ADEODATUS. — Natural son of St Augustine, born c. 372 from the illicit relationship between him, still unbaptized and only seventeen years old, and a young woman, from whom he did not separate until they reached Milan. She returned to Tagaste and entered a religious community to do penance. Augustine called A. “the son of his sin” (Confess., IX, 6); yet in his joy at the birth he gave him the name A., i.e. “gift of God.” Little is known of his life; he followed his father to Rome, Milan and Cassiciacum, and with him received baptism from St Ambrose. His talents and acuteness of mind filled Augustine with pride, yet also with fear (ibid.), who has him take part in the dialogues he wrote at that time, assigning him an important role; for example in De uita beata, where the secret of happiness is sought, and even more in De Magistro, which treats of language and its relation to outward speech and, more deeply, to the inner truth, the Word. A. died young, apparently at seventeen, leaving in Augustine’s heart a memory that never faded.
ADEODATUS (sculptor): V. GRUAMONTE.