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Objection 1: It seems that temperance is not a virtue. For no
virtue goes against the inclination of nature, since "there is in us a
natural aptitude for virtue," as stated in Ethic. ii, 1. Now
temperance withdraws us from pleasures to which nature inclines,
according to Ethic. ii, 3,8. Therefore temperance is not a
virtue.
Objection 2: Further, virtues are connected with one another, as
stated above (FS, Question 65, Article 1). But some people
have temperance without having the other virtues: for we find many who
are temperate, and yet covetous or timid. Therefore temperance is not
a virtue.
Objection 3: Further, to every virtue there is a corresponding
gift, as appears from what we have said above (FS, Question 68,
Article 4). But seemingly no gift corresponds to temperance, since
all the gifts have been already ascribed to the other virtues
(Questions 8,9,19,45,52, 71,139). Therefore
temperance is not a virtue.
On the contrary, Augustine says (Music. vi, 15):
"Temperance is the name of a virtue."
I answer that, As stated above (FS, Question 55, Article
3), it is essential to virtue to incline man to good. Now the good
of man is to be in accordance with reason, as Dionysius states
(Div. Nom. iv). Hence human virtue is that which inclines man to
something in accordance with reason. Now temperance evidently inclines
man to this, since its very name implies moderation or temperateness,
which reason causes. Therefore temperance is a virtue.
Reply to Objection 1: Nature inclines everything to whatever is
becoming to it. Wherefore man naturally desires pleasures that are
becoming to him. Since, however, man as such is a rational being,
it follows that those pleasures are becoming to man which are in
accordance with reason. From such pleasures temperance does not
withdraw him, but from those which are contrary to reason. Wherefore
it is clear that temperance is not contrary to the inclination of human
nature, but is in accord with it. It is, however, contrary to the
inclination of the animal nature that is not subject to reason.
Reply to Objection 2: The temperance which fulfils the conditions
of perfect virtue is not without prudence, while this is lacking to all
who are in sin. Hence those who lack other virtues, through being
subject to the opposite vices, have not the temperance which is a
virtue, though they do acts of temperance from a certain natural
disposition, in so far as certain imperfect virtues are either natural
to man, as stated above (FS, Question 63, Article 1), or
acquired by habituation, which virtues, through lack of prudence, are
not perfected by reason, as stated above (FS, Question 65,
Article 1).
Reply to Objection 3: Temperance also has a corresponding gift,
namely, fear, whereby man is withheld from the pleasures of the
flesh, according to Ps. 118:120: "Pierce Thou my flesh
with Thy fear." The gift of fear has for its principal object God,
Whom it avoids offending, and in this respect it corresponds to the
virtue of hope, as stated above (Question 19, Article 9, ad
1). But it may have for its secondary object whatever a man shuns in
order to avoid offending God. Now man stands in the greatest need of
the fear of God in order to shun those things which are most
seductive, and these are the matter of temperance: wherefore the gift
of fear corresponds to temperance also.
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