To Florus 1.1
Although I was burdened with great distress, stirred partly by indignation and partly by pity as I looked at the condition of the churches in these times, I had not abandoned my pledge. Having made myself a debtor by promising, I meant to take care to pay that debt as well. In the books I dictated against Augustine's writings, addressed to our brother Bishop Turbantius, a man distinguished by the great brilliance of his virtues, I promised that, unless some obstacle to my studies arose, I would immediately answer all the arguments of those who, following the opinion of the Manichaeans, defended the transmission of sin by descent, that is, an evil inherent in nature. Various pressing circumstances, which cannot honestly be ignored, have kept me from that task until now.
Latin
Magnis licet impeditus angoribus, quos intuenti mihi hac tempestate Ecclesiarum statum, partim indignatio ingerit, partim miseratio; non abieceram tamen promissionis meae fidem, videlicet ut qui fueram factus debitor promittendo, solvendo quoque esse curarem. Nam in libris quos ad fratrem nostrum Turbantium episcopum, virum magno virtutum fulgore conspicuum, contra Augustini scripta dictavi, pollicitus sum, si nihil quod studiis obsisteret, eveniret incommodi, occursurum me protinus eorum argumentis omnibus, qui ex sententia Manichaeorum traducem peccati, id est malum naturale defenderent; a quo sum hactenus munere varia et indissimulabili necessitate suspensus.
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.