“普通市民”抑或“上等人”:奥古斯丁家庭背景重估

An“Ordinary”or an“Upper Class”Citizen?A Revaluation of Augustine's Family Background

奥古斯丁自称出身于"普通市民"家庭,而波西第乌斯在《圣奥古斯丁传》中强调他实为"上等人"。长期以来,西方的奥古斯丁研究深受"普通市民"叙事的影响,对其家庭的经济社会背景作了"最小化"估计。奥古斯丁在《忏悔录》《驳学园派》等著作中关于自身家世情形的各种叙述具有不同的写作语境与文学目的,都不是支持"最小化"解读的充分证据。他既要表现出"普通市民"的谦卑,又不宜完全掩盖优越的家庭出身,在《忏悔录》的文学呈现背后潜藏着大量能够反映奥古斯丁真实家世的蛛丝马迹。根据这些细节连缀而成的暗线,我们完全有理由对其家庭背景进行"最大化"解读。

Augustine claimed that he was born in an'ordinary'family(municipis tenuis),but Possidius' Life of St.Augustine points out that his parents actually belonged to the'upper class'of citizens(honestiores).In the West,Augustinian studies have long been influenced by this'ordinary citizen'narrative,'minimizing'the economic and social background of Augustine's family in their assessments.Although the various family narratives Augustine provides in his Confessions,Against the Academics and other works were composed in different contexts and had different literary objectives,none constitutes full and sufficient evidence for the'minimal'interpretation.Behind the literary representation in the Confessions are numerous clues to Augustine's actual family background:he wished to show the humility of an'ordinary citizen,'but could not totally conceal his privileged background.Based on the hidden clues provided by these details,we have every reason to'maximize'the interpretation of Augustine's family background.