§ 2. On Magnificence

630. Notion. The second potential part of fortitude is the virtue of magnificence,¹¹³⁴ which is a virtue moderating the love of money, lest the great expenditures by which great external works ought to be made be impeded.¹¹³⁵ Therefore magnificence differs from magnanimity as a species from a genus; for magnanimity intends what is great in every matter and in all the virtues, but magnificence intends and executes it only in an external work capable of being made,¹¹³⁶ for example, in building temples, churches, and monasteries, in establishing pious foundations, and in providing a public banquet, when right reason demands this. St. Thomas¹¹³⁷ observes: "No end of human works is so great as the honor of God, and therefore magnificence chiefly performs a great work in order to the honor of God (by building and adorning churches and procuring other things necessary for worship). And therefore magnificence is joined to holiness, because its principal effect is ordered to religion or holiness."

The proximate matter of magnificence is great expenditures to be made for great external works, or the love of abundant money to be moderated.

¹¹³⁴ Prachtentfaltung, Prachtliebe [display of splendor, love of magnificence].

¹¹³⁵ Cf. S. theol. 2, 2, q. 134, a. 3.

¹¹³⁶ Cf. ib., a. 2 ad 2.

¹¹³⁷ Ib., ad 3.

631. Magnificence is a special virtue annexed to fortitude. For it has a special object which is in some manner similar to the object of fortitude; because its object, namely, great expenditures for constructing great works, is something special and arduous; nevertheless, it is not so arduous as the object of fortitude, which is dangers of death to be endured. The magnificent man chiefly intends great works for the common good. "That which pertains to the person of each individual is something small in comparison with that which belongs to divine things or common things. And therefore the magnificent man does not principally intend to make expenditures in those things which pertain to his own person, not because he does not seek his own good, but because it is not great. If, however, something among those things which pertain to him has greatness, the magnificent man also magnificently pursues this, such as things which are done once, as a wedding, or even things which are permanent, as it pertains to the magnificent man to prepare a fitting dwelling."¹¹³⁸ From what has been said it follows that magnificence is a virtue whose exercise pertains to kings or to the rich, because they alone are able to dispose of great expenditures; but according to affection and preparation of soul, and consequently also according to merit, this virtue can also exist in the poor, who have a sincere will to make great expenditures for great works if they possessed sufficient money.

¹¹³⁸ Ib., a. 1 ad 3.

632. Relation to liberality. Magnificence has some likeness to liberality, but nevertheless really differs from it. The first difference is that liberality extends to all operations which concern money, namely, to expenditures, receipts, and gifts; but magnificence concerns only expenditures, that is, outlays. The second difference is that, even in expenditures or outlays, magnificence exceeds liberality in the greatness of the expenditures; for magnificence concerns only great expenditures (as the name itself demonstrates), but liberality can also concern moderate ones.