Boethius, The Consolation 2.23

. . . “Further, if there were any intrinsic good in the nature of honors and powers themselves, they could never crowd upon the basest men. For opposites will not be bound together. Nature refuses to allow contraries to be linked to each other.

“Wherefore, while it is undoubted that for the most part offices of honor are enjoyed by bad men, it is also manifest that those things are not by nature good, which allow themselves to cling to evil men. And this indeed may worthily be held of all the gifts of fortune that come with the greatest success to the most unscrupulous.

“And in this matter we must also think on this fact, that no one doubts a man to be brave in whom he has found by examination that bravery is implanted, and whoever has the quality of swiftness is plainly swift. So also music makes men musical, medicine makes men physicians, oratory makes men orators. The nature of each quality acts as is peculiar to itself; it is not confused with the results of contrary qualities, but goes so far as to drive out those qualities which are opposed to it.

“Wealth cannot quench the insatiable thirst of avarice, nor can power ever make master of himself the man whom vicious passions hold fast in unbreakable chains. Honors, when joined to dishonest men, so far from making them honorable, betray them rather, and show them to be dishonorable.

“Why is this so? It is because you rejoice to call things by false names that belong not to them; their names are refuted by the reality of their qualities. Wherefore neither riches, nor that kind of power, nor these honors, can justly so be called.

“ Lastly, we may come to the same conclusion concerning all the aspects of Fortune: nothing is to be sought in her, and it is plain she has no innate good, for she is not always joined with good men, nor does she make good those with whom she is joined.”

—from Book 2, Prose 6

Some things are good in and of themselves, without any condition, and these are the goods that we should seek for their own sake. Other things may become good by or through other things, and these are beneficial to us only when they are conjoined to what is greater and more complete.

So fine words are only good when they are used to speak truth, and become evil when they are used to spread lies. A pretty face is only as desirable as the content of the character behind it. Smoking a pipe won’t necessarily make you wise, even as some wise people may smoke pipes. We must rightly distinguish between qualities that are always choiceworthy, and qualities that are sometimes choiceworthy, depending on their association.

Innately good things cannot admit of any evil, because their value is absolute. Conditionally good things can readily be abused for evil, because their value is relative.

So what sorts of qualities are inherently beneficial for us, and can in themselves never suffer from being harmful as long as they are present? Any of the virtues in the human soul, which will reflect excellence of action itself, are of this sort, including wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance. They are all expressions of what it essentially means to be human, a creature of reason and will, made to know the truth and to love the good. In short, anything that proceeds according to man’s nature.

So what sorts of qualities are accidentally beneficial for us, and can just as easily be turned to being harmful when they are not properly guided? Any of the conditions and circumstances the world may present to us, which can be used either for good or for evil, including power, wealth, honor, or pleasure. They are all opportunities we can use to live well, or to live poorly, through the presence or absence of virtue. In short, anything that proceeds according to the ways of fortune.

Can a man be wise and powerful at the same time? Yes, but no man is wise because he is powerful, though being wise he will understand the right use of power.

Can a man be just and rich at the same time? Yes, but no man is just because he is rich, though being just he will practice fairness with riches.

Can a man be brave and honored at the same time? Yes, but no man is brave because he is honored, though if he is brave he may find himself actually worthy of respect.

Can a man be temperate and satisfied in all his desires? Yes, but no man is temperate because he is satisfied, though by practicing self-control he will be able to truly value pleasure.

We confuse ourselves when we swap the priority of Nature and Fortune. A man will be good because he has innately good qualities within him, and no amount of external circumstances will make him good. Where virtue is truly present, it will not permit vice to stand in her way, but when only fortune is present, vice may all too easily be at her side.

Written in 9/2015