Whether Honesty Should Be Reckoned a Part of Temperance?
Objection 1: It would seem that honesty should not be reckoned a part
of temperance. For it is not possible for a thing to be part and
whole in respect of one same thing. Now "temperance is a part of
honesty," according to Tully (De Invent. Rhet. ii, 53). Therefore
honesty is not a part of temperance.
Obj. 2: Further, it is stated (3 Esdra 3:21) that "wine . . . makes
all thoughts honest." But the use of wine, especially in excess, in
which sense the passage quoted should seemingly be taken, pertains to
intemperance rather than to temperance. Therefore honesty is not a
part of temperance.
Obj. 3: Further, the honest is that which is deserving of honor. Now
"it is the just and the brave who receive most honor," according to
the Philosopher (Rhet. i, 9). Therefore honesty pertains, not to
temperance, but rather to justice and fortitude: wherefore Eleazar
said as related in 2 Macc. 6:28: "I suffer an honorable (_honesta_)
death, for the most venerable and most holy laws."
_On the contrary,_ Macrobius [*In Somn. Scip. i] reckons honesty a
part of temperance, and Ambrose (De Offic. i, 43) ascribes honesty as
pertaining especially to temperance.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 2), honesty is a kind of
spiritual beauty. Now the disgraceful is opposed to the beautiful:
and opposites are most manifest of one another. Wherefore seemingly
honesty belongs especially to temperance, since the latter repels
that which is most disgraceful and unbecoming to man, namely animal
lusts. Hence by its very name temperance is most significative of the
good of reason to which it belongs to moderate and temper evil
desires. Accordingly honesty, as being ascribed for a special reason
to temperance, is reckoned as a part thereof, not as a subjective
part, nor as an annexed virtue, but as an integral part or condition
attaching thereto.
Reply Obj. 1: Temperance is accounted a subjective part of honesty
taken in a wide sense: it is not thus that the latter is reckoned a
part of temperance.
Reply Obj. 2: When a man is intoxicated, "the wine makes his thoughts
honest" according to his own reckoning because he deems himself great
and deserving of honor [*Cf. Q. 148, A. 6].
Reply Obj. 3: Greater honor is due to justice and fortitude than to
temperance, because they excel in the point of a greater good: yet
greater honor is due to temperance, because the vices which it holds
in check are the most deserving of reproach, as stated above. Thus
honesty is more to be ascribed to temperance according to the rule
given by the Apostle (1 Cor. 12:23) when he says that "our uncomely
parts have more abundant comeliness," which, namely, destroys
whatever is uncomely.
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