To Florus 2.235
But just as this is human, the other position, if he had held it, would have been not merely inhuman and savage, but unjust—and not merely unjust, but insane. If he knew sin was inborn, he would be reproaching people of his own age with the faults of an ancient birth, commanding abstention from things he believed innate, and prescribing with threats that I must lay down things I had begun to possess before my soul entered my body and my body entered this world.
Latin
Sed ut hoc humanum, sic illud aliud, si putasset, non solum inhumanum, non solum ferum, verum etiam iniustum, non solum iniustum, verum etiam insanum, ut peccatum si nosset innasci, exprobraret suae aetatis hominibus vitia partus antiqui et ab his praeciperet abstinendum, quae innata credebat, atque cum interminatione praescriberet debere me ea deponere, quae ante habere coeperam, quam anima in corpus meum, in hunc vero mundum corpus intraret.
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.