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CHRISTIAN THOMASIUS,
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| Comparison of the virtues and vices | Mirror of knowledge of one's self and others The three main vices or ruling passions |
The three main virtues or moderated passions | ||
| according to | voluptuousness or immoderate passion for pleasures |
ambition or immoderate passion for glory and honour |
avarice or immoderate passion for riches |
temperance, modesty, contentment |
| voluptuousness | gluttony (i.e. passion for eating and drinking), lechery (debauchery) | asceticism, abstinence from women, insensitiveness | hunger, thirst, a hater of women, bestial urges | soberness, good housekeeping, chastity |
| its signs | voluptuous magnificence | punctuality | niggardly | saving |
| its affiliates | sluggishness, idleness | restlessness | donkey-work | alacrity, dexterity |
| ambition | servile, submissive | haughty, arrogant, contemptuous | bumptious, vainglorious | even-tempered, friendly |
| its signs | impatient, timid | violent, audacious | deceitful, cruel | hearty generosity |
| its affiliates | rash anger which does not last, tenderheartedness | fierce rage, revengeful | hidden anger, secret revengefulness | patience, contempt for injustice one suffered |
| avarice | precipitance, readiness to talk | wilful, too taciturn | deceit, lies, simulation | sincerity, discretion |
| its signs | vile extravagance | affected open-handedness | merciless, niggardly | benevolent, liberal |
| its affiliates | infamous compliance, untimely mercy | audacious and violent in one's service, vexed | envious, malicious | merciful, sincere and uninterested service |
| intellectual faculties | ingenuity, good inventions, the art of poetry | penetrating judgement, proper conduct, political philosophy | excellent memory, connection of concepts, mathematics | prudence, good advice ethics |
Christian Thomasius, Kurzer Entwurff der politischen Klugheit (Halle, 1710), transl. O. Simons 2005.