To Florus 2.70
Nevertheless, we must consider whether he now at least intimates what he previously passed over. ‘Until the law,’ he says, ‘sin was in the world’ (Romans 5:13). You say the apostle intended this sin to be understood as natural. I therefore ask: if it existed until the law, why did it cease to exist after the law? I do not agree to understand ‘until the law’ as until its end rather than until its appearance. The expression’s proper meaning supports me: in saying it existed until the law, he shows it does not exist after the law. Anything removed in the course of time was not natural. Therefore what the law’s discipline broke, and in breaking largely extinguished, evidently arose through imitation, not generation.
Latin
Verumtamen utrum id, quod praeterierat, vel nunc intimet, expendendum est. Usque ad legem - inquit - peccatum in mundo [n104] . Tu dicis, quia hoc peccatum Apostolus naturale voluerit intellegi; quaero ergo, si usque ad legem fuit, cur desierit esse post legem. Neque enim acquiesco, ut usque ad legem usque ad finem eius potius quam usque ad exortum intellegam; mecum facit verbi proprietas: quod dicit usque ad legem fuisse, ostendit non esse post legem et, quodcumque tempore ablatum est, naturale non fuit. Quod ergo infregit censura legis et infringendo ex multa parte restinxit, imitatione apparet, non generatione susceptum.
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.