Consternation is attributed to one whose Desire to avoid an evil is restrained by wonder at the evil he fears.

Exp.: Consternation, therefore, is a species of Cowardice. But because Consternation arises from a double Timidity, it can be more conveniently defined as a Fear that keeps a man senseless or vacillating so that he cannot avert the evil. I say senseless insofar as we understand that his Desire to avert the evil is restrained by wonder, and vacillating insofar as we conceive that that Desire is restrained by Timidity regarding another evil, which torments him equally, so that he does not know which of the two to avert. On these see P39 S and P52 S. As for Cowardice and Daring, see P51 S.