7 - Classical humanism on the American Indians: Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda (II)

Summary

Prudence, the ruler, and the laws

I have already remarked that among the traditional Stoic–Christian moral virtues justice holds pride of place in Sepúlveda's mind. He acknowledges two variations to the theme of justice. In the first justice ‘is defined as the constant and perpetual will to give each his own’. In the second justice is taken in a much broader sense as aiming ‘at the public good’. In this fashion Sepúlveda knits together good citizenship, justice, and the laws. The tapestry, however, is not complete until the basic role of the ruler is explained. According to Sepúlveda the specific virtue which typifies the good ruler is different from that which concretely adorns the good civil subject, although the remaining virtues are common to both.

The virtue proper to the good ruler is prudence, also known as the civil faculty, for both spring from the same habitual inclination…By prudence we understand the prevailing disposition to discern, according to reason, those things which are good for man from the bad ones; and the civil faculty is that same habit when applied to the governance of the commonwealth and its parts.

Beyond question, with the identification of prudentia with the facultas viro civilis Sepúlveda brings the moral virtues fully within the social and political order inseparable from the civitas' scope.