Caput XXXV. De virtutibus quatuor
The Nature and Parts of Virtue
Virtue is defined as the soul's guiding disposition and is said to have four principal parts: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.
First, we need to understand what virtue is. Virtue is a disposition of the soul, an adornment of our nature, the guiding reason of life, the piety of our conduct, the worship of God, the dignity of a human being, and the merit that earns eternal blessedness. Its principal parts are, as we have said, four: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.
The Four Cardinal Virtues Defined
Each of the four virtues is defined in turn: prudence as discerning good from evil, justice as giving each its due, fortitude as patient endurance, and temperance as the measure of life.
Prudence is the knowledge of things divine and human, insofar as it has been granted to a person, by which one must understand what is to be avoided and what is to be done. And this is what is read in the Psalm: "Turn away from evil, and do good" (Ps. XXXIII, 15). Justice is a nobility of soul that assigns to each thing its proper dignity. In it the worship of God, the rights of humanity, just judgments, and equity in the whole of life are preserved. Fortitude is great patience and long-suffering of soul, perseverance in good works, and victory against every kind of vice.
The Promise of Glory and the Call to Love God
The rewards of eternal glory are promised to those who live out the virtues in faith and love, and Christ's own invitation to meekness and humility is held up as the path to rest for the soul.
Temperance is the measure of the whole of life, so that a person doesn't love anything too much or hold anything in hatred; but with careful thought, they moderate all the shifting circumstances of this life. To those who live out these things in faith and love, the rewards of eternal glory are promised by Truth himself, Christ Jesus. There is no better wisdom than that by which God is understood and feared within the measure of the human mind, and his future judgment is believed. For what is more just than to love God and keep his commandments — through whom, before we were anything, we were created; when we were lost, we were restored; and freed from diabolical slavery, he who has given us every good thing we possess? And what is better than this fortitude: to conquer the devil, overcome all his temptations, and bravely endure every hardship the world throws at you for the sake of God's name? Temperance is a truly noble virtue, through which all honor in this life among people holds together: so that in whatever situation a person thinks, speaks, and acts with moderation, doing so with an eye toward their own salvation. For these things are light and sweet to the one who loves God, who says: Learn from me, because I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.✦ For my yoke is sweet, and my burden is light (Matt.✦
Eternal Beauty Versus Fleeting Vanities
Loving God — eternal beauty and joy — is shown to be far better than loving the world's passing pleasures, and the faithful lover of God is promised eternal glory with the angels.
Psalm 11, verse 29. Isn't it better and more blessed to love God — who is eternal beauty, eternal fragrance, eternal joy, eternal sweetness, eternal loveliness, unfailing honor, unfailing happiness — than to love the vanities and false madnesses of this world? Psalm 39, verse 5 — beautiful appearances, sweet flavors, pleasant sounds, fragrant scents, delightful touches, and the transitory honors and prosperities of the world: all these withdraw and pass away like a fleeting shadow, they deceive the one who loves them, and send that person into eternal misery.✦ But the one who faithfully loves God and Lord, unceasingly worships him, and steadfastly keeps his commandments will be made worthy to possess eternal glory with the angels of God forever.
Read the original Latin
Primo sciendum est quid sit virtus. Virtus est animi habitus, naturae decus, vitae ratio, morum pietas, cultus divinitatis, honor hominis, aeternae beatitudinis meritum. Cujus partes sunt, ut diximus, quatuor principales: prudentia, justitia, fortitudo, temperantia. Prudentia est rerum divinarum humanarumque, prout homini datum est, scientia; in qua intelligendum est, quid cavendum sit homini, vel quid faciendum: et hoc est, quod in Psalmo legitur: Diverte a malo, et fac bonum (Psal. XXXIII, 15). Justitia est animi nobilitas, unicuique rei propriam tribuens dignitatem. In hac divinitatis cultus, et humanitatis jura, et justa judicia, et aequitas totius vitae conservatur. Fortitudo est magna animi patientia et longanimitas, et perseverantia in bonis operibus, et victoria contra omnium vitiorum genera.
Temperantia est totius vitae modus, ne quid nimis homo vel amet, vel odio habeat; sed omnes vitae hujus varietates considerata temperet diligentia. Haec vero in fide et charitate observantibus aeternae gloriae ab ipsa Veritate Christo Jesu praemia pollicentur. Nulla melior est sapientia, quam ea qua Deus secundum modulum humanae mentis intelligitur et timetur, et futurum ejus creditur judicium. Nam quid est justius quam Deum diligere ejusque mandata custodire, per quem, dum non fuimus, creati sumus dum perditi fuimus, recreati sumus, et a servitute diabolica liberati, qui nobis omnia bona quae habemus, perdonavit? Et quid hac fortitudine melius est quam diabolum vincere, et ejus omnes superare suggestiones et omnia adversa mundi pro Dei nomine fortiter tolerare? Nobilis virtus est valde temperantia, per quam omnis honor vitae hujus inter homines constat; ut omnia in quacunque causa homo temperanter cogitet, loquatur, et agat cum consilio salutis suae. Haec enim sunt levia et suavia Deum diligenti, qui ait: Discite a me, quia mitis sum et humilis corde: et invenietis requiem animabus vestris. Jugum enim meum suave est, et onus meum leve (Matth.
XI, 29). Nonne melius est et beatius Deum diligere, qui est aeterna pulchritudo, aeterna fragrantia, aeterna jucunditas, aeterna dulcedo, aeterna suavitas, perpetuus honor, indeficiens felicitas; quam hujus saeculi amare vanitates et insanias falsas (Psal. XXXIX, 5), species pulchras, dulces sapores, sonos suaves, odores fragrantes, tactus jucundos, honores et felicitates saeculi transitorias, quae omnia velut volatilis umbra recedunt et transeunt, et decipiunt amantem se, et in aeternam mittunt eum miseriam? Qui vero Deum et Dominum fideliter amat, et indesinenter colit, et ejus mandata perseveranter implet, aeternam cum angelis Dei gloriam perpetualiter possidere dignus efficietur.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Matt.11.29 — Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
- ↩Matt.11.30 — For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
- ↩Ps.39.5 — Make known to me, LORD, my end, and the measure of my days—what it is—that I may know how fleeting I am.
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