On the Happy Life

This dialogue, On the Happy Life (De beata vita), is an early text of the North African church father, St. Augustine of Hippo. It stands at the end of a long tradition of philosophical inquiry devoted to the question which way of life leads to happiness (eudaimonia). For Augustine this question is sentinel to his life's journey and he seeks to incorporate Neoplatonism thought into his conclusions. This text also gives rare insight into his personal life and is one of the first texts to make reference to a 'birthday' in the western world.