To Florus 2.2
And since we suffer the loss of raising a trophy for the churches’ salvation—a trophy that discerning judges would have awarded our just cause with remarkable support—at least the crowd’s approval should have no further power to insult us. Of the two groups I have mentioned, one would then help us and the other do us no harm, if the first possessed authority or the second a sense of shame. But affairs are deeply confused, and fools are very numerous. The church is being robbed of reason’s steering gear so that popular doctrine can sail on with its horn held high.
Latin
Et quia obtollendi in Ecclesiarum salutem tropaei damna perpetimur, quod bonae causae prudentia cognitorum miris erat delatura suffragiis; vel nihil aliud ad contumelias nostras vulgi valeret assensio. De his ergo, quas dixi, hominum partibus una nobis prodesset, altera nihil noceret, si aut illa potestatem obtineret, aut ista verecundiam. Verum quia rerum est magna confusio, et stolidorum maxima multitudo; eripiuntur Ecclesiae gubernacula rationis, ut erecto cornu velificet dogma populare.
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.