Basil quoted by julian
Against Julian 1.5.17
“If chastity is a virtue, but the body were evil in its very substance, it would be impossible to find a chaste body. A body belonging to shameful conduct could not become a body belonging to virtue. But when it is made holy, it becomes a body of virtue. Thus virtue shares in the body, and the body in virtue; through virtue it also becomes God’s temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). If every body belonged to sexual immorality, it would certainly be impossible to find chastity in bodies. Only then could we count evil as belonging to the very nature of bodies. But if the body has attained such worth, has been adorned with so much honor, and has put on such a garment of purity that it deserves to be its Maker’s house and becomes the bridal chamber of God’s Son—so that the Father and the Son are pleased to come and choose bodies as their dwelling (John 14:23)—how can the Manichaean claim fail to be exposed as detestable and absurd?”
Latin
Si castitas virtus est, corpus vero substantialiter malum esset, impossibile erat castum corpus inveniri; quia corpus turpitudinis, virtutis non fieret corpus; cum autem sanctificatur, virtutis efficitur, et ita communicat virtus corpori corpusque virtuti, per quam et templum efficitur Dei. Unde si omne corpus fornicationis esset, impossibile utique erat castitatem in corporibus inveniri: tumque demum naturae corporum possemus malum substantiale deputare. Si vero usque eo corporis merita processerunt, tantoque honore decoratum est, ac tale indumentum pudicitiae suscepit, ut domus sui factoris esse mereretur, ac fieret thalamus Filii Dei, ut venientes Pater et Filius habitationem corporum eligere dignarentur; quomodo non exsecrabilis et ridendus Manichaei sermo convincitur?
About this text
Earlier four-book work to Turbantius, surviving as excerpts arranged by Augustine’s witness. Latin source text is on each section when recovered.
English follows Julian’s words as Augustine excerpts them in Against Julian. This is not a recovered complete To Turbantius.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Augustine, Against Julian (Latin · Excerpts arranged by Augustine’s books)
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.