To Florus 5.37
I have certainly proceeded as the honesty of debate required. Careful investigation by reason has crushed what your argument established: that the evil will arose in God’s work because the human being had been created from nothing. It has shown that, with changed terms, you said the same thing Mani invented and believed: that the first sin too was generated by the violence of eternal darkness.
Latin
Egi certe, ut fidem disputationis decebat; illudque quod tu argumentando effeceras, id est, ideo in opere Dei ortam voluntatem malam quia fuisset homo creatus ex nihilo, ratio perscrutata contrivit; ostendens videlicet, te immutatis vocabulis idem dixisse, quod Manichaeus finxit et credidit, id est, primum quoque peccatum aeternarum tenebrarum violentia genitum.
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.