Whether Martyrdom Is an Act of Fortitude?
Objection 1: It seems that martyrdom is not an act of fortitude. For
the Greek _martyr_ signifies a witness. Now witness is borne to the
faith of Christ. according to Acts 1:8, "You shall be witnesses unto
Me," etc. and Maximus says in a sermon: "The mother of martyrs is the
Catholic faith which those glorious warriors have sealed with their
blood." Therefore martyrdom is an act of faith rather than of
fortitude.
Obj. 2: Further, a praiseworthy act belongs chiefly to the virtue
which inclines thereto, is manifested thereby, and without which the
act avails nothing. Now charity is the chief incentive to martyrdom:
Thus Maximus says in a sermon: "The charity of Christ is victorious
in His martyrs." Again the greatest proof of charity lies in the act
of martyrdom, according to John 15:13, "Greater love than this no man
hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Moreover without
charity martyrdom avails nothing, according to 1 Cor. 13:3, "If I
should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it
profiteth me nothing." Therefore martyrdom is an act of charity
rather than of fortitude.
Obj. 3: Further, Augustine says in a sermon on St. Cyprian: "It is
easy to honor a martyr by singing his praises, but it is a great
thing to imitate his faith and patience." Now that which calls
chiefly for praise in a virtuous act, is the virtue of which it is
the act. Therefore martyrdom is an act of patience rather than of
fortitude.
_On the contrary,_ Cyprian says (Ep. ad Mart. et Conf. ii): "Blessed
martyrs, with what praise shall I extol you? Most valiant warriors,
how shall I find words to proclaim the strength of your courage?" Now
a person is praised on account of the virtue whose act he performs.
Therefore martyrdom is an act of fortitude.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 123, A. 1, seqq.), it belongs to
fortitude to strengthen man in the good of virtue, especially against
dangers, and chiefly against dangers of death, and most of all
against those that occur in battle. Now it is evident that in
martyrdom man is firmly strengthened in the good of virtue, since he
cleaves to faith and justice notwithstanding the threatening danger
of death, the imminence of which is moreover due to a kind of
particular contest with his persecutors. Hence Cyprian says in a
sermon (Ep. ad Mart. et Conf. ii): "The crowd of onlookers wondered
to see an unearthly battle, and Christ's servants fighting erect,
undaunted in speech, with souls unmoved, and strength divine."
Wherefore it is evident that martyrdom is an act of fortitude; for
which reason the Church reads in the office of Martyrs: They "became
valiant in battle" [*Heb. 11:34].
Reply Obj. 1: Two things must be considered in the act of fortitude.
One is the good wherein the brave man is strengthened, and this is
the end of fortitude; the other is the firmness itself, whereby a man
does not yield to the contraries that hinder him from achieving that
good, and in this consists the essence of fortitude. Now just as
civic fortitude strengthens a man's mind in human justice, for the
safeguarding of which he braves the danger of death, so gratuitous
fortitude strengthens man's soul in the good of Divine justice, which
is "through faith in Christ Jesus," according to Rom. 3:22. Thus
martyrdom is related to faith as the end in which one is
strengthened, but to fortitude as the eliciting habit.
Reply Obj. 2: Charity inclines one to the act of martyrdom, as its
first and chief motive cause, being the virtue commanding it, whereas
fortitude inclines thereto as being its proper motive cause, being
the virtue that elicits it. Hence martyrdom is an act of charity as
commanding, and of fortitude as eliciting. For this reason also it
manifests both virtues. It is due to charity that it is meritorious,
like any other act of virtue: and for this reason it avails not
without charity.
Reply Obj. 3: As stated above (Q. 123, A. 6), the chief act of
fortitude is endurance: to this and not to its secondary act, which
is aggression, martyrdom belongs. And since patience serves fortitude
on the part of its chief act, viz. endurance, hence it is that
martyrs are also praised for their patience.
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