|
Objection 1: It would seem that cruelty is not opposed to clemency.
For Seneca says (De Clementia ii, 4) that "those are said to be
cruel who exceed in punishing," which is contrary to justice. Now
clemency is reckoned a part, not of justice but of temperance.
Therefore apparently cruelty is not opposed to clemency.
Objection 2: Further, it is written (Jer. 6:23): "They
are cruel, and will have no mercy"; so that cruelty would seem
opposed to mercy. Now mercy is not the same as clemency, as stated
above (Question 157, Article 4, ad 3). Therefore cruelty is
not opposed to clemency.
Objection 3: Further, clemency is concerned with the infliction of
punishment, as stated above (Question 157, Article 1):
whereas cruelty applies to the withdrawal of beneficence, according to
Prov. 11:17, "But he that is cruel casteth off even his own
kindred." Therefore cruelty is not opposed to clemency.
On the contrary, Seneca says (De Clementia ii, 4) that "the
opposite of clemency is cruelty, which is nothing else but hardness of
heart in exacting punishment."
I answer that, Cruelty apparently takes its name from "cruditas"
[rawness]. Now just as things when cooked and prepared are wont to
have an agreeable and sweet savor, so when raw they have a disagreeable
and bitter taste. Now it has been stated above (Question 157,
Article 3, ad 1; Article 4, ad 3) that clemency denotes a
certain smoothness or sweetness of soul, whereby one is inclined to
mitigate punishment. Hence cruelty is directly opposed to clemency.
Reply to Objection 1: Just as it belongs to equity to mitigate
punishment according to reason, while the sweetness of soul which
inclines one to this belongs to clemency: so too, excess in
punishing, as regards the external action, belongs to injustice; but
as regards the hardness of heart, which makes one ready to increase
punishment, belongs to cruelty.
Reply to Objection 2: Mercy and clemency concur in this, that both
shun and recoil from another's unhappiness, but in different ways.
For it belongs to mercy [Question 30, Article 1] to relieve
another's unhappiness by a beneficent action, while it belongs to
clemency to mitigate another's unhappiness by the cessation of
punishment. And since cruelty denotes excess in exacting punishment,
it is more directly opposed to clemency than to mercy; yet on account
of the mutual likeness of these virtues, cruelty is sometimes taken for
mercilessness.
Reply to Objection 3: Cruelty is there taken for mercilessness,
which is lack of beneficence. We may also reply that withdrawal of
beneficence is in itself a punishment.
|
|