1207. About those who are honorable on the outside, but inwardly grasping
There are some people who outwardly wear an honest expression and live an honorable life, so that no one could suspect such a person of being anything but virtuous. For they make every effort to appear so for the sake of being respected. Then too, if they are trying to get ahead, there is a natural fear of looking anything other than virtuous to anyone, even though such people are inwardly the kind that if they could strip everyone of their property, they would do so with pleasure. But though they do not do so, still they want to, but their respectability and the laws of society, as well as other factors, prevent them from putting their desire into action.
Therefore, if it would not appear plainly to the world, they would do it without conscience, and perhaps even did do it when they could be sure it would not be uncovered. They are even not afraid to do such a thing by using other people, just so the blame falls on those carrying it out, while they themselves do not appear to be to blame.
So it is just as if they had committed the act themselves, and on top of this is added the deception of trying to do it under cover, making use of other people.
1207. CONCERNING THOSE WHO ARE HONEST IN EXTERNALS, BUT INWARDLY ARE RAPACIOUS
There are some who outwardly have an honest face and life, so that no one can suspect that they are any otherwise than honest, for they take the greatest care so to appear on account of their own honor. If they strive to advance there is then an innate fear lest they should appear differently to any one, although they are inwardly such, that if they could despoil any one of his goods they would do so with pleasure. Even though they do not despoil others they still desire to do it, but self-honor, the laws of society, and other things, restrain them from carrying it out in deed. If, therefore, it would not become plainly manifest to the world, they would do it without conscience; and perhaps also they have done it when they could know that it would not be detected. Nor do they fear to do the like by means of others so long as the blame falls upon those who do it, and no blame appears attached to themselves. Wherefore, they are such as though they had actually done it, and in addition deceit is added since they desired to do it secretly, or by means of others.
1207. De iis, qui in externis sunt honesti, intus vero rapaces
Dantur quidam, qui extrinsecus ferunt faciem et vitam honestam, sic ut nemo suspicari possit, quod [talis] alius sit quam honestus, studet enim omni modo ita apparere, ob causam sui honoris; si affectat ascendere, tunc quoque innatus est timor, ut nulli aliter appareat, tametsi intus tales sunt, ut si unumquemvis spoliare possent suis bonis, id cum delectamento facerent; ii quamvis non faciunt id, usque cupiunt facere, sed honor sui, et leges societatis, praeter alia arcent, ne id in actum exserant: si itaque non patesceret prorsus mundo, tunc absque conscientia id facerent, et forte etiam fecerunt, dum potuere scire, quod non detegeretur, etiam per alios simile facere, non timent, modo culpa in eos redundat, qui faciunt, ac ipsi non in culpa appareant: quare ii sunt tales, sicut fecissent actu, ac insuper additur dolus, quod clam id facere cupiant, aut per alios.