To Florus · §1.72

To Florus 1.72

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Or what good is moderation in something whose very presence accuses it? See where your clever distinctions take you. First, nature sins without will, which is impossible. Second, it is sin and does not sin: the same thing both is and is not. Next, when it disturbs peace it is miserable, but is not punished for so great a crime as destroying tranquillity; when it carries out injustice, however, it merits condemnation. Yet the law of sin, just as it itself deserves torment, excuses the human will. A law that compels, is natural, and never departs certainly cannot be overcome by will; no one is guilty for what he could not avoid. But the law itself does not sin either, because it could not do anything else. God, however, counts unavoidable things as guilt, and no one compels him to commit so great an evil. Everyone else is therefore acquitted, and he alone is found guilty: with astonishing effrontery he imputes necessity to others while himself doing wrong without necessity.

Well done for your wise virtue, most noble debater! By the steps of African dialectic, to commend gifts you have overturned judgments; to pretend grace you have overthrown justice; to defame nature you have accused humanity's Creator. You have accused him in such a way that your God appears more guilty not only than some sinner but than the very law of sin. After this you most profanely insult catholic priests, saying that they deny the grace of Christ whose fairness they defend. We praise the mercy of the remedies, but maintain the justice of the laws (compare Romans 7:23) (Romans 7:23).

Latin source witness

Latin

Vel quid prodest eius rei modestia, cuius accusat se ipsa praesentia? Vide ergo quo tua acumina provehantur. Primo, quia peccat natura sine voluntate; quod non potest. Secundo, quia est peccatum, et non peccat, id est, una res est, et non est. Deinde, quando turbat pacem, miserabilis est, nec pro tanto crimine plectitur dissipatae quietis; quando autem perficit iniquitatem, damnabilis est. Sed lex peccati sicut meretur ipsa tormentum, ita excusat hominis voluntatem. Quia lex et cogens, et naturalis, et numquam recedens, superari utique a voluntate non potest; et nemo propter hoc reus est, quod vitare non potuit. Sed nec ipsa lex peccat, quia aliud facere non potuit. Deus autem inevitabilia reatui adscribit; nec ut hoc tantum mali faciat, ab ullo cogitur; omnibus igitur absolutis, hic solus in crimine reperitur, qui mira fronte imputat aliis necessitatem, cum ipse sine necessitate delinquat. Macte virtute prudentiae, nobilissime disputator, qui gradibus Punicae dialexeos, ut commendares dona, evertisti iudicia; ut simulares gratiam, subruisti iustitiam; ut infamares naturam, criminatus es hominum Conditorem; et ita criminatus es, ut non solum aliquo peccatore, sed ipsa lege peccati Deus tuus nocentior appareret. Et post haec profanissime catholicis sacerdotibus convicium facis, ut dicas eos negare gratiam Christi, cuius aequitatem tuentur; cum nos laudemus quidem clementiam remediorum, sed legum manente iustitia.

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.