To Florus 6.7
He presses into all his writings the claim that only Adam and Eve were made good by God—that is, subject to no natural guilt—and that they sinned by free will, but so greatly that they overthrew everything God had established in their nature. He says: ‘The devil planted that sin far greater and deeper than the sins familiar to people. Therefore, through that great sin of the first human, our nature was changed for the worse there, and not only became sinful but also generates sinners. Yet the very sickness through which the power of living well perished is not nature but a defect. That sin which changed the human being for the worse in paradise, because it is far greater than we can judge, is inherited by everyone born’ (compare Augustine, Marriage and Sexual Desire 2.34.57–58).
See how openly he explained his meaning! Those first humans, he says, had a good nature, but committed a sin so monstrous and immeasurable that they destroyed the power to live well, extinguished the light of free will, and established a necessity of sinning thereafter. No one born from their stock could strive toward the beauty of virtues, turn away from vices, and attain holiness.
Latin
Ingerit quippe omnibus scripturis suis, Adam atque Evam bonos tantum a Deo conditos, id est, nulli naturali crimini mancipatos, eosque libera voluntate peccasse, sed ita granditer, ut omnia in natura sua Dei instituta subruerent. Illud enim, inquit, peccatum valde maius atque altius diabolus infixit, quam sunt ista hominibus nota peccata. Unde illo magno primi hominis peccato, natura ibi nostra, in deterius commutata, non solum facta est peccatrix, verum etiam generat peccatores; et tamen ipse languor, quo bene vivendi virtus periit, non est natura, sed vitium. Illud ergo peccatum, quod ipsum hominem in paradiso mutavit in peius, quia multo est grandius quam iudicare nos possumus [n10] , ab omni nascente trahitur. Ecce quam aperte quid sentiret exposuit: Primi, inquit, illi homines bonam habuere naturam, sed peccatum tam immane, tam inaestimabile perpetrarunt, ut virtutem bene vivendi interimerent, liberi arbitrii lumen exstinguerent, facerent in reliquum peccandi necessitatem; ne cui esset possibile de eorum stirpe nascenti, in virtutum decora conari, et declinatis vitiis compotem fieri sanctitatis.
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.