68 



SIN 



gluttony, anger, and sloth. From the initials of 

 the Latin words superbia, avaritia, luxuria, in- 

 vidia, gula, ira, acedia, the Schoolmen formed the 

 catch-word saligia as an aid to the memory. 



This septenary number, which may be traced back to 

 St. Gregory the Great, became established at the time of 

 Peter Lombard. Previously, theologians were wont to 

 count eight or even nine capital sins. 2 



I. Pride. — Pride {superbia, cenodoxia) is in- 

 ordinate self-esteem or love of one's own pre- 

 eminence, coupled with a desire of inducing oth- 

 ers to accept the exaggerated opinion one has 

 formed of oneself. This vice manifests itself in 

 as many different ways as there are objects which 

 man is able to claim as real or supposed excel- 

 lences or prerogatives. 3 



Pride may take the form of vanity, presump- 

 tion, ambition, or arrogance. 



I. Vanity. — Vanity is pride inspired by an overween- 

 ing conceit in one's personal appearance, attainments or 

 characteristics, especially when coupled with an excessive 

 desire for notice or approval. This vice makes a man 



2Cfr. Greg. M., Moral, XXXI, 

 c. 45 ; O. Zockler, Evagrius Ponti- 

 cus, Munich 1893, p. 104. 



3 Cfr. Luke XVIII, 9-14.— St. Au- 

 gustine, Enarr. in Ps., 93, n. 15: 

 "Quis est superbusf Qui non con- 

 fessione peccatorum agit poeniten- 

 tiam, ut sanari per humilitatem pos- 

 sit. Quis est superbusf Qui ilia 

 ipsa pauca, quae videtur habere 



bona, sibi vult arrogare et derogat 

 misericordiae Dei. Quis est super- 

 bus!' Qui etiamsi Deo tribuat 

 bona, quae facit, insultat tamen 

 eis, qui ilia non faciunt, et extollit 

 se super illos." (Migne, P. L., 

 XXXVII, 1203).— Cfr. S. Hai- 

 dacher, Des hi. Johannes Chry- 

 sostomus Biichlein iiber die Hoffart, 

 pp. 34 sqq. 



