To Florus 1.2
As soon as I had room to breathe, however, I intended to fulfill my promises as briefly as the subject itself would allow. But you, most blessed Father Florus, wanted me to undertake a more demanding task once again. Your holiness commands such reverence that I consider it irreligious to obey your instructions sluggishly; you therefore had little difficulty persuading me to lengthen the short route I had chosen. Give your support, then, to a work undertaken at your command. I have placed your name in it chiefly so that my pen may advance more confidently and cheerfully under the protection of so weighty an instruction. There was a sound reason for the brevity I had planned. In those four books, the truth of the catholic faith, for which and with which we incur the hatred of a world in decline, had crushed almost everything invented by the Manichaeans and spoken against us by Augustine. Armed both with unanswerable arguments and with the testimony of the sacred Law, it had left almost nothing outstanding, if only we had fair judges.
Latin
Verum, ut primum respirare licuit, consilium erat, quantum maxime tulisset ipsius rei natura, breviter promissa complere, nisi me actuosiorem denuo ingredi provinciam, beatissime pater Flore, voluisses; qui, quoniam tantum vales reverentia sanctitatis, ut praeceptis tuis segniter oboedire irreligiosum iudicem, obtinuisti facile ut in longiores vias compendium illius, quam elegeram, brevitatis extenderem. Favebis itaque operi tua auctoritate suscepto, cuius ob hoc potissimum nomen inserui, ut stilus securior et hilarior graderetur sub tantae patrocinio iussionis. Fuit igitur concepta animo non importuna ratio brevitatis; quia in illis quattuor libris cuncta fere, quae inventa a Manichaeis Augustini contra nos fuerant ore prolata, catholicae fidei veritas, pro qua et cum qua labentis mundi odia promeremur, tam disputationibus invictis, quam sacrae Legis testimoniis armata, protriverat, nec quidquam pene reliquum erat, si aequis iudicibus uteremur.
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.