Lecture 7 — The Objects of Magnificence

Magnificence belongs to those princely outlays we call most honorable, like votive offerings to the gods, preparations, sacrifices, and other things pertaining to divine worship. It belongs, also, to any lavish gifts made for the common good, such as a splendid donation for the benefit of all, or the fitting out of a trireme, or the giving of a banquet to the whole community. [719]

But in all these things, as was just stated, reference is made to the agent as to who he is and what possessions he has, for the disbursements must be commensurate with these circumstances and appropriate not only to the work but also to the spender. [721]

For this reason, the poor man will not be magnificent, since he has not the resources from which he may spend large sums becomingly. If he tries to do so, he is unwise, for this would be improper and inopportune. And what is according to virtue is done rightly. [722]

A great expenditure is suitable for those who have wealth themselves, from their parents, or from others transferring it to them; likewise for the noble and those renowned for fame or other similar public acclaim, since all these things have a certain greatness and distinction. [723]

Especially such, then, is the magnificent person, and as we have said, by such expenditures, magnificence is exercised in the greatest and most honorable works; [725]

or even in any private affair that happens once, such as a wedding and the like, [726]

or in any event of great interest to the whole city and the dignitaries, or in the reception and departure of foreign guests, in the presentation of gifts, and in the repayment of favors. Yet the magnificent man does not spend lavishly on himself; he rather donates for the public welfare gifts that have a likeness to those consecrated to God. [727]

It is the privilege of the magnificent man to use his riches to build a home that is indeed an ornament and to spend larger sums on whatever portions are of a permanent nature, for these are best. [728]

He will spend in a manner proper to each thing. The same expenditure is not appropriate to gods and men, nor in building a temple and a tomb. He will make an outlay for each thing according to the kind, being most magnificent in spending a great amount on a great work. But the expense will be great in comparison with the things. What is great in regard to the work differs from what is great in cost considered in itself. A very pretty ball or jar takes on magnificence when presented as a gift to a child, although the price is trivial and not in the category of liberal. Hence, the magnificent person has the advantage of performing a great work in any category. And a work that is great in its class and reasonable in its cost can hardly be surpassed. This, then, is a description of the magnificent person. [730]

One who sins by excess, the vulgarian, is immoderate in spending contrary to what he ought, as has been pointed out. He expends great sums on paltry things, and his lavishness is out of harmony, figuratively speaking. He banquets buffoons with dishes fit for a marriage feast, gives presents to comedians, and rolls out a red carpet for their entry like the Megarians. In all such affairs, he does not act to attain the good, but to show off his wealth, hoping in this way for admiration. Where grand outlays are called for, he spends little; where small expenditures are in order, he lays out much. [732]

But the petty person falls short in everything; after spending very much, he will spoil the whole good effect for the sake of a trifle. Whatever expenditures he makes, he makes tardily and he takes care to spend as little as he can. Moreover, he does this glumly and is of the opinion that he has done more than he should. [733]

These, then, are habits of vice; yet they do not bring shame because they do not injure our neighbor and are not very disgraceful. [734]

719. Magnificence belongs to those princely outlays. After the Philosopher has shown in what manner the magnificent person should be concerned with spending, he now shows the principal object on which the magnificent person should spend money.

He gives two explanations of this point.

First, he explains for what things the magnificent man should make expenditures;

second, how he preserves proportion between the cost and the objects paid for, at he will spend in a manner proper to each (1123a8; [730]).

He manifests the initial point in a twofold manner.

First, he sets forth the principal objects for which the magnificent should spend money;

second, the secondary objects, at or even in any private (1122b35; [726]).

On this first point, he does three things.

First, he discloses what the principal objects are for which the magnificent person disburses funds.

Second, he indicates who should make such expenditures, at but in all these things (1122b23; [721]).

Third, he sums up his views, at especially such (1122b33; [725]).

He says first that the magnificent man lays out large amounts for things that are honorable in the highest degree.

These sums are of two kinds.

The first of them pertains to divine things (for example, the placing of votive offerings in the temples of the gods) and preparations (the building of the temple or some other things of this kind). Even sacrifices come under this heading. The gentiles, however, worshipped not only gods—that is, certain separated substances—but also demons, whom they held to be intermediaries between gods and men. Therefore, he adds that everything expended on the worship of any demon whatsoever belongs to this same classification. The Philosopher speaks here of a heathen custom that has been abrogated by the plain truth. Hence, if someone now spent any money on the worship of a demon, he would not be magnificent, but sacrilegious.

720. The second kind of honorable expenditures are those made for the common good in a sumptuous manner: a person nobly and lavishly gives a becoming donation of something useful to the community; a man charged by the state with an office like the captaincy of a trireme (a fleet of ships or galleys) makes great expenditures in the execution of that office; or someone gives a banquet for the whole community according to a custom, as is said in Politics 2. (Politics 2.9.11271a33; Aquinas In II pol., lec. 14, n. 317.)

721. Next, at but in all these (1122b23), he shows for whom such expenditures are appropriate.

Regarding this, he does three things.

First, he explains for whom, in general, such expenditures are appropriate.

Second, at for this reason, the poor man (1122b26; [722]), he infers for whom in particular they are inappropriate.

Third, at a great expenditure (1122b29; [723]), he shows for whom in particular they are appropriate.

He says first that, in all these things that are expended, as was just mentioned [712–13], we must have regard not only for the objects for which a person spends money (such that we should consider whether the spender is a prince or a private person, a noble or a commoner) but also for what possessions, large or small, he may have. Expenditures must be proper, well proportioned to the wealth and station of the person, so that the expenses may be suited not only to the work for which they are incurred but also to the spender.

722. Then, at for this reason (1122b26), he infers that such expenditures may not be appropriate. Because of what was just said, the poor man who has little wealth cannot be magnificent, for he does not have so great an amount that he can rightly afford to spend much. If he attempts to spend more, he is foolish, since it is contrary to good taste and beyond what is proper. So it does not pertain to the virtue of magnificence, for by means of virtue, all things are done correctly, that is, properly.

723. Next, at a great expenditure (1122b29), he discloses who may make these expenditures fittingly,

understanding this in regard to two things.

First, he takes it according to the amount of riches. He says that great expenditures should be made by men who are wealthy, who possess great riches of which much can be expended becomingly. It makes no difference whether they possess this abundant wealth of themselves, having acquired it through their own industry, or from their parents (whose heirs they are), or even from any others through whom riches come to them, such as when they become heirs of those outside the family.

724. Second, he considers the proposition according to the condition of persons. It is becoming that great sums be disbursed by the highborn and those renowned, namely, those established in honor and other similar things. Everything of this nature has about it a certain greatness and decorum, such that such splendid donations may be made appropriately.

725. Then, at especially such (1122b33), he sums up his views, affirming that the magnificent person is of the sort described above and that magnificence consists in expenditures of this kind, as was stated above [719–20], namely, on things for divine worship and the public welfare—for such are the greatest and most honorable among all human goods.

726. Next, at or even (1122b35), he shows on what secondary objects the magnificent person spends money.

He mentions three kinds of objects.

The first consists in the magnificent man spending great sums on affairs pertaining properly to himself and happening only once, like marriage, military service, and so on.

727. He gives the second kind at or in any event (1123a1). If the whole city or the rulers are anxious to do something and a man makes great expenditures on this, he will be magnificent—for instance, if he should honorably receive some guests such as princes or kings, if he should give them great banquets, or even personally offer presents to them, or if he should repay certain favors received. In all these situations, the magnificent person will spend large sums. He is not lavish with himself such that he spends much for his own use, but he makes great expenditures for the common good. The splendid gifts bestowed on some resemble those given to God. The reason is that, just as offerings are consecrated to God not because he needs them, but out of reverence and honor, so presents are also made to distinguished men more on account of honor than any need.

728. Then, at it is the privilege (1123a6), he mentions the third kind, stating that it pertains to magnificence to build a home in the proper manner with one’s own riches, for a decent home adds to a man’s distinction. And, in constructing buildings, the magnificent man desires to spend money on lasting and permanent parts rather than on fragile decorations—for instance, on marble columns in the house rather than on glass windows. Things that are more permanent are best.

729. Hence, it is clear from what has been said that the magnificent man spends money principally on the things destined for divine worship and the public welfare, but secondarily on things pertaining to private persons under three conditions:

first, that the things happen once;

second, that, in addition, the common good is pursued;

third, that they are of a permanent nature.

These are the requisites making for greatness in private matters.

730. Next, at he will spend (1123a8), he explains in what way the magnificent person maintains the proportion of costs appropriate to the things for which the expenditure is made, spending on each object what is fitting both in kind and quantity. It is obvious that not the same kind and quantity of outlay is suitably offered to gods and men, nor used in the construction of a temple and a tomb. He will see to it that he spends a sum that is large according to the kind of thing. Hence, he will be very magnificent when he makes a great expenditure on a great work. But, in this work, he will make what is great in this class. So, sometimes, what is great in regard to the work differs from what is absolutely great in expense. From the fact that someone makes a very pretty globe (namely, a ball) or a vase (a small vessel) as a gift to a boy, he is said to possess magnificence in the genus of children’s gifts, although the price of the beautiful globe in itself is small, not belonging to the class of generous donations. Obviously, therefore, the magnificent person has the advantage of performing a great work in any genus, making expenditures commensurate with the merit of the work. A production of this sort, which is great according to its kind and reasonable in its cost, can hardly be surpassed.

731. Last, he succinctly states the conclusion that the magnificent man is such as has been described.

732. Then, at one who sins by excess (1123a19), he treats the opposite vices:

first, considering excess;

second, defect, at but the petty person (1123a27; [733]);

third, what is common to both, at these, then, are (1123a31; [734]).

He says that the man who is immoderate in grand outlays—called “banausos” because he consumes his goods as in a furnace—exceeds the magnificent person not in the absolute amount spent, but in spending in a way contrary to what he should. The reason is that he uses much money in superfluous expenses and wants to make lavish expenditures contrary to harmony, that is, against the right proportion, which is said by way of metaphor. For instance, he entertains buffoons and comedians with nuptial banquets, contributes much to actors, even rolling out the red carpet for their entry, as the Megarians (certain Greek citizens) are in the habit of doing. He does all these and similar things not for some good, but for making a show of his riches, thinking that he will be admired for this reason. However, he does not always spend lavishly, but sometimes falls short. Where he ought to spend much, he spends little; but where little, much. The reason is that he does not keep his eye on the good, but on vanity.

733. Next, at but the petty person (1123a27), he considers the vice of defect and states that the petty person falls short in everything,

assigning him five traits.

The first is that, when the petty person does make great expenditures, he fails to do well because of a trifle.

Second, what sums he expends he expends tardily.

Third, he always keeps his mind on how he may spend the least.

Fourth, he is a gloomy spender.

Fifth, when he lays out everything, he thinks he has done more than he should, for it seems to him that he ought to spend less.

734. Then, at these, then (1123a31), he considers what is common to either vice. He comes to the conclusion that the two previously mentioned habits are certain vices because they are opposed to virtue by a departure from the mean. However, they are not opprobrious, since they do not injure our neighbor in any way, and they are not very disgraceful, because it is difficult in disbursing large amounts not to depart from the mean.