To Florus 2.7
They call the teaching of those who assert that a just God created humanity free to act well empty and heretical human talk: the teaching that each person has the power to turn away from evil and shine through the pursuit of virtue. For this would drive the sting of anxiety and fear into those who attribute their shameful acts to the necessities of the flesh.
Latin
Vanos vero hominum haereticosque sermones, qui asserant Deum iustum ad bonum opus liberum hominem condidisse, et esse in uniuscuiusque potestate recedere a malo, ac studiis splendere virtutis, ut his qui flagitia in necessitatem carnis refundunt, sollicitudinum et timorum aculeus infigatur.
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.