To Florus 1.101
Although you are consistent in no respect, let the sensible reader consider what you have advanced. Let us agree that a will unable to will good can be called free. You assert that this will is freed in baptism. I ask: in what way is it freed? Is it compelled always to will good and unable to will evil? Or can it desire either? If you answer, “It is compelled always to will good”, you yourself recognize how much of a Jovinianist you are. If, however, you say, “How can a will be free if it is compelled always to will good?”, I answer, “How was it called free before, if it was compelled to will only evil?” If you therefore reply that after baptism the will becomes free in the sense that it can both sin and refrain from sin, you thereby declare that there was no free choice when it could not do both. You are enclosed on every side by the snares of your own argument. If choice was free before baptism, it had the capacity to do good just as it had the capacity to do evil; and the whole stage set of your doctrine, by which you urge an evil inherent in nature, collapses.
Latin
Sed licet nulla ex parte constes, tamen quid attuleris prudens lector attendat. Consentiamus voluntatem liberam dici posse, quae bonum velle non potest; hanc autem voluntatem in Baptismate asseris liberari. Interrogo, ad quem modum liberatur? Ut bonum semper velle cogatur, et malum velle non possit? An ut utrumque possit appetere? Hic tu si responderis: Ut bonum semper velle cogatur; quam sis Iovinianista, etiam ipse cognoscis. Si autem dixeris: Quomodo potest esse voluntas libera, si bonum semper velle cogatur? Respondeo: Quomodo dicebatur ante voluntas libera, si malum velle tantummodo cogebatur? Si ergo responderis, sic fieri post Baptisma liberam voluntatem, ut et peccare et non peccare possit; hoc ipso pronuntiabis liberum arbitrium non fuisse, cum utrumque non poterat. Clauderis undique disputationis tuae laqueis; arbitrium ante Baptisma liberum fuit; facultatem habuit faciendi boni, sicut facultatem habuit faciendi mali; et omnis dogmatis tui, quo malum naturale persuades, scena collabitur.
About this text
Julian’s six preserved books to Florus, quoted section by section in Augustine’s unfinished reply. Augustine’s refutations are omitted. Latin of Julian’s words is on each section.
Julian’s own books do not survive as a separate manuscript. English follows his words as Augustine quotes them in the Unfinished Work Against Julian. Augustine’s replies are omitted. We do not restore a Julian text independent of Augustine.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Augustine, Unfinished Work Against Julian (Latin · Julian’s words as quoted, Books 1–6)
- Checked print Augustinus.it Latin of the Unfinished Work (Latin · Same work)
- Checked print Migne PL 45 (Latin · Hard cases)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.