To Florus 2.57
It is irrefutably established that the apostle shows this sin to have been conveyed to descendants through conduct, not through seed. Consider, then, the great falsehood that flowed from your mouth: ‘But the apostle said “through one man,” from whom the generation of human beings certainly began, precisely to teach that original sin passed through all people by generation’ (Augustine, Marriage and Desire 2.45). In fact, the apostle said ‘through one man’ precisely so that no one would think original sin had passed through all people (Romans 5:12). Your foolishness makes it hard for me to hold back laughter: you say generation began from one human being, although both the distinction between the sexes and the reading of divine Scripture testify that generation could not occur unless two human beings—a man and a woman—had first existed.
Latin
Irrefutabiliter confectum est, peccatum illud ostendi ab Apostolo moribus ad posteros, non seminibus fuisse devectum. Quanta ergo de ore tuo effluxerit falsitas, intuere: Sed ideo " per unum hominem " Apostolus dixit, a quo generatio utique hominum coepit, ut per generationem doceret isse per omnes originale peccatum [n73] ; cum ideo Apostolus per unum hominem [n74] dixerit, ne putaretur isse per omnes originale peccatum. Ineptis ita, ut vix teneam cachinnum, qui dicis generationem ab uno homine coepisse; cum et diversitas sexuum, et lectio divina testetur, generationem non esse potuisse, nisi duo prius homines, id est vir et mulier, exstitissent.
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.