ch is
reserved till the last judgment. For when it was said to him: 'Thou
art cursed among all cattle and beasts of the earth,' the cattle are
set above him, not in power, but in the preservation of their nature,
since the cattle lost no heavenly bliss, seeing that they never had
it, but they continue to live in the nature which they received." It
is also said to him: "'Upon thy breast and belly shalt thou creep,'"
according to another version [*The Septuagint] "Here the breast
signifies pride, because it is there that the impulse of the soul
dominates, while the belly denotes carnal desire, because this part
of the body is softest to the touch: and on these he creeps to those
whom he wishes to deceive." The words, "'Earth shalt thou eat all the
days of thy life' may be understood in two ways. Either 'Those shall
belong to thee, whom thou shalt deceive by earthly lust,' namely
sinners who are signified under the name of earth, or a third kind of
temptation, namely curiosity, is signified by these words: for to eat
earth is to look into things deep and dark." The putting of enmities
between him and the woman "means that we cannot be tempted by the
devil, except through that part of the soul which bears or reflects
the likeness of a woman. The seed of the devil is the temptation to
evil, the seed of the woman is the fruit of good works, whereby the
temptation to evil is resisted. Wherefore the serpent lies in wait
for the woman's heel, that if at any time she fall away towards what
is unlawful, pleasure may seize hold of her: and she watches his head
that she may shut him out at the very outset of the evil temptation."
_______________________

QUESTION 166

OF STUDIOUSNESS
(In Two Articles)

We must next consider studiousness and its opposite, curiosity.
Concerning studiousness there are two points of inquiry:

(1) What is the matter of studiousness?

(2) Whether it is a part of temperance?
_______________________

FIRST ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 166, Art. 1]

Whether the Proper Matter of Studiousness Is Knowledge?

Objection 1: It would seem that knowledge is not the proper matter of
studiousness. For a person is said to be studious because he applies
study to certain things. Now a man ought to apply study to every
matter, in order to do aright what has to be done. Therefore
seemingly knowledge is not the special matter of studiousness.

Obj. 2: Further, studiousness is opposed to curiosity. Now curiosity,
which i