Whether Boasting Is Opposed to the Virtue of Truth?
Objection 1: It seems that boasting is not opposed to the virtue of
truth. For lying is opposed to truth. But it is possible to boast
even without lying, as when a man makes a show of his own excellence.
Thus it is written (Esther 1:3, 4) that Assuerus "made a great feast
. . . that he might show the riches of the glory" and "of his
kingdom, and the greatness and boasting of his power." Therefore
boasting is not opposed to the virtue of truth.
Obj. 2: Further, boasting is reckoned by Gregory (Moral. xxiii, 4) to
be one of the four species of pride, "when," to wit, "a man boasts of
having what he has not." Hence it is written (Jer. 48:29, 30): "We
have heard the pride of Moab, he is exceeding proud: his haughtiness,
and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the loftiness of his heart. I
know, saith the Lord, his boasting, and that the strength thereof is
not according to it." Moreover, Gregory says (Moral. xxxi, 7) that
boasting arises from vainglory. Now pride and vainglory are opposed
to the virtue of humility. Therefore boasting is opposed, not to
truth, but to humility.
Obj. 3: Further, boasting seems to be occasioned by riches; wherefore
it is written (Wis. 5:8): "What hath pride profited us? or what
advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us?" Now excess of
riches seems to belong to the sin of covetousness, which is opposed
to justice or liberality. Therefore boasting is not opposed to truth.
_On the contrary,_ The Philosopher says (Ethic. ii, 7; iv, 7), that
boasting is opposed to truth.
_I answer that,_ _Jactantia_ (boasting) seems properly to denote the
uplifting of self by words: since if a man wishes to throw
(_jactare_) a thing far away, he lifts it up high. And to uplift
oneself, properly speaking, is to talk of oneself above oneself [*Or
'tall-talking' as we should say in English]. This happens in two
ways. For sometimes a man speaks of himself, not above what he is in
himself, but above that which he is esteemed by men to be: and this
the Apostle declines to do when he says (2 Cor. 12:6): "I forbear
lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth in me, or
anything he heareth of me." In another way a man uplifts himself in
words, by speaking of himself above that which he is in reality. And
since we should judge of things as they are in themselves, rather
than as others deem them to be, it follows that boasting denotes more
properly the uplifting of self above what one is in oneself, than the
uplifting of self above what others think of one: although in either
case it may be called boasting. Hence boasting properly so called is
opposed to truth by way of excess.
Reply Obj. 1: This argument takes boasting as exceeding men's opinion.
Reply Obj. 2: The sin of boasting may be considered in two ways.
First, with regard to the species of the act, and thus it is opposed
to truth; as stated (in the body of the article and Q. 110, A. 2).
Secondly, with regard to its cause, from which more frequently though
not always it arises: and thus it proceeds from pride as its inwardly
moving and impelling cause. For when a man is uplifted inwardly by
arrogance, it often results that outwardly he boasts of great things
about himself; though sometimes a man takes to boasting, not from
arrogance, but from some kind of vanity, and delights therein,
because he is a boaster by habit. Hence arrogance, which is an
uplifting of self above oneself, is a kind of pride; yet it is not
the same as boasting, but is very often its cause. For this reason
Gregory reckons boasting among the species of pride. Moreover, the
boaster frequently aims at obtaining glory through his boasting, and
so, according to Gregory, it arises from vainglory considered as its
end.
Reply Obj. 3: Wealth also causes boasting, in two ways. First, as an
occasional cause, inasmuch as a man prides himself on his riches.
Hence (Prov. 8:18) "riches" are significantly described as "proud"
[Douay: 'glorious']. Secondly, as being the end of boasting, since
according to _Ethic._ iv, 7, some boast, not only for the sake of
glory, but also for the sake of gain. Such people invent stories
about themselves, so as to make profit thereby; for instance, they
pretend to be skilled in medicine, wisdom, or divination.
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