Julian excerpt in the intermediary document
Marriage 2.7.17
After the man knew his wife through natural appetite, divine Scripture says: “Eve conceived and bore a son, and called his name Cain.” But let us hear what Adam says: “I have acquired a human being through God” (Genesis 4:1). This establishes that the person whom divine Scripture testifies was acquired through God is God’s work.
Latin
Sed inter tot nomina bonarum rerum, id est, corporum, sexuum, coniunctionum, libidinem vel concupiscentiam carnis iste non nominat. Tacet, quia pudet, et mira (si dici potest) pudoris impudentia, quod nominare pudet, laudare non pudet. Denique vide, quemadmodum magis eam circumloquendo maluerit significare quam dicere. "Postquam autem vir - inquit - naturali appetitu cognovit uxorem". Ecce iterum dicere noluit: Carnis concupiscentia cognovit uxorem, sed: "Naturali - inquit - appetitu", ubi adhuc possumus intellegere ipsam voluntatem iustam et honestam, qua voluit filios procreare, non illam libidinem, de qua iste sic erubescit, ut ambiguo nobis loqui malit quam perspicue quod sentit exprimere. Quid est "naturali appetitu"? Annon et velle esse salvum et velle ipsos suscipere, nutrire, erudire filios, naturalis est appetitus idemque rationis est, non libidinis? Sed quia huius novimus intentionem, ideo non eum putamus his verbis nisi libidinem membrorum genitalium significare voluisse. Nonne tibi videntur haec verba folia esse ficulneae, sub quibus latet quid aliud quam id quod pudet? Ita quippe iste sibi circumlocutionis huius obstacula sicut illi succintoria consuerunt. Contexat et dicat: "Postquam autem vir naturali appetitu cognovit uxorem, dicit Scriptura divina: Concepit Eva et peperit filium, et vocavit nomen eius Cain. Sed quid - inquit - dicit Adam audiamus: Adquisivi hominem per Deum 29. Unde constat opus Dei esse, quem per Deum adquisitum Scriptura divina testatur". Quis hinc dubitet? quis hoc neget, maxime catholicus Christianus? Opus Dei est homo: sed carnis concupiscentia, sine qua, si peccatum non praecessisset, tranquillae voluntati oboedientibus sicut cetera membra genitalibus seminaretur homo, non est a Patre, sed ex mundo est 30.
About this text
Intermediary extracts Augustine answered in Book Two — compiler framing labeled where needed. Latin context is on each section when recovered.
English follows the extracts Augustine answered in On Marriage and Concupiscence II. Compiler framing is labeled where needed.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Augustine, On Marriage and Concupiscence II (Latin · Extracts of Julian)
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.