Whether magnificence is a virtue?

❌ Objection 1 : It seems that magnificence is not a virtue. For whoever has one virtue has all the virtues, as stated above (FS, Question [65], Article [1]). But one may have the other virtues without having magnificence: because the Philosopher says (Ethic. iv, 2) that "not every liberal man is magnificent." Therefore magnificence is not a virtue.

❌ Objection 2 : Further, moral virtue observes the mean, according to Ethic. ii, 6. But magnificence does not seemingly observe the mean, for it exceeds liberality in greatness. Now "great" and "little" are opposed to one another as extremes, the mean of which is "equal," as stated in Metaph. x. Hence magnificence observes not the mean, but the extreme. Therefore it is not a virtue.

❌ Objection 3 : Further, no virtue is opposed to a natural inclination, but on the contrary perfects it, as stated above (Question [108], Article [2]; Question [117], Article [1], Objection [1]). Now according to the Philosopher (Ethic. iv, 2) the "magnificent man is not lavish towards himself": and this is opposed to the natural inclination one has to look after oneself. Therefore magnificence is not a virtue.

❌ Objection 4 : Further, according to the Philosopher (Ethic. vi, 4) "act is right reason about things to be made." Now magnificence is about things to be made, as its very name denotes [*Magnificence= magna facere---i.e. to make great things]. Therefore it is an act rather than a virtue.