the doorkeeper for the king.

Reply Obj. 2: Prudence considers the means of acquiring happiness,
but wisdom considers the very object of happiness, viz. the Supreme
Intelligible. And if indeed the consideration of wisdom were perfect
in respect of its object, there would be perfect happiness in the act
of wisdom: but as, in this life, the act of wisdom is imperfect in
respect of its principal object, which is God, it follows that the
act of wisdom is a beginning or participation of future happiness, so
that wisdom is nearer than prudence to happiness.

Reply Obj. 3: As the Philosopher says (De Anima i, text. 1), "one
knowledge is preferable to another, either because it is about a
higher object, or because it is more certain." Hence if the objects
be equally good and sublime, that virtue will be greater which
possesses more certain knowledge. But a virtue which is less certain
about a higher and better object, is preferable to that which is more
certain about an object of inferior degree. Wherefore the Philosopher
says (De Coelo ii, text. 60) that "it is a great thing to be able to
know something about celestial beings, though it be based on weak and
probable reasoning"; and again (De Part. Animal. i, 5) that "it is
better to know a little about sublime things, than much about mean
things." Accordingly wisdom, to which knowledge about God pertains,
is beyond the reach of man, especially in this life, so as to be his
possession: for this "belongs to God alone" (Metaph. i, 2): and yet
this little knowledge about God which we can have through wisdom is
preferable to all other knowledge.

Reply Obj. 4: The truth and knowledge of indemonstrable principles
depends on the meaning of the terms: for as soon as we know what is a
whole, and what is a part, we know at once that every whole is
greater than its part. Now to know the meaning of being and
non-being, of whole and part, and of other things consequent to
being, which are the terms whereof indemonstrable principles are
constituted, is the function of wisdom: since universal being is the
proper effect of the Supreme Cause, which is God. And so wisdom makes
use of indemonstrable principles which are the object of
understanding, not only by drawing conclusions from them, as other
sciences do, but also by passing its judgment on them, and by
vindicating them against those who deny them. Hence it follows that
wisdom is a greater virtue than understanding.
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