The Importance of Platonism in Augustine's Life

In the Confessions, Augustine explains that he could not help imagining God and also evil as physical, material things. He came across Latin versions of their writings, translated by a man named Marius Victorinus. Platonus explained to his satisfaction that something could exist without being a body. This is why even the combined forces of Cicero and the Platonists were unable to lead Augustine away from sin and self-interest. Only the example of Christ could speak to Augustine's will and not just his intellect.