DE FRUCTIBUS CARNIS ET SPIRITUS

On the three theological virtues, and the four cardinal virtues born from humility. --CHAP. II. On the comparison of equals among themselves and with unequals — as of virtues with virtues, of vices with vices, and of virtues with vices. CHAP. III. On pride, and its companions. --CHAP. IV. On vainglory, and its companions. --CHAP. V. On envy, and its companions. --CHAP. VI. On anger, and its retinue. --CHAP. VII. On sadness, or sloth, and its retinue. --CHAP. VIII. On avarice, and its retinue. --CHAP. IX. On the gorging of the belly, or gluttony, and its retinue. --CHAP. X. On lust, and its retinue. --CHAP. XI. On humility, and its companions. --CHAP. XII. On prudence, and its retinue. --CHAP. XIII. On justice, and its retinue. --CHAP. XIV. On fortitude, and its companions. --CHAP. XV. On temperance, and its companions. --CHAP. XVI. On fiac, and its companions. CHAP. XVII. On hope, and its companions. --CHAP. XVIII. On charity, and its retinue. --CHAP. XIX. On love, and its twofold aspect.

• 997B

Since every word of the divine page has this intent, that it may persuade man to the good of humility and, more earnestly, urge him to shun the evil of pride — especially since in the one lies the beginning of salvation and of life, in the other the beginning of ruin — it seems necessary to display outwardly to the cultivator of the virtues the fruit and efficacy of humility and of pride themselves, as though a certain visible form, so that the imitator of either kind, of pride or of humility, may recognize from the quality of the fruits what reward he attains from the pursuit of the one or the other. And so we set before every convert, both the untrained and the newcomer, two little trees, unlike in fruit and in growth, with a few small definitions of the vices or virtues appended, so that from their root the yield of the fruits may lie open, 997Cand that the one drawn on by the fruit may discern which tree of the two is to be chosen. And indeed pride is the root of the fruit of the flesh, humility the root of the fruit of the spirit. This diversity, once the roots are inspected, shows to the one who moderately seeks their fruit what he should desire. Finally, the old Adam sets himself upon the summit of the vicious tree. The new Adam obtains the headship of the spiritual yield. If therefore you join the more excellent to the worse — that is, the good to the evil, side by side — you will understand strongly what stands out among these, what outweighs. For when the qualities of contraries are set side by side, the estimation of the better will quickly lie open. Therefore, once the roots, branches, and fruits have been examined, let it be for your judgment to choose what you will.

• 997D

For the foundation of all the virtues, as has been said before, is humility, because everyone who humbles himself 998Bshall be exalted (Luc. XIV). And to the poor in spirit the kingdom of heaven is opened (Matth. V). Now the first of the virtues, faith, draws near to humility, because it is impossible to please God without faith; and the just man lives by faith (Hebr. XI). But of what profit is faith to you, if by hope you do not seek what by faith you embrace? For what we do not yet see we hope for, and hope does not confound (Rom. V). And because by hoping we love what we already hold by faith, charity succeeds to hope, and thus faith, which works through love, rightly goes forward. But how these three virtues — that is, hope, faith, charity — are to be distinguished and held, prudence teaches and instructs. Justice adorns and completes. Fortitude retains and strengthens; and lest they run out into excess and lest they be improperly confined within their bounds, temperance moderates and discerns. 998CIf therefore you add these four virtues to the three above, this sevenfold number of virtues brings to those who carry them out the fullness of sevenfold grace, through which the framework of the vices is dissolved, the body of the devil is overcome, and by the path of justice the fount and origin of all the virtues is approached.

If you join like things to like, the equality of the parts sets forth the excellence of each part. But if you set unlike things together, the diversity of the one is the more manifest. And thus the conjunction of equals keeps off the difference of the individual parts, and the diverse quality of each seems to grow 998Dfrom both. Compare white with black, the wise man with the fool, the proud with the humble, the evil with the good, and from these very distant contraries the proof of its own nature 999Aseems to accrue to each kind. So consider the fruits of the aforesaid trees. For of how great a bitterness the root of pride is, together with its shoot, is easily perceived from the abundant sweetness of holy humility. And so, whoever has set out to war down the furies of the vices by the opposition of the virtues, let him know that it belongs to the matter to consider their natures or qualities by a subtle examination; and once these are inspected, in humility's triumphs their whole force will be weighed. Therefore humility, which by the primacy of the virtues holds the highest place, is girded with a sevenfold crown of the theological and cardinal virtues. From these the other virtues, derived as though from a certain fount, bring in by their carrying-out a certain perfection, and display the prize which is promised indeed to those who fight, but bestowed upon those who conquer. 999BAgainst this humility runs pride, the summit of the vices, which in its phalanx displays the matter of death, and for its followers a sure ruin. Therefore let it not weary us to consider the retinue of each, differing in nature or in effect, so that, the vices being reproved through reason, one may be able to triumph through virtue.

Pride is a certain craving for glory and preeminence, of singular excellence and of a mind swelling above every company. Its principal retinue are these:

Lust, gluttony of the belly, avarice, sadness, anger, envy, vainglory.

These seven principal vices (to say something drawn from secular learning) we may call subalternate 999Cgenera (in a certain manner), that is, so that they are species in relation to what is above them — that is, to pride, from which they proceed — but genera in relation to what is below them, that is, to the vices issuing from them. For example, we say that the evil of pride is a certain substantive genus; and the vices flowing from pride, certain substantive species, as are animal and man, horse, etc., but only in a certain respect. Just as we say that night multiplies the darkness, and that silence covers malice, when in the one it is the light, in the other the voice, that has been suspended — and many things like these. But let no one here be offended by this paint and outward coloring, which I have set down for this reason: that I may the better display the fount and the stream — that is, pride with its appendages. Now therefore, with the little definitions appended, 999Dlet us look at the array and retinue of the malice of pride.

Vainglory is an unfitting agitation of both the inner and the outer man, set in motion by the desire of pleasing. In its retinue are hypocrisy, disobedience, boastfulness, the presumption of novelties, arrogance, loquacity, obstinacy.

Hypocrisy is to cloak by art a vice hidden under the simulation of virtues.

Disobedience is, out of the hardness of an obstinate mind, to refuse to comply with him whom you ought to obey when he commands just things.

Boastfulness is, the arrogance of the mind driving it, vainly to proclaim and promise greater things about yourself than there are.

1000AThe presumption of novelties is, with singular swelling, to attempt something new against the character of one's own order or of one's powers.

Arrogance is to peddle what you do not have, and to boast of what you have not received, out of the desire of pleasing men.

Loquacity is that by which inward levity is shown through a foolish outpouring of words.

Obstinacy is, out of an irrational and inflexible stubbornness of mind, to refuse to yield to the better.

Envy is that which renders the mind burning in grief on account of another's good and honor, unwilling to see these things. In its retinue are hatred, affliction, exultation, malice, detraction, bitterness, whispering.

1000BHatred is that which, more sullenly and tenaciously, in the hope of revenge, bitingly conceals the movement of an angered mind, and pursues with ill-will the man himself, not only his vices.

Affliction amid prosperity is the torment of a hating mind, descending from the advancement of one who pleases it less.

Exultation amid adversity is the display of immoderate gladness, from another's downfall, on account of a hatred once conceived.

Malice is the desire for another's harm without hope of obtaining any good from it.

Detraction is the biting and envious diminishing of another's glory and repute, through words or signs.

Bitterness is a certain solitude of a distracted mind, 1000Cvoid of spiritual joy, and a sickening at another's good.

Whispering is that by which, by a certain hiss of hateful flattery or of disparagement, one is stirred to the hatred of another.

Anger is the drawn-tight fury of a roused mind, burning with the lust of avenging. Its companions are clamor, blasphemy, contumely, lamentation, rashness, frenzy, indignation.

Clamor is the loud and shameless upbraiding of a crime committed.

Blasphemy is a cursing hurled at another with a certain shameful irreligion of the abusive; 1000Dor it is the diminishing of a divine or human name, done by swearing or by reproaching.

Contumely is the making public of another's disgrace, with the spite of grief and under the command of bitterness.

Lamentation is that which, the mind embittered, makes satisfaction upon itself with weeping for the vengeance it cannot take upon a superior.

Rashness is the undisciplined sally of an insolent mind, void of reason.

Frenzy is the unbridled madness of an impatient and powerless mind, over the adversities conceived within.

Indignation is a certain turbid contempt toward an inferior, arising from insolent ill-will.

Sadness is the anxiety of a troubled mind arising from a wish frustrated by adverse things, 1001Aand a weariness at the good performing of a good thing. Its companions are despair, rancor, torpor, fear, sloth, complaint, faintheartedness.

Despair is a broken steering of hope toward the state of life or the return of the virtues; or it is the casting-away of hope of obtaining salvation or pardon.

Rancor is the enervation and corruption of mind and body, arising from black bile or from an excessive slackness of the powers.

Torpor is the sluggishness of a languishing mind, a slackened motion, a dullness of the whole body.

Fear is that by which a wavering anguish is engendered in the mind from the expectation of adverse things.

Sloth is a sadness or weariness born from an excessive confusion of mind, or an excessive bitterness of soul, 1001Bby which spiritual gladness is extinguished, and, by a certain beginning of despair, the mind is overthrown within itself.

Complaint is to open with impatient words a hidden trouble of the heart, and to show oneself able to do less than one can.

Faintheartedness is the inert and unconsidered dejection of a broken mind, arising from weariness at adverse things.

Avarice is the insatiable and dishonorable coveting of glory, of riches, or of any other things whatever. Its companions are philargyria, perjury, violence, usury, fraud, rapine, and deceit.

Philargyria is that by which, through a singular appetite for scraping money 1001Ctogether, the reins of continence are loosened: for it is interpreted love of silver.

Perjury is the denial of an acknowledged truth, made fraudulently by forswearing, for the sake of gaining advantage or of avoiding loss.

Violence is that by which malice or injury, for the sake of advantage, is exercised mightily and by force upon an inferior.

Usury is the receiving-back, with interest, of money or of another thing given on loan.

Fraud is that by which, by a clandestine stealth, provision is made for one's own property, by reason of want or of malice.

Rapine is the violent plundering of another's goods, proceeding from the impulse of a greedy mind.

Deceit is that by which, by deceptive movements, the truth 1001Dof a matter is cloaked, and either the hatred of another or one's own advantage is aimed at.

Gluttony of the belly is the immoderate satisfaction of a gaping concupiscence for foods or drinks of whatever kind. Its companions are drunkenness, surfeit, dulling of the mind, languor, daintiness, forgetfulness.

Drunkenness is that by which a certain forgetfulness of itself is engendered in the mind from the indulgence of superfluous drinks.

Surfeit is the enticing and greedy appetite for foods, for the sake of the body alone.

The dulling of the mind is the blunting of keen reason, brought on by the gross senses of carnal intemperance.

1002ALanguor is the idleness of a sick mind, contracted by the vice of voracity.

Daintiness is the desire for lavish, delicious, and costly food or drink beyond one's condition and need.

Forgetfulness is that by which, the soul being buried in vices on account of gluttony, a neglect of honor and of salvation is brought in.

Lust is the slippery and unbridled prostitution of mind or body, descending from unclean desires. Its companions are pleasure, wantonness, slothfulness, petulance, staggering, blandishments, delights.

Pleasure is the inclination of a foul mind toward things unlawful, with a certain slippery sweetness.

Wantonness is the indecent motion of a dissolute body in a shameful part, issuing from carnal intemperance.

1002BSlothfulness is the languid dejection of both the inner and outer man from the praiseworthy exercise of the virtues.

Petulance is the wanton onrush of the whole body toward the thing loved, from the conceiving of carnal thoughts.

Staggering is a vice of a broken mind issuing outwardly at the urging of slippery carnality, or a wavering of the limbs from immoderate lust.

Blandishments are the sensual display, made outwardly, of vicious delights with a certain sweetness.

Delights are the usurpation of bodily enticement with a certain superfluity.

• 1002C

Now that the dreadful array of pride, which draws to the left, has been made known, attend to the army of humility, which leads to the right. And now that the citizens of Babylon are known, attend to the citizens of Jerusalem.

Humility is the voluntary inclination of the mind, from the regard of one's own condition, or of the Creator. Its principal retinue are these: prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance, faith, hope, and charity.

Prudence is the provident and shrewd discernment of good and of evil, in the keeping of oneself. Its companions are the fear of the Lord, alacrity, counsel, memory, understanding, providence, deliberation.

The fear of the Lord is a vigilant keeping of the divine 1002Dprecepts in faith and in good morals. For the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.

Alacrity is the glad and circumspect readiness of the mind for completing a good work.

Counsel is the subtle foresight of the mind for examining and governing affairs.

Memory is a certain imaginary representation of past things before the gaze of the mind.

Understanding is to weigh and discern the state of present things with reasonable liveliness.

Providence is that by which, with shrewd subtlety, the outcomes of future things are gathered.

Deliberation is, before anything begun, a consideration full of maturity and skill.

• 1003A

Justice is that by which the grace of the community is maintained, and to each his own dignity is not denied. Its companions are law, severity, equity, correction, the keeping of an oath, judgment, truth.

Law is that by which the things to be done are commanded, and the things not to be done are forbidden.

Severity is that by which judicial punishment, in following the rigor of the true, is exercised more strictly upon the sinner.

Equity is the most worthy repayment of deserts, weighed out evenly on the balance of justice.

Correction is the restraining, by the bridle of reason, of an error inborn or introduced by habit.

The keeping of an oath is that which, once a decree has been promulgated to the citizens, 1003Bwards off the rash transgression of it by an oath taken concerning its perpetual observance.

Judgment is that by which, from the hearing of deserts, a fitting punishment or reward is rendered.

Truth is that by which, by probable reasoning, something said or done is set forth unchanged.

Fortitude is the unmoved undertaking by the mind, amid adversities, of labors and of dangers. Its companions are magnanimity, confidence, endurance, rest, stability, constancy, perseverance.

Magnanimity is a certain noble excellence of a mind that manages difficult and arduous matters beautifully and bravely.

1003CConfidence is, from the awareness of one's virtues, to establish for oneself an unmoved mind amid adversities, and to trust in a good outcome.

Endurance, or patience, is the long-lasting sufferance of another's wickedness or annoyance.

Rest is that by which a certain security is brought to the mind from the contempt of perfunctory changeableness.

Stability is the holding-firm of a mind — fixed by no changeableness of places or times — though it be tossed through diverse things.

Constancy is a course of life like itself, worthy of its state, perpetual, and unmoved.

Perseverance is that which, by a certain perfection of the virtues (longsuffering bringing it to completion), strengthens the mind, lest before the attained end it desist from what was begun.

1003DTemperance is the firm and discreet mastery of reason over the unlawful impulses of the mind. Its companions are discretion, compliance, taciturnity, fasting, sobriety, affliction of the flesh, contempt of the world.

Discretion is the provident reason that moderates human impulses, for judging the causes of things.

Compliance is, one's own virtue being preserved, to attune oneself justly and devoutly to the manners of those dwelling with one.

Taciturnity is the restraining of one's tongue even from useful words, with a certain fruitful quiet of mind.

Fasting is a vigilance of the inner things, a discreet keeping of frugality.

1004ASobriety is the temperance of both the inner and outer man, pure from enticements, so called because it is set apart and separated from drunkenness.

Affliction of the flesh is that by which the seed-beds of a wanton mind are pressed down by discreet chastisement.

Contempt of the world is a love of eternal things, brought in by reason from the regard of things that perish.

Faith, in holy zeal, is that which, from the truth of things premised, makes the mind hang upon the invisible things to come. For it is the evidence of things that do not appear. Its companions are religion, cleanness, obedience, chastity, reverence, continence, affection.

Religion is that by which, with reverent service, the ceremonies of divine worship are performed.

1004BCleanness is the consummate integrity of both the inner and outer man, in the regard of divine love or fear.

Obedience is the voluntary denial of one's own will, resting upon devout zeal.

Chastity is the clean and honorable condition of the whole body, through the furies of the vices being tamed.

Reverence is a chaste worship rendered to God on account of the faith we have concerning him.

Continence is that by which the impulses of carnal affections are curbed by the governance of counsel.

Affection is the outpouring of devout love toward one's neighbor, a holy joy having been conceived through faith.

Hope is a motion of the mind, immovably suspended toward the receiving of those things which it seeks with sure reason. Its 1004Ccompanions are contemplation of things above, joy, modesty, confession, patience, compunction, longsuffering.

Contemplation of things above is, through the jubilation of an uplifted mind, the death of carnal affections.

Joy is the spiritual gladness of a hastening mind, coming from the contempt of present things.

Modesty is the bashfulness, over praiseworthy progress, of a chaste and honorable bearing.

Confession is that by which the hidden disease of the soul is disclosed, unto the praise of God, in the hope of obtaining pardon.

Patience is the voluntary and insuperable endurance of adverse things, in view of eternal glory.

Compunction is a certain burning of a sighing soul, born either from the fear of punishment or from the love 1004Dof reward.

Longsuffering is an untiring sustaining of labors, for the fulfilling of just desires.

Charity is an affection of the mind, and a devout love, extended fervently and in due order toward God and neighbor. Its companions are graciousness, peace, piety, meekness, liberality, mercy, indulgence, compassion, kindness, concord.

Graciousness is that in which the affectionate cultivation of mutual good-will, of the one toward the other, is shown.

Peace is the ordered tranquillity of minds agreeing in the good.

1005APiety is a disposition helpful to all, arising from the sweetness of a kindly mind.

Meekness is that by which the tranquillity of mind of the meek or modest man does not, by anyone's wickedness, overstep the bound of its own quiet.

Liberality is that by which a free mind, in the bestowing of its possessions, is constrained by no niggardliness.

Mercy is a clement and equal regard toward all, and the inclination of a compassionate mind toward the afflicted.

Indulgence is the remission of another's guilt, descending from the consideration of oneself.

Compassion is that by which, from the grief of a neighbor, a certain affliction is engendered in a sympathizing mind.

Kindness is the fervent regard of a loving mind, with a certain splendid sweetness 1005Bof manners.

Concord is a certain unbroken and united embrace of minds, meeting together in what is right.

We daily sow a discourse on love, in the hope that it may perchance sparkle in our hearts, and the fire blaze up, making a flame — either consuming the whole, or purging the whole. For from it is everything that is good, and everything that is evil is from it. One fount of love, springing up within, pours in two streams. The one is love of the world, cupidity; the other is love of God, charity. For the heart of man is the midpoint, whence the fount of love breaks forth. And when through appetite it runs down to outward things, it is called cupidity; but when it directs its desire to inward things, it is named charity. 1005CTherefore there are two streams that flow from the fount of love: cupidity and charity. And cupidity is the root of all evils, and charity the root of all goods. But we find that this, which so manifoldly divides our desires and leads the one heart into diverse things, is nothing other than love. And since it is 1006Aa motion of the heart, according to its nature single and one, but according to its action divided — when it moves itself inordinately, that is, toward the things it ought not, it is called cupidity; but when it is ordered, it is called charity. We wish to commend a great matter, if only we are strong enough for what we wish. Almighty God, who needs nothing, because he himself is the highest and true good, who is; who can neither receive from another anything by which he might grow, since from him are all things, nor lose anything of his own by which he might fall away, since in him all things immutably subsist — he created the rational spirit by charity alone, by no necessity, that he might make it a partaker of his blessedness. Furthermore, that the same might be fit to enjoy so great a blessedness, he made love in it — in a certain manner rendering, through this, 1006Bthe spiritual palate sensible to the taste of the inward sweetness, so that through this love, namely, it might savor the gladness of its own happiness, and might cleave to him with untiring desire. Through love, therefore, God joined the rational creature to himself, so that, ever cleaving to him, it might, in a certain manner, by affection suck from him the good by which it was to be beatified, and drink of him by desire, and possess him by joy. Therefore by love the rational creature is united to its Maker; and it is the bond of love alone that binds them both unto him, and the more happily the more strongly. For which reason also, that an undivided fellowship and a perfect concord might be had on both sides, the bond was doubled into the charity of God and of neighbor, so that through the charity of God all might cleave to the One, and through the charity 1006Cof neighbor all might become one toward one another; so that what each, of that One to whom all cleaved, could not contain in himself, he might more fully and more perfectly possess in another through the charity of neighbor; and the good of all might become the whole of each. 1009