To Florus 5.13
Sexual desire, he says, has nothing to do with seed, because it was made by the devil. Married people serve this desire, while God makes seed and infants from seed. Yet the parents, who do the devil’s work, are neither guilty nor punished, he says. The infants whom God created, however, are assigned to crime and punishment. What the devil made—sexual desire—goes unpunished; it is thereby shown to be good, since it deserves no punishment. But what God makes is accused and condemned; it is thereby shown to be criminal, since not even respect for its maker can protect it from punishment. Divinity is to be believed to do something which even the most abject slavery could not endure. Such is the end of those who wage war on truth: they say nothing that is not impious and insane. Meanwhile, it is clear that no argument defends the innocent’s condition so well as the irreverence of their accusers does.
Latin
Libido nihil attinet, inquit, ad semina, quia facta est a diabolo; huic autem libidini serviunt coniuges; semina autem et parvulos de seminibus facit Deus. Sed nec rei sunt, inquit, nec puniuntur parentes, qui agunt opus diaboli; sceleri autem et suppliciis destinantur parvuli, quos condidit Deus; impunitumque est quod fecit diabolus, id est libido; per quod docetur bona, quae nec supplicium meretur; sed accusatur damnaturque quod facit Deus; per quod docetur esse scelestum, quippe quod a supplicio, nec auctoris sui potest pudore defendi; credaturque hoc divinitas facere, quod nec extrema possit sustinere captivitas. Hunc habent exitum, qui inferunt veritati bellum, ut nihil non impium, non insanum loquantur; dum constet quia nulla oratione innocentium status ita, ut accusatorum suorum profanitate, defenditur.
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.