Whether Effeminacy* Is Opposed to Perseverance?
[* _Mollities,_ literally "softness"]
Objection 1: It seems that effeminacy is not opposed to perseverance.
For a gloss on 1 Cor. 6:9, 10, "Nor adulterers, nor the effeminate,
nor liers with mankind," expounds the text thus: "Effeminate--i.e.
obscene, given to unnatural vice." But this is opposed to chastity.
Therefore effeminacy is not a vice opposed to perseverance.
Obj. 2: Further, the Philosopher says (Ethic. vii, 7) that "delicacy
is a kind of effeminacy." But to be delicate seems akin to
intemperance. Therefore effeminacy is not opposed to perseverance but
to temperance.
Obj. 3: Further, the Philosopher says (Ethic. vii, 7) that "the man
who is fond of amusement is effeminate." Now immoderate fondness of
amusement is opposed to _eutrapelia_, which is the virtue about
pleasures of play, as stated in _Ethic._ iv, 8. Therefore effeminacy
is not opposed to perseverance.
_On the contrary,_ The Philosopher says (Ethic. vii, 7) that "the
persevering man is opposed to the effeminate."
_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 137, AA. 1, 2), perseverance is
deserving of praise because thereby a man does not forsake a good on
account of long endurance of difficulties and toils: and it is
directly opposed to this, seemingly, for a man to be ready to forsake
a good on account of difficulties which he cannot endure. This is
what we understand by effeminacy, because a thing is said to be
"soft" if it readily yields to the touch. Now a thing is not declared
to be soft through yielding to a heavy blow, for walls yield to the
battering-ram. Wherefore a man is not said to be effeminate if he
yields to heavy blows. Hence the Philosopher says (Ethic. vii, 7)
that "it is no wonder, if a person is overcome by strong and
overwhelming pleasures or sorrows; but he is to be pardoned if he
struggles against them." Now it is evident that fear of danger is
more impelling than the desire of pleasure: wherefore Tully says (De
Offic. i) under the heading "True magnanimity consists of two
things": "It is inconsistent for one who is not cast down by fear, to
be defeated by lust, or who has proved himself unbeaten by toil, to
yield to pleasure." Moreover, pleasure itself is a stronger motive of
attraction than sorrow, for the lack of pleasure is a motive of
withdrawal, since lack of pleasure is a pure privation. Wherefore,
according to the Philosopher (Ethic. vii, 7), properly speaking an
effeminate man is one who withdraws from good on account of sorrow
caused by lack of pleasure, yielding as it were to a weak motion.
Reply Obj. 1: This effeminacy is caused in two ways. In one way, by
custom: for where a man is accustomed to enjoy pleasures, it is more
difficult for him to endure the lack of them. In another way, by
natural disposition, because, to wit, his mind is less persevering
through the frailty of his temperament. This is how women are
compared to men, as the Philosopher says (Ethic. vii, 7): wherefore
those who are passively sodomitical are said to be effeminate, being
womanish themselves, as it were.
Reply Obj. 2: Toil is opposed to bodily pleasure: wherefore it
is only toilsome things that are a hindrance to pleasures. Now the
delicate are those who cannot endure toils, nor anything that
diminishes pleasure. Hence it is written (Deut. 28:56): "The tender and
delicate woman, that could not go upon the ground, nor set down her
foot for . . . softness [Douay: 'niceness']." Thus delicacy is a kind
of effeminacy. But properly speaking effeminacy regards lack of
pleasures, while delicacy regards the cause that hinders pleasure, for
instance toil or the like.
Reply Obj. 3: In play two things may be considered. In the
first place there is the pleasure, and thus inordinate fondness of
play is opposed to _eutrapelia_. Secondly, we may consider the
relaxation or rest which is opposed to toil. Accordingly just as it
belongs to effeminacy to be unable to endure toilsome things, so too
it belongs thereto to desire play or any other relaxation
inordinately.
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