1 Objection 1: It would seem that there is no precedence among the demons. For every precedence is according to some order of justice. But the demons are wholly fallen from justice. Therefore there is no precedence among them.
1 Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod in Daemonibus non sit praelatio. Omnis enim praelatio est secundum aliquem ordinem iustitiae. Sed Daemones totaliter a iustitia ceciderunt. Ergo in eis non est praelatio.
2 Objection 2: Further, there is no precedence where obedience and subjection do not exist. But these cannot be without concord; which is not to be found among the demons, according to the text, Among the proud there are always contentions Prov. 13, 10). Therefore there is no precedence among the demons.
2 Praeterea, ubi non est obedientia et subiectio, non est praelatio. Haec autem sine concordia esse non possunt; quae in Daemonibus nulla est, secundum illud Prov. XIII, inter superbos semper sunt iurgia. Ergo in Daemonibus non est praelatio.
3 Objection 3: If there be precedence among them it is either according to nature, or according to their sin or punishment. But it is not according to their nature, for subjection and service do not come from nature but from subsequent sin; neither is it according to sin or punishment, because in that case the superior demons who have sinned the most grievously, would be subject to the inferior. Therefore there is no precedence among the demons.
3 Praeterea, si in eis est aliqua praelatio, aut hoc pertinet ad eorum naturam, aut ad eorum culpam vel poenam. Sed non ad eorum naturam, quia subiectio et servitus non est ex natura, sed est ex peccato subsecuta. Nec pertinet ad culpam vel poenam, quia sic superiores Daemones, qui magis peccaverunt, inferioribus subderentur. Non ergo est praelatio in Daemonibus.
4 On the contrary, On 1 Cor. 15, 24 the gloss says: While the world lasts, angels will preside over angels, men over men, and demons over demons.
4 Sed contra est quod dicit Glossa, I ad Cor. XV, quandiu durat mundus, Angeli Angelis, homines hominibus, et Daemones Daemonibus praesunt.
5 I answer that, Since action follows the nature of a thing, where natures are subordinate, actions also must be subordinate to each other. Thus it is in corporeal things, for as the inferior bodies by natural order are below the heavenly bodies, their actions and movements are subject to the actions and movements of the heavenly bodies. Now it is plain from what we have said Article 1), that the demons are by natural order subject to others; and hence their actions are subject to the action of those above them, and this is what we mean by precedence, that the action of the subject should be under the action of the prelate. So the very natural disposition of the demons requires that there should be authority among them. This agrees too with Divine wisdom, which leaves nothing inordinate, which reacheth from end to end mightily, and ordereth all things sweetly Wis. 8, 1).
5 Respondeo dicendum quod, cum actio sequatur naturam rei, quorumcumque naturae sunt ordinatae, oportet quod etiam actiones sub invicem ordinentur. Sicut patet in rebus corporalibus, quia enim inferiora corpora naturali ordine sunt infra corpora caelestia actiones et motus eorum subduntur actionibus et motibus caelestium corporum. Manifestum est autem ex praemissis quod Daemonum quidam naturali ordine sub aliis constituuntur. Unde et actiones eorum sub actionibus superiorum sunt. Et hoc est quod rationem praelationis facit, ut scilicet actio subditi subdatur actioni praelati. Sic igitur ipsa naturalis dispositio Daemonum requirit quod sit in eis praelatio. Convenit etiam hoc divinae sapientiae, quae nihil in universo inordinatum relinquit, quae attingit a fine usque ad finem fortiter, et disponit omnia suaviter, ut dicitur Sap. VIII.
6 Reply to Objection 1: The authority of the demons is not founded on their justice, but on the justice of God ordering all things.
6 Ad primum ergo dicendum quod praelatio Daemonum non fundatur super eorum iustitia, sed super iustitia Dei cuncta ordinantis.
7 Reply to Objection 2: The concord of the demons, whereby some obey others, does not arise from mutual friendships, but from their common wickedness whereby they hate men, and fight against God's justice. For it belongs to wicked men to be joined to and subject to those whom they see to be stronger, in order to carry out their own wickedness.
7 Ad secundum dicendum quod concordia Daemonum, qua quidam aliis obediunt, non est ex amicitia quam inter se habeant; sed ex communi nequitia, qua homines odiunt, et Dei iustitiae repugnant. Est enim proprium hominum impiorum, ut eis se adiungant et subiiciant, ad propriam nequitiam exequendam, quos potiores viribus vident.
8 Reply to Objection 3: The demons are not equal in nature; and so among them there exists a natural precedence; which is not the case with men, who are naturally equal. That the inferior are subject to the superior, is not for the benefit of the superior, but rather to their detriment; because since to do evil belongs in a pre-eminent degree to unhappiness, it follows that to preside in evil is to be more unhappy.
8 Ad tertium dicendum quod Daemones non sunt aequales secundum naturam, unde in eis est naturalis praelatio. Quod in hominibus non contingit, qui natura sunt pares. Quod autem superioribus inferiores subdantur, non est ad bonum superiorum, sed magis ad malum eorum; quia cum mala facere maxime ad miseriam pertineat, praeesse in malis est esse magis miserum.