§ III. On the Integral Parts of Temperance

The integral parts of temperance are: honorableness and shamefacedness. For as of every virtue, so also of temperance, there is a twofold office: to pursue its own object, in this case moral goodness in preserving the individual and the species; and to flee the things contrary to this object. But in order that one acting temperately may perfectly carry out this twofold office, he must also have a twofold affection of soul: one by which he is inclined toward honorable and beautiful things, another by which he is horrified at disgraceful things. For the virtue of temperance must moderate the strongest appetite. And thus it is clear that temperance has two integral parts, one of which is called honorableness, the other shamefacedness. Therefore:

I. Honorableness is an affection of soul by which man is inclined toward honorable and beautiful things; and honorableness understood in this way contributes much so that temperance may flee disgraceful things, which are contrary to the beauty of moral goodness (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 145).

II. Shamefacedness is an affection of soul by which man is horrified at disgraceful things insofar as they are such. But because it belongs to temperance to preserve moral goodness in those acts by which man is like the animals, and which, when placed against right reason, are most disgraceful to man, it is clear that shamefacedness is a disposition of soul greatly cooperating toward the perfection of temperance.