was born in 1225 and died in 1274. He is considered the greatest theologian in history, a towering intellectual giant whose thoughts were written down in a series of monumental syntheses. Among them: the Summa contra Gentiles, written from 1259 to 1264, and the Summa Theologica, written from 1266 to 1273. He did commentaries on the Bible, and commentaries on the great Greek philosopher, Aristotle, a move that helped launch the rediscovery of Greek humanism in Europe. Thomas wrote in Latin, which was the scholarly language of his day, but his works have been translated and are not only available in most libraries, they are also available on the Internet. You can find the Summa Theologica, for instance, at www.knight.org/advent/summa/summa.html. Naturally enough, Pope John XXII made Thomas, who was a Dominican monk, a canonized saint in 1323, a highwater year in the medieval church. In 1567, a highwater year in the renaissance church, Pope Pius V named Thomas a Doctor of the Church, the Church's highest scholarly honor.

Model: Thomas's purity of heart. He was called Doctor Angelicus because he lived a notably chaste life, apparently able to keep his thoughts centered on matters of the spirit, and away from what ascetical writers call "fantasms of the flesh." He did so through prayer and acts of mortification, such as fasting.

Angels and demons. If you were born on March 5, you have a sunny and dark side to your personality. To the world, you may seem charming and sweet, but inside you are wrestling demons. Ruled by the number 5 and the planet Mercury, you are quick of thought and recover fast from misfortune.

Artistic release. If you are creative, you are able to express both sides of your nature in your work without many conflicts. Problems usually arise in your personal life. You are a deep person, tapping into a whole range of emotions, for better or worse. You bring out the best and worst in others by exposing their every weakness and insecurity.

Never too much. You live an intense life and are open to a wider range of expe riences than most people can handle. There's nothing too bright, too scary or too loud for you. You are also moody. You can be logical and emotionally stable, then turn passionate and irrational at the drop of a hat. This often overwhelms those around you.

Self-awareness. Because you go through a revolving door of relationships, you can get to feeling alone in this cruel world. You wonder if you'll ever find the right person. Those that recognize their own difficult nature as the cause of these problems may learn to balance their emotions and simplify their life.

Some advice: Stay tuned to the effect you have on others. Look at yourself objectively and don't let your energy burn out of control. Be nicer to yourself and others.

Also born on this day:
Pier Paolo Pasolini (Italian film director) Rex Harrison (British actor) Zhou En-Lai (Chinese premier) Rosa Luxembourg (German socialist leader) Charles Fuller (playwright) Dean Stockwell (actor) Elaine Page (British musical star) Wang Zeng Qi (Chinese writer) Josephine Herbst (journalist, writer) Lynn Margulis (biologist, writer) Willis Alan Ramsey (singer, songwriter) Samantha Eggar (British actress) Eugen Fodor (violinist)