A Capital Vice
Gluttony
St. Thomas treats it at II-II, q. 148. See also every passage on the topic page.
What It Is
Each line is one thing said. Authors named first use those words. Those after “in nearly the same words” say the same thing differently; point at a name to see their words.
| “not any desire of eating and drinking, but an inordinate desire” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 1In nearly the same words: Prümmer n. 425; Merkelbach I, n. 506; Noldin n. 339; Wouters n. 317; Marc n. 364; Vermeersch n. 475; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 1; Sabetti-Barrett n. 146 |
| About the pleasure: “gluttony consists properly in an immoderate pleasure in eating and drinking” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 6In nearly the same words: Merkelbach II, n. 977; Marc n. 364; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III; St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 5, ad 1 |
| The measure: “Now the mode prescribed by reason is that food be taken so that it may be useful for right living and for preserving health” | Merkelbach II, n. 977In nearly the same words: Noldin n. 340; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III; Spirago INTEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING |
| In the sensitive appetite, not in hunger: “the first movement of gluttony denotes inordinateness in the sensitive appetite, and this is not without sin” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 1, ad 3In nearly the same words: Bontempi On gluttony, n. 14 |
| Which drink: “if someone drinks milk immoderately, he does not sin against sobriety but against abstinence” | Prümmer II, n. 649In nearly the same words: Merkelbach II, n. 977; Wouters n. 435; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 1 |
| Why it is capital: “the vice of gluttony, being about pleasures of touch which stand foremost among other pleasures, is fittingly reckoned among the capital vices” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 5In nearly the same words: McHugh-Callan n. 2473; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III |
| Food most desired: “nearly all the toil of man's life is directed thereto” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 5, ad 1In nearly the same words: Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III |
| Capital in the broad sense: “Gluttony in the broad sense (drunkenness included) is a capital vice” | Merkelbach II, n. 980In nearly the same words: Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III |
| “The first of the three temptations with which Satan assailed Christ was that of gluttony” | McHugh-Callan n. 2473 |
What It Is Not
| The food itself: “That which goes into man by way of food, by reason of its substance and nature, does not defile a man spiritually” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 1, ad 1 |
| Eating too much by mistake: “this pertains, not to gluttony, but to some kind of inexperience” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 1, ad 2 |
| Enjoying food: “He who takes delectable food delectably is not indeed at once to be accused of the sin of gluttony” | Prümmer II, n. 667In nearly the same words: Marc n. 364; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 14 |
| Yet not for pleasure alone: “but it is a sin to eat for pleasure alone” | Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. IIIIn nearly the same words: Prümmer II, n. 667; Vermeersch n. 475 |
| Feasts and hospitality: “on account of just causes, e.g. of hospitality, festivity, extraordinary joy, etc.; for by these temperance is not injured nor is the sin of gluttony committed” | Noldin n. 340 |
| A needed diet: “We should not class among gluttons, however, those who require special foods or special cooking for a good reason” | McHugh-Callan n. 2471 |
| Vomiting as medicine: “it is no sin to procure vomiting as a remedy for sickness if the physician prescribes it” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 6, ad 2In nearly the same words: Vermeersch n. 475 |
The Opposed Virtue
| “it is a vice directly opposed to the virtue of abstinence” | Merkelbach II, n. 977In nearly the same words: Prümmer II, n. 667; Noldin n. 339; Wouters n. 319; Marc n. 364; Vermeersch n. 475; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 1 |
| The virtue: “it may be taken as regulated by reason, and then it signifies either a virtuous habit or a virtuous act” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 146, a. 1In nearly the same words: Prümmer II, n. 649; Merkelbach II, n. 947; Wouters n. 435 |
| Why a virtue of its own: “pleasures of the table are of a nature to withdraw man from the good of reason” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 146, a. 2In nearly the same words: Merkelbach II, n. 947; Prümmer II, n. 649; Bontempi On abstinence, n. 2 |
| Not medicine: “in the point of internal affections with regard to the good of reason, it belongs to abstinence” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 146, a. 1, ad 2In nearly the same words: Prümmer II, n. 649; Merkelbach II, n. 947 |
| Going without food as such: “in this way it signifies neither a virtue nor a virtuous act, but something indifferent” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 146, a. 1In nearly the same words: Prümmer II, n. 649; Merkelbach II, n. 947; McHugh-Callan n. 2469 |
| Its acts: “The act of the virtue of abstinence is fasting and abstinence strictly so called” | Prümmer II, n. 649In nearly the same words: Merkelbach II, n. 948; McHugh-Callan n. 2468 |
| The other extreme: “by excess there is opposed excessive abstinence, by which someone abstains from their use against right reason” | Wouters n. 437In nearly the same words: St. Thomas II-II, q. 146, a. 1, ad 4; McHugh-Callan n. 2469; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 20 |
| Taken broadly, sobriety too: “Gluttony taken generically is opposed to two virtues which pertain to temperance” | Noldin n. 339In nearly the same words: Wouters n. 320 |
See Temperance, and what the capital vices feed.
Its Gravity
| “when a man has too great a desire for the pleasures of the palate, yet would not for their sake do anything contrary to God's law, it is a venial sin” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 2In nearly the same words: Prümmer n. 426; Merkelbach I, n. 506; Noldin n. 339; Wouters n. 319; McHugh-Callan n. 2472; Marc n. 365; Vermeersch n. 475; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 14; Sabetti-Barrett n. 146 |
| Why: “excess in a thing otherwise indifferent or licit is of itself nothing but venial” | Noldin n. 339In nearly the same words: Prümmer II, n. 667; Wouters n. 319; Marc n. 365; Merkelbach II, n. 979; Vermeersch n. 475 |
| Mortal when it becomes the end: “he adheres to the pleasure of gluttony as his end, for the sake of which he contemns God, being ready to disobey God's commandments, in order to obtain those pleasures” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 2In nearly the same words: Noldin n. 339; Merkelbach II, n. 979; McHugh-Callan n. 2472; Marc n. 365; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 22; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III |
| Or by accident: “by reason of grave bodily harm, if namely someone on account of greediness gravely injures bodily health” | Prümmer n. 426In nearly the same words: Merkelbach II, n. 979; Noldin n. 339; Wouters n. 319; Marc n. 365; Vermeersch n. 475; Sabetti-Barrett n. 146; St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 3, ad 3 |
| “if namely on account of gluttony a man neglects grave duties of his state” | Prümmer n. 426In nearly the same words: Merkelbach II, n. 979; Noldin n. 339; Marc n. 365; Vermeersch n. 475; Sabetti-Barrett n. 146; McHugh-Callan n. 2472 |
| “if he renders himself unable to pay debts, or dissipates the goods of the family” | Merkelbach II, n. 979In nearly the same words: Wouters n. 319; McHugh-Callan n. 2472 |
| “If someone on account of gluttony violates the fasts of the Church” | Marc n. 365In nearly the same words: Merkelbach II, n. 979; Vermeersch n. 475; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 14 |
| “if crapula is the cause of another grave sin, e.g. of grave scandal” | Merkelbach II, n. 979In nearly the same words: Prümmer II, n. 667; McHugh-Callan n. 2472 |
| Even to vomiting: “It is not a grave sin to indulge gluttony up to vomiting” | Noldin n. 339In nearly the same words: Wouters n. 319; Merkelbach II, n. 979; Vermeersch n. 475; Marc n. 366; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III; Prümmer n. 426 |
| McHugh-Callan holds otherwise: “To eat until one vomits seems to be a mortal sin, if the vomit is caused by the enormous quantity of food consumed” | McHugh-Callan n. 2472 |
| Vomiting in order to eat again, some say: “scarcely seem able to be excused from mortal sin” | Prümmer n. 426In nearly the same words: Marc n. 366 |
| Others hold it venial still: “venial, to procure vomiting in order to dine or drink again” | Vermeersch n. 475In nearly the same words: Merkelbach II, n. 979; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III; Wouters n. 319 |
| Not the gravest of sins: “From this point of view gluttony is not the greatest sin, for it is about matters connected with the nourishment of the body” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 3In nearly the same words: Merkelbach II, n. 980; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 24 |
| Lessened by necessity: “the sin of gluttony is diminished rather than aggravated, both on account of the necessity of taking food, and on account of the difficulty of proper discretion and moderation in such matters” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 3In nearly the same words: Merkelbach II, n. 980; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 24 |
| Grave by what follows: “gluttony has a certain gravity, inasmuch as certain sins are occasioned thereby” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 3In nearly the same words: Merkelbach II, n. 980; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 25; Spirago INTEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING |
| St. Bonaventure, in Bontempi, of the habit: “if it leads into such a habit as makes the whole life of a man assigned to delights of this kind, and this is near to mortal” | Bontempi On gluttony, n. 14 |
| In practice: “Rarely do penitents sin mortally from gluttony” | Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. IIIIn nearly the same words: Prümmer II, n. 667 |
| Eating human flesh: “it is a grave sin without necessity to feed on human flesh” | Noldin n. 339In nearly the same words: Wouters n. 319; Marc n. 365; Vermeersch n. 476; Merkelbach II, n. 978; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 29 |
| In extreme hunger: “in the extreme necessity of hunger this seems to be licit” | Noldin n. 339In nearly the same words: Merkelbach II, n. 978; Wouters n. 319; McHugh-Callan n. 2471; Vermeersch n. 476; Marc n. 365 |
| Bontempi holds otherwise: “not even in extreme necessity is it lawful to feed on human flesh” | Bontempi On gluttony, n. 30 |
Its Kinds
| Overeating and drunkenness: “Therefore there are two species of gluttony: overeating, or gluttony specifically taken, and drunkenness” | Noldin n. 339In nearly the same words: Wouters n. 318; Merkelbach II, n. 977; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III; Prümmer n. 425 |
| In the food | |
|---|---|
| sumptuously | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 4; Merkelbach II, n. 978; Noldin n. 339In nearly the same words: Prümmer n. 425; Marc n. 364; Vermeersch n. 475; McHugh-Callan n. 2471; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 5; Spirago INTEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING |
| daintily | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 4In nearly the same words: Prümmer n. 425; Merkelbach II, n. 978; Noldin n. 339; Marc n. 364; Vermeersch n. 475; McHugh-Callan n. 2471; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 5; Spirago INTEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING |
| too much | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 4; Prümmer n. 425; Merkelbach II, n. 978; Noldin n. 339In nearly the same words: Marc n. 364; Vermeersch n. 475; McHugh-Callan n. 2471; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 5 |
| In the eating | |
| hastily | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 4In nearly the same words: Prümmer n. 425; Merkelbach II, n. 978; Noldin n. 339; Marc n. 364; Vermeersch n. 475; McHugh-Callan n. 2471; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 5 |
| greedily | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 4In nearly the same words: Prümmer n. 425; Merkelbach II, n. 978; Noldin n. 339; Marc n. 364; Vermeersch n. 475; McHugh-Callan n. 2471; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 5; Spirago INTEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING |
| Five species: “The corruption of various circumstances causes the various species of gluttony, on account of the various motives” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 4, ad 1In nearly the same words: Merkelbach II, n. 978; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 26; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III |
| Isidore's four, which join two of St. Gregory's: what, how much, how, when | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 4; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 2 |
| Cassian's four, in Bontempi: before the proper time, with excessive avidity, too much, too delicately | Bontempi On gluttony, n. 13 |
The Daughters of Gluttony
The headings are St. Thomas's.
| In the soul | |
|---|---|
| dullness of sense in the understanding | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 6In nearly the same words: Prümmer n. 427; Merkelbach I, n. 506; Noldin n. 339; Wouters n. 321; McHugh-Callan n. 2473; Marc n. 365; Vermeersch n. 475; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 6; Sabetti-Barrett n. 146 |
| unseemly joy | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 6In nearly the same words: Prümmer n. 427; Merkelbach I, n. 506; Noldin n. 339; Wouters n. 321; McHugh-Callan n. 2473; Marc n. 365; Vermeersch n. 475; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 6 |
| loquaciousness | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 6In nearly the same words: Prümmer n. 427; Merkelbach I, n. 506; Noldin n. 339; Wouters n. 321; McHugh-Callan n. 2473; Marc n. 365; Vermeersch n. 475; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 6; Sabetti-Barrett n. 146 |
| scurrility | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 6; Merkelbach I, n. 506; Noldin n. 339In nearly the same words: Prümmer n. 427; Wouters n. 321; McHugh-Callan n. 2473; Marc n. 365; Vermeersch n. 475; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 6; Sabetti-Barrett n. 146 |
| In the body | |
| uncleanness | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 6; Prümmer n. 427; Merkelbach I, n. 506; Noldin n. 339; Vermeersch n. 475; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 6In nearly the same words: Wouters n. 321; McHugh-Callan n. 2473; Marc n. 365; Sabetti-Barrett n. 146 |
| Others also named | |
| drunkenness | Sabetti-Barrett n. 146; Bontempi On gluttony, n. 12 |
| How they come from it: “Nevertheless they are means to gluttony in this sense, that man subjects himself to them and accepts them, provided that he may obtain the delight of gluttony” | Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. IIIIn nearly the same words: McHugh-Callan n. 2473 |
| St. Gregory, in St. Thomas: “When the belly is distended by gluttony, the virtues of the soul are destroyed by lust.” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 2, ad 4In nearly the same words: St. Alphonsus True Spouse, ch. VIII |
The Remedies
The fuller lists are the manuals'. Where an author has no list, the entries are what that author says in passing, gathered from wherever it is said.
| First of all, St. Gregory: “unless we first tame the enemy dwelling within us, namely our gluttonous appetite, we have not even stood up to engage in the spiritual combat” | St. Thomas II-II, q. 148, a. 1In nearly the same words: St. Alphonsus True Spouse, ch. VIII |
| “Consideration of the evil consequences which are wont to follow from gluttony” | Prümmer n. 428In nearly the same words: Wouters n. 322; Marc n. 365; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III; Spirago INTEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING; St. Alphonsus True Spouse, ch. VIII; Deshon Guide, ch. LVII |
| “Flight from occasion” | Prümmer n. 428In nearly the same words: Wouters n. 322; Marc n. 365; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III |
| “Exercise of temperance, insofar as any superfluous delectations whatever in food and drink are strongly rejected” | Prümmer n. 428In nearly the same words: Wouters n. 322; St. Thomas II-II, q. 146, a. 2, ad 2 |
| “grow accustomed to common foods” | Marc n. 365; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. IIIIn nearly the same words: Deshon Guide, ch. LVII; St. Alphonsus True Spouse, ch. VIII; Spirago INTEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING |
| “sometimes to fast” | Marc n. 365; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. IIIIn nearly the same words: St. Thomas II-II, q. 189, a. 1; McHugh-Callan n. 2469 |
| “at table to subtract something from one's own pleasure” | Marc n. 365In nearly the same words: Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III; St. Alphonsus True Spouse, ch. VIII |
| “to set for oneself the measure of foods” | Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. IIIIn nearly the same words: St. Alphonsus True Spouse, ch. VIII; Spirago INTEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING |
| “not to eat or drink outside the time of refection” | Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III |
| “To meditate on the examples of Christ thirsting on the cross” | Marc n. 365In nearly the same words: Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III; Deshon Guide, ch. LVII |
| “pray to God before approaching the table” | Marc n. 365; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. IIIIn nearly the same words: Spirago INTEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING |
| “be perfectly satisfied with a good and sufficient diet, no matter how plain it may be” | Deshon Guide, ch. LVIIIn nearly the same words: St. Alphonsus True Spouse, ch. VIII |
| Against the ruling passion: “If she is addicted to greediness, she ought to abstain as much as possible from the indulgence of her appetite.” | St. Alphonsus True Spouse, ch. VI |
| “Think of the flames of hell, and you will be able fully to subdue the impulses of nature.” | Spirago INTEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING |
| For the grossly gluttonous: “avoidance of occasions, mortification of the flesh, prayer to God, confession after relapse, together with a severe penance voluntarily imposed on themselves” | Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III |
| For spiritual persons: “serious expiation of faults of gluttony, even slight ones” | Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III |
| Against drunkenness: “Let habitual drunkards be required to abstain entirely from intoxicating liquor, because moderate use is morally impossible for them” | Wouters n. 322In nearly the same words: Vermeersch n. 484; Merkelbach Pastoral, Q. III; Noldin n. 347 |
Where Each Author Treats It
| Among the capital sins | Prümmer nn. 425-428; Merkelbach I, n. 506; Noldin nn. 339-340; Wouters nn. 317-322; Marc nn. 364-366; Vermeersch nn. 475-476; Sabetti-Barrett n. 146 |
| Under abstinence, against it | St. Thomas II-II, qq. 146, 148; Prümmer II, n. 667; Merkelbach II, nn. 977-980; Wouters nn. 435-437; McHugh-Callan nn. 2471-2473; Bontempi On gluttony |