Q0484
“Late have I loved you, beauty so ancient and so new.” — Augustine of Hippo (Confessions X.27)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Confessions X.27. Theme: love.
English
Late have I loved you, beauty so ancient and so new.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Confessions X.27 and files it under Patristic Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo (354–430) was the North African bishop and theologian who shaped Latin Christianity’s doctrines of grace, sin, and the two cities. A former Manichaean and rhetor, he converted under Ambrose’s influence at Milan and narrated his restless heart in the Confessions.
How to read this passage
Greek distinctions among eros, philia, and agape, Confucian relational ethics, and modern debates about romantic love keep the theme philosophically precise rather than merely sentimental. This passage enters that discussion through love, beauty.
Concepts in this quote
- Love
- Love in philosophy ranges from friendship and desire to care, justice, and the transformation of the self.
- Beauty
- Beauty raises questions about judgment, form, pleasure, and whether aesthetic value is subjective or shares standards.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Augustine of Hippo. (n.d.). Late have I loved you, beauty so ancient and so new. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0484
MLA: Augustine of Hippo. “Late have I loved you, beauty so ancient….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0484.
Chicago: Augustine of Hippo. “Late have I loved you, beauty so ancient….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0484.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Late have I loved you, beauty so ancient…”?
The passage is attributed to Augustine of Hippo, Confessions X.27. The archive attributes this English wording to Confessions X.27 and files it under Patristic Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Augustine of Hippo mean by love?
Greek distinctions among eros, philia, and agape, Confucian relational ethics, and modern debates about romantic love keep the theme philosophically precise rather than merely sentimental. This passage enters that discussion through love, beauty.