3. On Modesty in External Things

717. Modesty in external things is a moral virtue inclining a man to preserve decorum in external things according to right reason. These external things are: a) movements of the body; b) games; c) clothing and ornaments of the body.

a) Modesty in the external movements of the body is very necessary for pleasant social intercourse. Whence St. Augustine admonishes: "In all your movements let nothing be done which offends the sight of anyone."¹⁴¹⁸ And it is deservedly said in Ecclesiasticus: "A man is known by his appearance, and a sensible man is known by the meeting of his countenance; the clothing of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and the gait of a man declare concerning him."¹⁴¹⁹ Therefore writers, both sacred and profane, give many rules concerning the right ordering of the movements of the body. But especially to be avoided are affectation on the one hand and rusticity on the other.

b) Right modesty in games is equally necessary, lest someone be excessively addicted to games with scandal to others and damage to himself. The virtue moderating the right use of play is called eutrapely.¹⁴²⁰

c) Modesty in clothing and the adornment of the body avoids not only all indecency, but also every superfluity or deficiency. Against this modesty one sins:

1. By excess, when adornment, all the conditions of person, place, and time being considered, is either sought with excessive care or acquired at excessive expense. Not a few persons of each sex sin by such excess, who prodigally expend time, labor, and money in procuring excessive adornment. The quantity of sin in such excessive adornment must be weighed from many things: from the scandal arising, from the duties of state injured, and from the evil end intended. Let the confessor and preacher be cautious in admonishing the faithful concerning this matter, because he often exhorts altogether uselessly and causes laughter and indignation rather than a good effect. This indeed holds especially concerning the adornment of women. But if this adornment incites to lasciviousness, then assuredly it is to be sharply censured. Women can lawfully adorn themselves in order to increase their beauty, provided, however, that an honorable end is present and every scandal is absent. Ancient authors spoke more severely concerning cosmetics applied to the face. But apart from scandal and every evil end, there is no reason why cosmetics should be morally evil. A graver difficulty exists concerning the more or less extensive baring of the breast which women are accustomed to employ especially on certain occasions, for example, at great banquets and dances.¹⁴²¹

2. By defect, when someone does not employ due diligence in adornment and clothing.

Let these things said concerning the cardinal virtues suffice. He who desires to learn more should approach St. Thomas,¹⁴²² who, discoursing concerning their dignity, writes: "Among the other [moral] virtues prudence is the greatest, because it is the moderator of the others; and after this, justice, through which man bears himself well not only toward himself, but toward another; and after this, fortitude, through which man on account of the good despises the dangers of death; and after this, temperance, through which man on account of the good despises the greatest bodily pleasures."¹⁴²³

¹⁴¹⁸ Regula ad servos Dei (Migne, Patr. lat. 32, 1380).

¹⁴¹⁹ Ecclus. 19:26 ff.

¹⁴²⁰ Cf. above, n. 317, and S. theol. 2, 2, q. 168, a. 2.

¹⁴²¹ Cf. what was said above, I, n. 613, concerning the adornment of women.

¹⁴²² S. theol. 2, 2, qq. 47-170.

¹⁴²³ Quaest. disp. unic. de virtut. card., a. 3.