The biography of Bacon mentions the influence of St Augustine, who, in his Confessions (written in the 300s) cites a lost work by Cicero as turning him away fro

The biography of Bacon mentions the influence of St Augustine, who, in his Confessions (written in the 300s) cites a lost work by Cicero as turning him away from his sinful life including lust, conceit, Manachaeism, and the theater, among other vices. That a revered saint could give credit to a pagan thinker was surprising when I first read it, as I assumed ancient Catholic theologians would be more conservative and “pure” in their philosophy, especially on the heels of their persecution by various Roman emperors.