To Florus 5.38
But lest, seeing yourself exposed, you try to break out by replying that you did not say, ‘Evil arose in God’s work because it was made from nothing,’ but rather, ‘Evil could arise because it was made from nothing,’ we must show how much more tightly the snares bind you. If you say that you attributed evil’s possibility, not its necessity, to the powers of that eternal nothing, we reply: the fact that an evil will could arise in a human being is certainly nothing other than free will. An evil will could arise precisely so that a good will could arise too. This is the freedom in which reason exercises itself, on account of which the human being is declared made in God’s image, and by which he excels other creatures (Genesis 1:26–27). If, then, the possibility of an evil will’s arising in a human being is nothing other than freedom of will, and this is so great a thing that its distinction makes him surpass the other living creatures, you who profess that this possibility existed in him not because he was made by God but because he was made from nothing declare, by a new monstrosity of doctrine, that nothing—ancient emptiness—is the cause of so great a good as free will.
To make the matter clear with a brief question: you said, ‘The evil will could arise not because the human being was made by God, but because he was made from nothing.’ This very possibility of the will’s arising, I ask, do you believe it good or evil? That is, do you judge the capacity for a will to arise, which you attributed to nothing, good or utterly evil? If you call it good, then God is not the cause of the good: nothing is. But if, seeing this to be completely insane, you declare it evil—since you say it should be attributed not to God but to nothing—you will testify that we reached no deceitful conclusion against you, but with honest debate overthrew your doctrine’s evil faith. Our result therefore stands unshaken: you and Mani have attributed even the first man’s evil will to the necessity of an eternal origin.
Latin
Verum ne tu detectum temet inspiciens, illo tentes erumpere, ut referas non te dixisse: Ideo malum ortum est in opere Dei, quoniam ex nihilo factum est; sed: Ideo potuit oboriri, quia ex nihilo factum est; ostendendum est, quanto violentioribus laqueis illigeris. Si enim dixeris possibilitatem te mali, non necessitatem, aeterni illius nihili viribus imputasse; nos referimus, quod potuit oriri mala voluntas in homine, non est certe aliud quam arbitrium liberum; ideo enim potuit oriri mala voluntas, ut oriri posset et bona. Haec libertas est, in qua se ratio exercet, propter quod ad imaginem Dei homo factus asseritur, per quam creaturis ceteris antecellit. Si ergo quod in homine mala voluntas potuit exoriri, nihil est aliud quam arbitrii libertas; et hoc tantum est, ut per eius insignia ceteris antistet animantibus; tu qui hanc possibilitatem profiteris ideo fuisse in homine, non quia a Deo, sed quia de nihilo factus est, novo dogmatis prodigio illud nihil, id est, antiquam inanitatem, tanti boni, id est, liberi arbitrii causam pronuntias. Denique ut res brevi interrogatione lucescat; hoc quod dixisti: Nec ideo tamen potuit oriri voluntas mala, quia a Deo factus est homo, sed ideo quia de nihilo factus est homo; hoc, inquam, ipsum quod potuit oriri voluntas, bonum esse, an malum credis? Id est, ipsam facultatem oriendae voluntatis, quam nihilo reputavisti, probam arbitraris, an pessimam? Si bonam dixeris: ergo non Deus est boni causa, sed nihilum. Sin autem, hoc esse insanissimum videns, malam eam pronuntiaveris; quippe quam dicis non Deo reputandam esse, sed nihilo; protestaberis nos nihil adversum te collegisse versute, sed bona disputandi fide malam fidem tui dogmatis subruisse. Stat ergo inconcussum quod egimus, te videlicet et Manichaeum, etiam primi hominis voluntatem malam necessitati aeternae originis imputasse.
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.