Whether the Daughters of Vainglory Are Suitably Reckoned to Be
Disobedience, Boastfulness, Hypocrisy, Contention, Obstinacy,
Discord, and Love of Novelties?
Objection 1: It seems that the daughters of vainglory are unsuitably
reckoned to be "disobedience, boastfulness, hypocrisy, contention,
obstinacy, discord, and eccentricity [*_Praesumptio novitatum,_
literally 'presumption of novelties']." For according to Gregory
(Moral. xxiii) boastfulness is numbered among the species of pride.
Now pride does not arise from vainglory, rather is it the other way
about, as Gregory says (Moral. xxxi). Therefore boastfulness should
not be reckoned among the daughters of vainglory.
Obj. 2: Further, contention and discord seem to be the outcome
chiefly of anger. But anger is a capital vice condivided with
vainglory. Therefore it seems that they are not the daughters of
vainglory.
Obj. 3: Further, Chrysostom says (Hom. xix in Matth.) that vainglory
is always evil, but especially in philanthropy, i.e. mercy. And yet
this is nothing new, for it is an established custom among men.
Therefore eccentricity should not be specially reckoned as a daughter
of vainglory.
_On the contrary,_ stands the authority of Gregory (Moral. xxxi), who
there assigns the above daughters to vainglory.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 34, A. 5; Q. 35, A. 4; I-II, Q.
84, AA. 3, 4), the vices which by their very nature are such as to be
directed to the end of a certain capital vice, are called its
daughters. Now the end of vainglory is the manifestation of one's own
excellence, as stated above (AA. 1, 4): and to this end a man may
tend in two ways. In one way directly, either by words, and this is
boasting, or by deeds, and then if they be true and call for
astonishment, it is love of novelties which men are wont to wonder at
most; but if they be false, it is hypocrisy. In another way a man
strives to make known his excellence by showing that he is not
inferior to another, and this in four ways. First, as regards the
intellect, and thus we have _obstinacy,_ by which a man is too much
attached to his own opinion, being unwilling to believe one that is
better. Secondly, as regards the will, and then we have _discord,_
whereby a man is unwilling to give up his own will, and agree with
others. Thirdly, as regards _speech,_ and then we have _contention,_
whereby a man quarrels noisily with another. Fourthly as regards
deeds, and this is _disobedience,_ whereby a man refuses to carry out
the command of his superiors.
Reply Obj. 1: As stated above (Q. 112, A. 1, ad 2), boasting is
reckoned a kind of pride, as regards its interior cause, which is
arrogance: but outward boasting, according to _Ethic._ iv, is
directed sometimes to gain, but more often to glory and honor, and
thus it is the result of vainglory.
Reply Obj. 2: Anger is not the cause of discord and contention,
except in conjunction with vainglory, in that a man thinks it a
glorious thing for him not to yield to the will and words of others.
Reply Obj. 3: Vainglory is reproved in connection with almsdeeds on
account of the lack of charity apparent in one who prefers vainglory
to the good of his neighbor, seeing that he does the latter for the
sake of the former. But a man is not reproved for presuming to give
alms as though this were something novel.
_______________________