Neoplatonic philosophy exerted a great influence on the intellectual formation of Augustine, consolidating his conversion to Christianity. Augustine as a thinker seized as much of the concepts of this movement as possible to create a "Christian philosophy" of his own and to explain it
Augustine was influenced by Neoplatonism because he saw this philosophy as a doctrine capable of helping the Christian faith to become aware of its own internal structure and to defend itself with rational arguments, elaborating itself as theology.
The young men could not uproot the tree themselves so they asked the chief for help, the chief was able to uproot and bring the tree to its side so when the wife went to balance herself on the branches, she fell in a body of water below it.