To Florus 2.53
Just as the word ‘imitation’ plainly applies in common to different things, so ‘generation,’ in its true and proper sense, indicates a substance that begets. It applies to deliberate activities only figuratively, not properly. Yet because this usage is now established, what it indicates is recognized, without allowing it to prejudice the words’ proper meanings. Thus the devil is said to beget sinners, according to the Lord’s words in the Gospel: ‘You are from your father the devil’ (John 8:44). With these words he called the devil the father of criminals who were shown to imitate his malice. Yet the meaning is perfectly clear: the name ‘father’ assigns neither a sex to the devil nor an airy substance to those human beings. Let our intended conclusion now become plain. Suppose a human being were never properly said to imitate another human being, and the apostle had said that everyone sinned through Adam. I would freely insist that scriptural usage must vindicate the apostle. Just as the Lord had called the devil a father, though he could not beget by substance, so the apostle would have described a human being as imitable, to avoid the belief that he taught anything against clear reason.
Latin
Sed ut imitationis vocabulum rebus diversis manifestum est communiter convenire; ita generatio vere et proprie generantem substantiam indicat; non proprie autem, sed abusive studiis applicatur. Et tamen quia hic est iam usus loquendi et quod indicarit agnoscitur, et proprietatibus praeiudicium afferre non sinitur. Dicitur ergo diabolus generare peccantes, secundum quod Dominus in Evangelio: Vos, ait, ex patre diabolo estis [n69] . Quo sermone, eum dixit criminosorum patrem, cuius malignitatem convincebantur imitari; et tamen in absoluto est intellegentia, quia per hoc nomen, videlicet patris, nec diabolo sexus, nec hominibus illis aeria sit adscripta substantia. Iam igitur quid confici hinc voluerimus appareat. Si proprie numquam hominem homo iudicaretur imitari, et Apostolus per Adam omnes peccasse dixisset; ego libere praescriberem usu Scripturarum esse Apostolum vindicandum, ut quomodo Dominus diabolum dixerat patrem, qui substantia generare non poterat; ita Apostolus hominem scripsisset imitabilem, ne quid docuisse contra rationem perspicuam crederetur.
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.