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Objection 1: It seems that the species of gluttony are unfittingly
distinguished by Gregory who says (Moral. xxx, 18): "The vice
of gluttony tempts us in five ways. Sometimes it forestalls the hour
of need; sometimes it seeks costly meats; sometimes it requires the
food to be daintily cooked; sometimes it exceeds the measure of
refreshment by taking too much; sometimes we sin by the very heat of an
immoderate appetite"---which are contained in the following verse:
"Hastily, sumptuously, too much, greedily, daintily."
For the above are distinguished according to diversity of
circumstance. Now circumstances, being the accidents of an act, do
not differentiate its species. Therefore the species of gluttony are
not distinguished according to the aforesaid.
Objection 2: Further, as time is a circumstance, so is place. If
then gluttony admits of one species in respect of time, it seems that
there should likewise be others in respect of place and other
circumstances.
Objection 3: Further, just as temperance observes due
circumstances, so do the other moral virtues. Now the species of the
vices opposed to the other moral virtues are not distinguished according
to various circumstances. Neither, therefore, are the species of
gluttony distinguished thus.
On the contrary, stands the authority of Gregory quoted above.
I answer that, As stated above (Article 1), gluttony denotes
inordinate concupiscence in eating. Now two things are to be
considered in eating, namely the food we eat, and the eating thereof.
Accordingly, the inordinate concupiscence may be considered in two
ways. First, with regard to the food consumed: and thus, as regards
the substance or species of food a man seeks "sumptuous"---i.e.
costly food; as regards its quality, he seeks food prepared too
nicely---i.e. "daintily"; and as regards quantity, he exceeds
by eating "too much."
Secondly, the inordinate concupiscence is considered as to the
consumption of food: either because one forestalls the proper time for
eating, which is to eat "hastily," or one fails to observe the due
manner of eating, by eating "greedily."
Isidore [De Summo Bon. ii, 42] comprises the first and second
under one heading, when he says that the glutton exceeds in "what" he
eats, or in "how much," "how" or "when he eats."
Reply to Objection 1: The corruption of various circumstances
causes the various species of gluttony, on account of the various
motives, by reason of which the species of moral things are
differentiated. For in him that seeks sumptuous food, concupiscence
is aroused by the very species of the food; in him that forestalls the
time concupiscence is disordered through impatience of delay, and so
forth.
Reply to Objection 2: Place and other circumstances include no
special motive connected with eating, that can cause a different
species of gluttony.
Reply to Objection 3: In all other vices, whenever different
circumstances correspond to different motives, the difference of
circumstances argues a specific difference of vice: but this does not
apply to all circumstances, as stated above (FS, Question 72,
Article 9).
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