He was as eager as Augustine in searching for wisdom.
Alypius had been born in the same town as Augustine, and was younger than he was. Augustine was his teacher in Carthage.
Despite the differences of age and education, friendship was the key to their relationship: "He was very fond of me, because he thought me good and learned, and I was very fond of him because of his natural tendency toward virtue which was really remarkable in one so young." (Confessions 6, 121)
They shared a love of learning, and, according to Augustine, "together with me he was in a state of mental confusion as to what way of life we should take." (Confessions 6, 126-127)
In his student days at Carthage, Augustine influenced him to become a
Manichean, but did not follow Augustine in subsequently becoming a
skeptic.
Alypius moved on to Rome, and was a lawyer when they met again in Rome during the year 397. As a lawyer, he was a person of integrity and courage, and was scrupulously honest.
There Alypius had a weakness for the circus games, which he gave up immediately after a rebuke from Augustine.
The influence of Alypius discouraged Augustine from marriage, as Alypius held that marriage would interfere with the opportunity for Augustine to talk about and to search for wisdom with his friends.
It turned out that Augustine ended up making Alypius curious about marriage himself, although he did not take the step. (Confessions 6, 12)
Augustine described Alypius as a religious person with a great sense of justice.
(Continued on the next page.)
