Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was a Roman Catholic theologian, philosopher and scholastic university professor. His teachings and writings were immensely influential during his lifetime and continue to be read to this day.

The incunable in our collection contains Thomas Aquinas’ discussion and response to twelve so-called quodlibetal questions: this was a type of medieval disputation held at European universities at the time. The question on the page displayed in the University's exhibition deals with the question “Is truth stronger than wine, kings, and women?” (QL 12, question 13, article 1). To this question, Thomas Aquinas responds emphatically in the affirmative: he argues that truth is the strongest factor since it affects the human soul instead of the body. Aquinas places women in a clear second place since they could control even the strongest men with their sensual powers.