Direct quotation
Against Julian 4.15.75
All the philosophers who tried to work out anything about the causes of natural things—even though they taught otherwise in their schools yet worshiped idols with the common people—have nevertheless touched, as it were, some parts of truth amid the many empty notions in their thinking. Empty though they are through their darkness, they can rightly be preferred to this doctrine we are opposing.
Thales of Miletus, one of the Seven Sages; then Anaximander, Anaximenes, Anaxagoras, Xenophanes, Parmenides, Leucippus, Democritus, Empedocles, Heraclitus, Melissus, Plato, and the Pythagoreans.
Latin
Thales Milesius unus e septem sapientibus, deinde Anaximander, Anaximenes, Anaxagoras, Xenophanes, Parmenides, Leucippus, Democritus, Empedocles, Heraclitus, Melissus, Plato, Pythagoraei
Omnes philosophi in scholis licet aliud disserentes, tamen idola cum plebe venerantes, qui de naturalibus causis aliquid excogitare conati sunt, inter multas opinionis suae vanitates, aliquas tamen veritatis velut lambere partes, qui per caliginem vani, huic tamen dogmati contra quod xagimus, iure anteferri possunt
omnes philosophos, qui de naturalibus causis aliquid excogitare conati sunt, iureposse huic dogmati, contra quod ageres, anteferri
About this text
Earlier four-book work to Turbantius, surviving as excerpts arranged by Augustine’s witness. Latin source text is on each section when recovered.
English follows Julian’s words as Augustine excerpts them in Against Julian. This is not a recovered complete To Turbantius.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Augustine, Against Julian (Latin · Excerpts arranged by Augustine’s books)
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.