trying to contrive an English equivalent
for his style. If Augustine's ideas come through this translation
with positive force and clarity, there can be no serious reproach
if it is neither as eloquent nor as elegant as Augustine in his
own language. In any case, those who will compare this
translation with the others will get at least a faint notion of
how complex and truly brilliant the original is!
The sensitive reader soon recognizes that Augustine will not
willingly be inspected from a distance or by a neutral observer.
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