Humility And Pride

Humilitatem illam veram et sanctam dico, quam religionis et Dei amor suadet, non timor dominationis extorquet. Illius humilitatis facimus mentionem quae charitatis est juncta consortio; quae non auctoritate extorquetur imperii, sed nutritur lege vivendi. Nemo profecto mores naturae tantum vitiis aestimet imputandos, cum facultate nutritur supercilium, cum potestate crescit imperium. Quando igitur infirmis corporibus sufficeret medicina, si cum homine nascerentur et vulnera? Nutritur superbia, dum hic se verbris sapientiorem, natalibus judicat ille meliorem; hic dum non vult loco moveri, ille dum putat se posse contemni. Ita videndum vitio superbia odia crescere in comparatione personae: dum hic adulantium oculis auri argentique ponus ingerit, ille ambitum honoris opponit; hic dum in se praefert abundantiam opum, ille sermonum, hic dum se vult propter consilium expeti, ille propterr convivium desisderat salutari. Enumerari vix possunt vitia superbiae, quae si homo vincere aut cavere posset, nullum laqueum diabolicae damnationis incurreret. Sanctus Valerianus Cemeliensis, Homilia XIV, De bono humilitatis Source: Migne PL 52.736b-c

I say that humility is true and holy which religon and the love of God teaches, not that which the fear of domination demands. We refer to that humility which is a bound consort of love, which no authority of office extorts but is nourished by the law of life. Let no one think that vices should be imputed only to the ways of nature, when capability nutures arrogance and power grows with position. Would then medicine suffice for a fault of the body if man were born with wounds? Pride is nourished when this one deems himself wiser in words, and another judges himself better by lineage, when one is unwilling to be moved from his place, and another thinks it is possible that he is scorned. Thus when we compare people we must see hatreds grow because of the vice of pride. While one man heaps up a mass of gold and silver in the eyes of his flatters, that one opposes with boasts of honour. While this one exalts himself in his abundant resources, another does so with his oratory. While one wishes to be sought because of his counsel, that one desires to be hailed for the feasts he holds. One can scarcely count the vices that spring from pride, which if a man could conquer avoid, he would not rush into any snare of the Devil's damnation. Saint Valerian of Cimelium, from Homily 14, On The Good of Humility