t the spirit. Wherefore it was not possible for the
first inordinateness in the human appetite to result from his
coveting a sensible good, to which the concupiscence of the flesh
tends against the order of reason. It remains therefore that the
first inordinateness of the human appetite resulted from his coveting
inordinately some spiritual good. Now he would not have coveted it
inordinately, by desiring it according to his measure as established
by the Divine rule. Hence it follows that man's first sin consisted
in his coveting some spiritual good above his measure: and this
pertains to pride. Therefore it is evident that man's first sin was
pride.

Reply Obj. 1: Man's disobedience to the Divine command was not willed
by man for his own sake, for this could not happen unless one
presuppose inordinateness in his will. It remains therefore that he
willed it for the sake of something else. Now the first thing he
coveted inordinately was his own excellence; and consequently his
disobedience was the result of his pride. This agrees with the
statement of Augustine, who says (Ad Oros [*Dial. QQ. lxv, qu. 4])
that "man puffed up with pride obeyed the serpent's prompting, and
scorned God's commands."

Reply Obj. 2: Gluttony also had a place in the sin of our first
parents. For it is written (Gen. 3:6): "The woman saw that the tree
was good to eat, and fair to the eyes, and delightful to behold, and
she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat." Yet the very goodness
and beauty of the fruit was not their first motive for sinning, but
the persuasive words of the serpent, who said (Gen. 3:5): "Your eyes
shall be opened and you shall be as Gods": and it was by coveting
this that the woman fell into pride. Hence the sin of gluttony
resulted from the sin of pride.

Reply Obj. 3: The desire for knowledge resulted in our first parents
from their inordinate desire for excellence. Hence the serpent began
by saying: "You shall be as Gods," and added: "Knowing good and evil."

Reply Obj. 4: According to Augustine (Gen. ad lit. xi, 30), "the
woman had not believed the serpent's statement that they were
debarred by God from a good and useful thing, were her mind not
already filled with the love of her own power, and a certain proud
self-presumption." This does not mean that pride preceded the
promptings of the serpent, but that as soon as the serpent had spoken
his words of persuasion, her mind was puffed up, the result being
that she be