m belongs. And since patience serves fortitude
on the part of its chief act, viz. endurance, hence it is that
martyrs are also praised for their patience.
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THIRD ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 124, Art. 3]

Whether Martyrdom Is an Act of the Greatest Perfection?

Objection 1: It seems that martyrdom is not an act of the greatest
perfection. For seemingly that which is a matter of counsel and not
of precept pertains to perfection, because, to wit, it is not
necessary for salvation. But it would seem that martyrdom is
necessary for salvation, since the Apostle says (Rom. 10:10), "With
the heart we believe unto justice, but with the mouth confession is
made unto salvation," and it is written (1 John 3:16), that "we ought
to lay down our lives for the brethren." Therefore martyrdom does not
pertain to perfection.

Obj. 2: Further, it seems to point to greater perfection that a man
give his soul to God, which is done by obedience, than that he give
God his body, which is done by martyrdom: wherefore Gregory says
(Moral. xxxv) that "obedience is preferable to all sacrifices."
Therefore martyrdom is not an act of the greatest perfection.

Obj. 3: Further, it would seem better to do good to others than to
maintain oneself in good, since the "good of the nation is better
than the good of the individual," according to the Philosopher
(Ethic. i, 2). Now he that suffers martyrdom profits himself alone,
whereas he that teaches does good to many. Therefore the act of
teaching and guiding subjects is more perfect than the act of
martyrdom.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine (De Sanct. Virgin. xlvi) prefers
martyrdom to virginity which pertains to perfection. Therefore
martyrdom seems to belong to perfection in the highest degree.

_I answer that,_ We may speak of an act of virtue in two ways. First,
with regard to the species of that act, as compared to the virtue
proximately eliciting it. In this way martyrdom, which consists in
the due endurance of death, cannot be the most perfect of virtuous
acts, because endurance of death is not praiseworthy in itself, but
only in so far as it is directed to some good consisting in an act of
virtue, such as faith or the love of God, so that this act of virtue
being the end is better.

A virtuous act may be considered in another way, in comparison with
its first motive cause, which is the love of charity, and it is in
this respect that an act comes to belong to the perfection of