|
Objection 1: It seems that fortitude is not properly about dangers
of death in battle. For martyrs above all are commended for their
fortitude. But martyrs are not commended in connection with battle.
Therefore fortitude is not properly about dangers of death in battle.
Objection 2: Further, Ambrose says (De Offic. i) that
"fortitude is applicable both to warlike and to civil matters": and
Tully (De Offic. i), under the heading, "That it pertains to
fortitude to excel in battle rather than in civil life," says:
"Although not a few think that the business of war is of greater
importance than the affairs of civil life, this opinion must be
qualified: and if we wish to judge the matter truly, there are many
things in civil life that are more important and more glorious than
those connected with war." Now greater fortitude is about greater
things. Therefore fortitude is not properly concerned with death in
battle.
Objection 3: Further, war is directed to the preservation of a
country's temporal peace: for Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xix)
that "wars are waged in order to insure peace." Now it does not seem
that one ought to expose oneself to the danger of death for the temporal
peace of one's country, since this same peace is the occasion of much
license in morals. Therefore it seems that the virtue of fortitude is
not about the danger of death in battle.
On the contrary, The Philosopher says (Ethic. iii) that
fortitude is chiefly about death in battle.
I answer that, As stated above (Article 4), fortitude
strengthens a man's mind against the greatest danger, which is that of
death. Now fortitude is a virtue; and it is essential to virtue ever
to tend to good; wherefore it is in order to pursue some good that man
does not fly from the danger of death. But the dangers of death
arising out of sickness, storms at sea, attacks from robbers, and the
like, do not seem to come on a man through his pursuing some good. on
the other hand, the dangers of death which occur in battle come to man
directly on account of some good, because, to wit, he is defending
the common good by a just fight. Now a just fight is of two kinds.
First, there is the general combat, for instance, of those who fight
in battle; secondly, there is the private combat, as when a judge or
even private individual does not refrain from giving a just judgment
through fear of the impending sword, or any other danger though it
threaten death. Hence it belongs to fortitude to strengthen the mind
against dangers of death, not only such as arise in a general battle,
but also such as occur in singular combat, which may be called by the
general name of battle. Accordingly it must be granted that fortitude
is properly about dangers of death occurring in battle.
Moreover, a brave man behaves well in face of danger of any other kind
of death; especially since man may be in danger of any kind of death on
account of virtue: thus may a man not fail to attend on a sick friend
through fear of deadly infection, or not refuse to undertake a journey
with some godly object in view through fear of shipwreck or robbers.
Reply to Objection 1: Martyrs face the fight that is waged against
their own person, and this for the sake of the sovereign good which is
God; wherefore their fortitude is praised above all. Nor is it
outside the genus of fortitude that regards warlike actions, for which
reason they are said to have been valiant in battle. [Office of
Martyrs, ex. Heb. xi. 34.]
Reply to Objection 2: Personal and civil business is differentiated
from the business of war that regards general wars. However, personal
and civil affairs admit of dangers of death arising out of certain
conflicts which are private wars, and so with regard to these also
there may be fortitude properly so called.
Reply to Objection 3: The peace of the state is good in itself,
nor does it become evil because certain persons make evil use of it.
For there are many others who make good use of it; and many evils
prevented by it, such as murders and sacrileges, are much greater than
those which are occasioned by it, and which belong chiefly to the sins
of the flesh.
|
|