Beginning of Essay
? In Saint Augustine's Confessions, the quote "…the world is drunk with the invisible wine of its own perverted, earthbound will" masterfully describes the broadest underlying concept of human nature as the will to sin. However, Augustine develops this concept ....

Middle of Essay
.... (breaking laws, harming others, etc.) because of the feeling that something can be gained out of it. Thucydides embellishes this concept even more, stating "…men were often killed on grounds of personal hatred or else by their debtors because of the money that they owed" (241). This is a direct example of personal wants and greed leading to massive sin. It is exactly this selfish concept which lays the foundation for defining human nature according to Thucydides. Augustine, much the same, uses his own personal experiences to show the domination of sin in humankind. He starts this account by describing the selfishness and jealousy of infants. "B ....