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Objection 1: It seems that presumption is not opposed to magnanimity
by excess. For presumption is accounted a species of the sin against
the Holy Ghost, as stated above (Question 14, Article 2;
Question 21, Article 1). But the sin against the Holy Ghost
is not opposed to magnanimity, but to charity. Neither therefore is
presumption opposed to magnanimity.
Objection 2: Further, it belongs to magnanimity that one should
deem oneself worthy of great things. But a man is said to be
presumptuous even if he deem himself worthy of small things, if they
surpass his ability. Therefore presumption is not directly opposed to
magnanimity.
Objection 3: Further, the magnanimous man looks upon external goods
as little things. Now according to the Philosopher (Ethic. iv,
3), "on account of external fortune the presumptuous disdain and
wrong others, because they deem external goods as something great."
Therefore presumption is opposed to magnanimity, not by excess, but
only by deficiency.
On the contrary, The Philosopher says (Ethic. ii, 7; iv, 3)
that the "vain man," i.e. a vaporer or a wind-bag, which with us
denotes a presumptuous man, "is opposed to the magnanimous man by
excess."
I answer that, As stated above (Question 129, Article 3, ad
1), magnanimity observes the means, not as regards the quantity of
that to which it tends, but in proportion to our own ability: for it
does not tend to anything greater than is becoming to us.
Now the presumptuous man, as regards that to which he tends, does not
exceed the magnanimous, but sometimes falls far short of him: but he
does exceed in proportion to his own ability, whereas the magnanimous
man does not exceed his. It is in this way that presumption is opposed
to magnanimity by excess.
Reply to Objection 1: It is not every presumption that is accounted
a sin against the Holy Ghost, but that by which one contemns the
Divine justice through inordinate confidence in the Divine mercy.
The latter kind of presumption, by reason of its matter, inasmuch,
to wit, as it implies contempt of something Divine, is opposed to
charity, or rather to the gift of fear, whereby we revere God.
Nevertheless, in so far as this contempt exceeds the proportion to
one's own ability, it can be opposed to magnanimity.
Reply to Objection 2: Presumption, like magnanimity, seems to
tend to something great. For we are not, as a rule, wont to call a
man presumptuous for going beyond his powers in something small. If,
however, such a man be called presumptuous, this kind of presumption
is not opposed to magnanimity, but to that virtue which is about
ordinary honor, as stated above (Question 129, Article 2).
Reply to Objection 3: No one attempts what is above his ability,
except in so far as he deems his ability greater than it is. In this
one may err in two ways. First only as regards quantity, as when a
man thinks he has greater virtue, or knowledge, or the like, than he
has. Secondly, as regards the kind of thing, as when he thinks
himself great, and worthy of great things, by reason of something that
does not make him so, for instance by reason of riches or goods of
fortune. For, as the Philosopher says (Ethic. iv, 3), "those
who have these things without virtue, neither justly deem themselves
worthy of great things, nor are rightly called magnanimous."
Again, the thing to which a man sometimes tends in excess of his
ability, is sometimes in very truth something great, simply as in the
case of Peter, whose intent was to suffer for Christ, which has
exceeded his power; while sometimes it is something great, not
simply, but only in the opinion of fools, such as wearing costly
clothes, despising and wronging others. This savors of an excess of
magnanimity, not in any truth, but in people's opinion. Hence
Seneca says (De Quat. Virtut.) that "when magnanimity exceeds
its measure, it makes a man high-handed, proud, haughty restless,
and bent on excelling in all things, whether in words or in deeds,
without any considerations of virtue." Thus it is evident that the
presumptuous man sometimes falls short of the magnanimous in reality,
although in appearance he surpasses him.
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