To Florus 2.185
‘For until the law, sin was in this world; but sin was not imputed when there was no law. Yet death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression, who is a figure of the one to come’ (Romans 5:13–14). Through different terms he distinguishes kinds of sin, showing that sin is one thing and transgression another. At least in this passage, he intends every transgression to be regarded as sin, but not every sin as transgression. The term ‘transgression’ increases the odium of sin, so that those who crossed a command appear more guilty than those who sinned without the law’s warning by disregarding their inborn reason. Therefore, before the law given through Moses and committed to writing—whose enactment prescribed a pattern of conduct that people living under it were not permitted to ignore—the apostle accuses mortals stained with various forms of corrupt activity of sin, not transgression: those living in the interval between Adam and Moses.
Latin
Usque ad legem enim peccatum in hoc mundo; peccatum autem non imputabatur, cum lex non esset, sed regnavit mors ab Adam usque ad Moysen etiam in eos, qui non peccaverunt in similitudine praevaricationis Adae, qui est forma futuri [n296] . Qualitatem peccati appellationum varietate discernit, ut aliud ostendat esse peccatum, aliud praevaricationem; vultque in hoc dumtaxat loco omnem quidem praevaricationem peccatum videri, non omne autem peccatum praevaricationem, ut per vocabulum praevaricationis peccato crescat invidia magisque rei esse videantur, qui fuerint praecepta transgressi, quam qui sine legis admonitione rationis ingenitae dissimulatione deliquerint. Ante eam ergo legem, quae per Moysen data est et consignata litteris, cuius sanctione actuum forma praescripta est, quam ignorare populo sub ea degenti non licuit, medium illud tempus inter Adam et Moysen, mortales varia studiorum pravitate pollutos, peccati Apostolus, non praevaricationis accusat.
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.