Tract X. On the Virtue of Prudence and the Opposite Vices

Cf. St. Thomas, Sum. theol. 2, 2, q. 47-56; Commentators on the Sum. theol., as e.g. Sylvius, John of St. Thomas, Billuart, etc.; Waffelaert, De virtut. card., Bruges 1889; Janvier, O.P., La prudence chretienne, Lent 1917.

625. Praenotamen. With the Angelic Doctor as guide, after the treatise on the theological virtues, we shall treat of the moral or cardinal virtues, namely of prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance. But because above, n. 444, enough has already been said concerning the nature of the moral virtues in general, we immediately begin to treat of these virtues individually, and first indeed of the virtue of prudence.

We divide the whole treatise on prudence into four chapters: 1. on the notion of the virtue of prudence; 2. on its functions; 3. on the parts of prudence; 4. on the vices opposed to it.