It is now time to show, beyond nature’s testimony, by some authority of the sacred law as well, that our…

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It is now time to show, beyond nature’s testimony, by some authority of the sacred law as well, that our members were formed so that some enjoy modesty and others freedom. To confirm this, let the Teacher of the Gentiles be summoned, who says in writing to the Corinthians: “Our body is not one member, but many” (1 Corinthians 12:14).

Since he had named a few members of the whole body, and out of his own propriety did not wish to name the sexual organs directly…

Latin source witness

Latin

Iam igitur - inquis - tempus est ut ostendamus extra naturae testimonium etiam aliqua auctoritate legis, sic nostra membra fuisse formata, ut alia verecundia, alia libertate gauderent. Ad quod confirmandum - inquis - Gentium citetur Magister, qui scribens ad Corinthios ait: Corpus nostrum non est unum membrum, sed multa [n131]

Et quia pauca - inquis - totius corporis membra nominaverat, atque pro sua honestate genitalia loca directe appellare nolebat

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About this text

Julian’s earlier work To Turbantius, in four books, survives only in the excerpts Augustine quotes in his six-book reply, Against Julian. The excerpts are grouped here by those six books. Latin source text is on each section when recovered.

Julian of Eclanum (c. 386–c. 455) was bishop of Eclanum in southern Italy until 418, when he was deposed and exiled for refusing to condemn Pelagius. The most learned Pelagian controversialist, he pursued Augustine across a decade of pamphlet war.

None of Julian's works survives directly; what remains is preserved in the long quotations of Augustine, who answered him book by book. Reconstructed from those hostile pages, Julian emerges as a formidable defender of free will, marriage, and the goodness of creation.

English follows Julian’s words as Augustine excerpts them in Against Julian. This is not a recovered complete To Turbantius.

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Translated from Augustine, Against Julian (Latin · Excerpts arranged by Augustine’s books)

We have not yet re-checked this work against its source. We made this study translation with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open Latin on any section, or the Latin source link, to see the source text. It is not a critical edition.

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