Pride And Avarice

Merito initium omnis peccati superbiam Scriptura definivit, dicens: Initium omnis peccati superbia. Cui testimonio non inconvenienter aptatur etiam illud quod Apostolus ait: Radix omnium malorum est avaritia; si avaritiam generalem intellegamus, qua quisque appetit aliquid amplius quam oportet, propter excellentiam suam, et quemdam propriae rei amorem: cui sapienter nomen latina lingua indidit, cum appellavit privatum, quod potius a detrimento quam ab incremento dictum elucet. Omnis enim privatio minuit. Unde itaque vult eminere superbia inde in angustias egestatemque contruditur, cum ex communi ad proprium damnoso sui amore redigitur. Specialis est autem avaritia, quae usitatius appellatur amor pecuniae. Cuius nomine Apostolus per speciem genus significans, universalem avaritiam volebat intellegi dicendo: Radix omnium malorum est avaritia. Hac enim et diabolus cecidit, qui utique non amavit pecuniam, sed propriam potestatem. Proinde perversus sui amor privat sancta societate turgidum spiritum, eumque coarctat miseria iam per iniquitatem satiari cupientem. Hinc alio loco cum dixisset: Erunt enim homines seipsos amantes; continuo subiecit, amatores pecuniae, ab illa generali avaritia cuius superbia caput est, ad hanc specialem descendens quae propria hominum est. Neque enim essent etiam homines amatores pecuniae, nisi eo se putarent excellentiores, quo ditiores. Cui morbo contraria caritas non quaerit quae sua sunt , id est non privata excellentia laetatur: merito ergo et non inflatur. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, De Genesi Ad Litteram, Liber XI, Caput XV Source: Migne PL 34 436-7

Rightly Scripture defines the beginning of sin to be pride, saying, 'Pride is the beginning of every sin.' 1To which testimony is not inappropriate that which the Apostle says, 'Avarice is the root of all evil,' 2 if general avarice we understand as that by which someone desires more than he should, on account of his own superiority, and a certain love of his self, which wisely the Latin tongue indicates when it names it private, elucidating the loss or privation more than the benefit. For every privation diminishes. Whence, therefore, he who wishes to be eminent on account of pride is crushed into anguish and want when he is reduced with loss from common things to his own by love of self. A specific type of avarice is customarily named love of money. By this name the Apostle signifies the whole, wishing that every avarice be understood when he says, 'Avarice is the root of all evil.' For this cast down the devil, who did not love money but his own power, whence his perverse love of self deprived a bloated spirit of blessed society, and by the satisfaction of his wicked desire crushed him with misery. And in another place he has said, 'Men shall be lovers of themselves,' and continues below it, 'lovers of money,' 3 descending from that general avarice of which pride is the head to this specific one which belongs to men. For men would not be lovers of money unless they have thought themselves superior, by which they would be richer. To which sickness charity is opposed that does not seek what is its own, that is, it does not rejoice in private excellence, and thus rightly is not inflated. 4 Saint Augustine of Hippo, from On Genesis To The Letter, Book 11, Chap 15 1 Sirach 10.15 2 1 Tim 6.10 3 2 Tim 3.2 4 cf 1 Cor 13.4