Whether Pain or Sorrow Is Assuaged by Tears?
Objection 1: It would seem that tears do not assuage sorrow. Because
no effect diminishes its cause. But tears or groans are an effect of
sorrow. Therefore they do not diminish sorrow.
Obj. 2: Further, just as tears or groans are an effect of sorrow, so
laughter is an effect of joy. But laughter does not lessen joy.
Therefore tears do not lessen sorrow.
Obj. 3: Further, when we weep, the evil that saddens us is present to
the imagination. But the image of that which saddens us increases
sorrow, just as the image of a pleasant thing adds to joy. Therefore
it seems that tears do not assuage sorrow.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Confess. iv, 7) that when he
mourned the death of his friend, "in groans and in tears alone did he
find some little refreshment."
_I answer that,_ Tears and groans naturally assuage sorrow: and this
for two reasons. First, because a hurtful thing hurts yet more if we
keep it shut up, because the soul is more intent on it: whereas if it
be allowed to escape, the soul's intention is dispersed as it were on
outward things, so that the inward sorrow is lessened. This is why
men, burdened with sorrow, make outward show of their sorrow, by
tears or groans or even by words, their sorrow is assuaged. Secondly,
because an action, that befits a man according to his actual
disposition, is always pleasant to him. Now tears and groans are
actions befitting a man who is in sorrow or pain; and consequently
they become pleasant to him. Since then, as stated above (A. 1),
every pleasure assuages sorrow or pain somewhat, it follows that
sorrow is assuaged by weeping and groans.
Reply Obj. 1: This relation of the cause to effect is opposed to the
relation existing between the cause of sorrow and the sorrowing man.
For every effect is suited to its cause, and consequently is pleasant
to it; but the cause of sorrow is disagreeable to him that sorrows.
Hence the effect of sorrow is not related to him that sorrows in the
same way as the cause of sorrow is. For this reason sorrow is
assuaged by its effect, on account of the aforesaid contrariety.
Reply Obj. 2: The relation of effect to cause is like the relation of
the object of pleasure to him that takes pleasure in it: because in
each case the one agrees with the other. Now every like thing
increases its like. Therefore joy is increased by laughter and the
other effects of joy: except they be excessive, in which case,
accidentally, they lessen it.
Reply Obj. 3: The image of that which saddens us, considered in
itself, has a natural tendency to increase sorrow: yet from the very
fact that a man imagines himself to be doing that which is fitting
according to his actual state, he feels a certain amount of pleasure.
For the same reason if laughter escapes a man when he is so disposed
that he thinks he ought to weep, he is sorry for it, as having done
something unbecoming to him, as Cicero says (De Tusc. Quaest. iii,
27).
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