Why did the Western Empire Struggle for Survival?

The most obvious and perhaps most prominent of the reasons behind the Western Empire's struggle for survival is perhaps the German invasions. United under Alaric the Gothic war leader, and tired of living under "the pressure of Roman disdain"  the Visigoths seek to take back "what they thought they deserved" (Wise Bauer pg 74) of the Roman Empire. The Visigoths spend considerable time reaking havoc in Eastern Rome. However their most lasting impact is the harm they contributed to the Western Empire specifically Rome, which weakened Roman military, resources, and morale (Wise Bauer Chapter 11). However Rome had stood undefeated for nearly 8 centuries (Wise-Bauer pg 83) surely no united band of barbarian tribes should have so easily destroyed the walls of this 'eternal city'. I believe the problems of Rome go much deeper than the raids of the Germanic tribes. For raids and battles are outwardly tangible, I believe Rome's wounds are inward and go so deep to the bone. For even the historian Wise-Bauer agrees that in 330AD Rome was a "splintering empire" in need of unification (Wise-Bauer pg. 11). I would have to agree with Augustine that once the threat of enemies was destroyed (around 150BC) "the extinction of that threat (Rome's enemies) [was] immediately followed by disasters arsing from prosperity" Augustine goes on to say: "so that the Romans who in a period of high moral standards stood in fear of enemies suffered a harsher fate from their fellow citizens when those standards collapsed . And the lust for power, which all of human vices was found in its most concentrated form in the Roman people as a whole," (Augustine Book I, Chapter 32) For Augustine then claims that after the sack of Rome "nations in the east were bewailing your catastrophe [... but] you [the Romans] were asking your way to the theatres [...] behaving in a much more crazy fasion than before." For even great Scipio knew that "it was this coruption, this moral disease, this overthrow of all integretiy and decency that" he, Scipio, dreaded, for  "[Scipio] saw how easily you [the Romans] could be corrupted and perverted by prosperity [... if you, the Romans were] relieved from the enemy's threats. He did not think that a city is fortunate when its walls are standing, while its morals are in ruins" (Augustine Book I Chapter 33)I would have to stand with both Augustine and Scipio that Rome fell not in 410, but rather it fell during the Punic wars when its enemies were defeated and when Rome then turned away from 'high moral standards' and toward 'the lust for power' and immoral living. Rome's loss of morals is equivalent to Rome's loss of power.

City of God, Book 1, 10

Chapter 10 of City of God  Book 1 deals with the distinction between 'possessions of the outer man' vs. 'possessions of the inner man'. In this chapter Augustine makes the claim the Christians "who loose their earthly riches in disaster" really  loose nothing because they had in fact already "possessed them [riches] in the spirit" . However if people did love "goods from this world" more than 'spiritual goods'  then, states Augustine, God uses trials or 'the barbarian invasions' to "convey the lesson that what is to be loved is the incorruptible good".
The larger scheme of City of God is to take up "the task of defending the glorious City of God". It is a polemic whose purpose is to show "those who prefer their own [Roman] gods"  that Christ is not at fault for the sacking of Rome. Chapter 10 fits into this 'larger scheme' because it proves how the sacking of Rome or the barbaric invasions really did not rob any people of true and 'incorruptible' possessions, but rather the invasions taught people a valuable lesson.

Why is a discussion of memory appropriate in Book X of Confessions

The discussion provided in Book X is very important because Books I-IX pertain to Augustine's memory. Books I-XI are very important to Augustine's career as a minster and to Augustine's church body because the books explain how he converted and therefore the books prove how Augustine no longer held by the bounds of sin. Also many of the ideas and topics introduced in these first nine books continue to be explored and discussed in the next four books. It is important to note that these first nine books are based completely off of Augustine's memory and are therefore subject to Augustine's "retelling". Perhaps when Augustine discusses and explores the capabilities of the mind he is also providing proof for the validity of his first nine books.

What can we infer about Augustine as a father from what he tells us about his son in Book IX?

After reading Book IV, I see Augustine as a loving father figure whose relationship with his son, Adeodatus, was closer to that of a friendship, rather than a father son relationship. I believe Augustine to be a loving father because of the amount of space and time Augustine spends describing "the brilliance he [Adeodatus] evinced" (Book IV 6, 14). I view their relationship as a peer to peer relations because Augustine stated that he had "included him in the group, as our contemporary, in the life of your grace, to be schooled along with us in your doctrine." From reading Augustine's preceding books (6-8), the reader can correctly infer that Augustine's friends are learned intellectuals, and one can clearly see that many of them contributed to Augustine's search for Truth. Anybody that Augustine has included in "the group" must have been someone that Augustine had respected and treated as a friend. However one must keep in mind that it is difficult to make a completely accurate inference about Augustine as a father figure because of the lack of information Augustine provides pertaining to his son in the Confessions.

How does Augustine dramatize the moment of his conversion?

Augustine dramatizes his conversion as an intense moment where Augustine finally "gives in." to the Truth. Previous to this moment, Augustine's entire life has been building or rising to this conversion experience. In the previous chapter ,Augustine discovers Truth and how to get to Truth. Augustine claims that Truth or "that which is" proves to be God's invisible reality. "And then my mind attained to That Which Is, [...] Then indeed I did perceive your invisible reality through created things" (Book 8 17,23) Augustine later goes on to say that "I had readily chattered on the subject, and I had not yet been seeking your [God's] way in Christ." (Book 20,26) Therefore if Augustine believes God is Truth, and also believes that God's way (or the way to Truth) is in Christ, Why does not Augustine simply become a Christian? Well in Book 9, Augustine claims: "I had grown used to pretending that the only reason why I had not yet turned my back on the world to serve you was that my perception of the truth was uncertain, but that excuse was no longer available to me, for by now it was certain. But I was still entangled by the earth and refused to enlist in your service." (Book 9 5,11) He then says: "I will now relate how you set me free from a craving from sexual gratification which fettered me like a tight-drawn chain, and from my enslavement to worldly affairs." (Book 6,13) Therefore, it is not lack of knowledge which prohibits Augustine from joining the Catholic Church, but rather it is the sins and enslavements of this world that keep Augustine from converting to Christianity. Ergo, when Augustine finally experiences his conversion, the importance and intensity of the moment is enhanced because we, as the audience, can see that Augustine's entire life has been a build up to this moment. From Augustine's beginning of love for wisdom in Book 2 to Augustine 10 year- long search for Truth all the way up to Augustine's struggle against the sins of this world, Augustine life has been craving for a Conversion moment.

What is Augustine's verdict about the importance and limitation of classical wisdom for the Christian?

Augustine begins his journeying on the pathway for seeking Truth. Years pass and a wearier Augustine finds  no closer to his end goal than when he started. One gloomy day Augustine stumbles over a oddly-shaped rock and falls face down. Funnily enough, in Augustine's new position, he sees a different pathway. (Or rather he sees the same pathway, but he sees it in a different light.)

According to Augustine, 'Classical Wisdom' allows him to see Truth in a new light, reveals to him the true nature of evil, and points him towards a new direction on his search for Truth. "It was further made clear to me that [...] evil, the source of which I was searching, cannot be a substance, because if it were it be good." (Book VII, 12,18) "But in those days, after reading the books of the Platonists and following their advice to seek for truth beyond corporeal forms, I turned my gaze towards your [God's] invisible reality."(Book VII, 20, 26). This is a big moment for Augustine; for a while he has been struggling to find answers to these complex questions: What is evil? Does God exist as a form? and Where can Truth be found? These Platonist books or this "Classical Wisdom" has provided him with reasonable answers. However Augustine later goes on to say "on these points I was quite certain, but I was far to weak to enjoy you [God]." (Book VII 20, 26) The Classical wisdom has given him truth, but its missing something. Augustine turns towards scripture: "So I began to read [the Bible], and discovered that every truth was taught here also, but now inseparably from your gift of grace,"(Book VII 21,27). Augustine then points out that "[...] grace given through Jesus Christ our Lord, [...] yet [this world] slew him all the same; and so the record of debt that stood against us was annuled." (Book VII 21, 27) Basicly, Jesus saves us from our debts (or sins) and allows us to reach the Truth. In essence Augustine is claiming that 'Classical Wisdom" allows one to see Truth correctly, but only Jesus allows on to get to truth. (John 14:6) 

Why does Augustine "interrupt" his narrative to tell his reader about Alypius and his addiction to the gladiatorial contests?

Augustine tells his reader about Alypius' and his crave for blood shed for two reasons: one to teach his church congregation, and also to highlight the struggles and problems he and his friends are experiencing when living outside of the Catholic Church. When reading Confessions one must realize Augustine's role and position as Bishop; the churchgoers would have looked up to Augustine for guidance and advice. Also, when Augustine talks of gladiatorial contests one must realize that  at this time, gladiators are linked with blood lust and the 'persecution of Christianity. Essentially the gladiatorial games signify sin. Therefore, when Augustine talks of Alypius's blood lust story perhaps he is teaching his church congregation that anyone can fall into a sin, even a man of good character (like Alypius). In addition I believe that Augustine tells the story of Alypius's addiction to the gladiatorial games to enhance the fact that Augustine and all his friends were each living in some sort of sin. In this point of the narrative, Augustine's lifestyle, Augustine's friends, and Augustine himself are all sinful; also Augustine has not yet experienced a conversion. Perhaps he focuses on this to point out he was indeed in need of a conversion. By highlighting the sins of himself and his peers he highlights the fact that true goodness and true good living cannot be reached without a sincere conversion. We see this theme (of the necessity for a conversion) often portrayed in Augustine's Confessions.