The Bonds Of Wisdom

Mi Licenti, etiam atque etiam recusantem et formidantem compedes sapientiae, timeo te rebus mortalibus validissime et perniciosissime compediri. Nam sapientia quos primo alligaverit, et exercitatoriis quibusdam laboribus edomuerit, solvet postea, liberatisque sese donat ad fruendum; et quos primo temporalibus nexibus erudiverit, post aeternis amplexibus alligabit; quo vinculo nec iucundius nec solidius cogitari quidquam potest. Prima haec aliquantulum dura esse confiteor; illa vero ultima nec dura dixerim, quia dolcissima sunt; nec mollia, quia firmissima; quid igitur nisi quod dici non potest, sed credi tamen et sperari et amari potest? Vincula vero huius mundi asperitatem habent veram, iucunditatem falsam; certum dolorem, incertam voluptatem; durum laborem, timidam quietem; rem plenam miseriae, spem beatitudinis inanem. Hisne tu inseris et collum et manus et pedes, cum et honoribus huiuscemodi subiugari affectas, et facta tua non aliter fructuosa existimas, et ambis inhaerere, quo non modo invitatus, sed nec compulsus quidem ire debuisti? Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensis, ex Epistula XXVI, Licentio Source: Migne PL 33.103-4

Dear Licentius, while you repeatedly decline and dread the bonds of wisdom, I fear that you are becoming firmly and most ruinously bound to mortal things. For wisdom, though at first it binds men and tames them by the labours of discipline, afterwards it frees them and gives itself to those liberated for their enrichment, and though at first it educates them by the help of temporary restraints, afterwards it holds them in eternal embraces, to which bond there is no other so happy or so sure. I admit that these initial bonds are somewhat difficult, but the ultimate bonds I would not call difficult because they are most sweet, nor can I call them easy because they are most firm, that is, they have that which cannot be spoken of but which can be trusted and hoped for and loved. The chains of this world, on the other hand, have a real bitterness and a delusive charm, certain pain, uncertain pleasure, hard toil, fearful rest, a thing full of misery and a hope lacking happiness. Are you submitting neck and hands and feet to these, desiring to be subject to honours of this kind, judging your labours fruitless if they are not thus rewarded, and do you love to cleave to that which neither by invitation nor by force you should go? Saint Augustine of Hippo, from Letter 26, to Licentius