Summa Theologiae Moralis, vol. I: De Principiis

S. Th. II-II, q. 162, 130, 131, 132; De Malo q. 8 and 9.

499. Pride is the inordinate appetite of proper excellence¹. It is called

1° appetite, because pride resides in the appetite, namely principally in the will, if it seeks excellence in spiritual things, secondarily in the irascible which tends to a sensible arduous and excellent good,

2° inordinate: to desire excellence of itself is not evil, but against the order of reason is that one tend above what one is, as the proud man does: « for right reason has this, that the will of each is borne toward that which is proportioned to him » (II-II, q. 162, a. 1);

3° of excellence: both relative, by which one wills to excel others, at least implicitly contemning them; and absolute, by which one simply wills to excel above what he is, even without thinking of others;

4° proper: the special object from which pride receives its species is the loftiness of one's own person: for it is not in this or that matter but commonly and in all things that the proud man behaves as lofty. Pride therefore desires a certain universal excellence and by this is distinguished from presumption, ambition, and vainglory, which inordinately desire some particular excellence either in works, or in honors and dignities, or in fame and glory.

500. Pride of itself is contrary to charity and therefore is mortal sin: for the proud man exalts himself above what he is, i.e. above what is appointed for him by God, whence at least implicitly in pride is included the contempt of God, inasmuch as man does not wish to be subject to God and his rule. But this is to turn away from God, which is against charity,

whereby we are converted to God, and therefore of itself is mortal sin. — That contempt, if it is explicit, formal, and perfect, from the intention of contemning God because he disdains to be subject to God and his law and it seems to him injurious to his proper excellence, is always mortal. But if it is implicit, however, without the intention of contemning God, it can indeed be mortal, namely in a grave matter; but it is often venial not only from indeliberation but also from the lightness of the matter.

Now, according to Gregory (Mor. bk. 23, c. 4), in four ways specifically diverse, on the part of the object, pride is committed: 1° by esteeming the goods which one has to have from oneself not from God, or acting as if he would esteem them to have from himself; — 2° by esteeming that he has received them from God but because of his own merits, or acting as if it were so²; — 3° by attributing to himself goods which he does not have; — 4° in goods which he has, willing, other things being equal, to be preferred by them more than is fitting. The two former ways, since they include formal contempt of God, are mortal sin; the two latter are often only venial, unless they are done with grave irreverence toward God, or render one prepared to sin mortally, or there is present grave contempt of neighbor or notable detriment.

501. Daughters of pride. — « Those vices which of themselves are by nature ordered to the end of some capital vice are called its daughters » (II-II, q. 132, a. 5). All vices indeed are by nature ordered to the end of pride; some however, because they seek a special excellence, have an object very near to the object of pride, and therefore immediately, proximately, and more frequently than other sins arise from it according to the notion of end, and immediately serve it; whence those alone are called its daughters. There are however three: 1) presumption which is the inordinate appetite of excellence in works, namely by undertaking something above one's strength; 2) ambition which inordinately desires the excellence of dignity and honor undue or greater than is due; 3) vainglory which inordinately tends to fame and glory, i.e. to the vain manifestation of excellence.

Presumption, ambition, and vainglory of themselves are venial sins, because they are not against charity, but an excessive appetite of a thing in itself good or indifferent. Accidentally they become mortal (more often vainglory), either because they proceed from a mortally evil cause, as e.g. from affection for mortal sin; or because as effects they have mortal sin, as if they are done with notable harm or injury to neighbor, or if one because of them is prepared to commit mortal sin; or by reason of matter, as if one seeks honor or glory from mortal sin (cf. tr. on Fortitude).

502. Vainglory is the inordinate appetite of glory and fame, i.e. the appetite of vain glory, or of vain manifestation and estimation by others of one's own excellence whether true or feigned. Which is done in three ways: a) seeking glory for a thing which is not glory or not worthy of such glory, as for an evil, false, feigned, fragile thing, for riches, trifles, etc.; b) seeking it from those who cannot discern what is worthy of glory, as e.g. from one whose judgment is not certain; c) seeking it and not referring glory to the due end, namely to the honor of God or the salvation of neighbor or our own utility.

From vainglory seven vices more commonly arise, and therefore are called its daughters. For by vainglory is sought the manifestation of one's own excellence, which can be done: a) directly: 1° either in words by boasting, by which one glories in a work committed; or in deeds 2° by presumption of novelties, by which one devises novelties which excite the admiration of others; and 3° by hypocrisy, by which one does good to appear good, although he is not; — b) indirectly one seeks the manifestation of one's excellence, showing oneself not to be lesser than others, and this is done: 4° as to intellect by obstinacy, by which one adheres too much to one's own opinion; 5° as to will by discord, by which one does not wish to depart from his own will to agree with others; 6° as to speech by contention, by which one litigates noisily; 7° as to deed by disobedience, by which one does not wish to execute the precept of a superior.