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and very complex, and when ordered to go to the pharmacist or the perfume-seller, they would sooner give up the ghost than loosen their purse-strings. For being earthly in their disposition, they consider the possession of earthly materials to be life. 3.6.1 These men are greatly pained by common prosperities, but misfortunes make them glad. 3.6.1 They pray for the issuance of edicts for unbearable taxes, so that they may increase their silver with interest; they desire to see those being strangled by their creditors, so that they might acquire a field or a vessel or an animal cheaply, cast aside out of necessity. 3.6.2 And they constantly look up to heaven like the philosophers, those who ponder celestial matters, not seeking the rising of a star, nor observing which house holds one of the planets, but busily investigating the condition of the air, whether the appearing signs promise an influx of rain or a drought. And if they see something expected that is difficult for the many, they rejoice in the misfortune of others. 3.6.3 They gather everything in their storerooms, sealing it securely, and they lock it with double bolts; they measure it out and count it unceasingly. But while the greedy man is occupied with such hope and for the time being grows rich in his dreams in the shadowy outline of his thoughts, if a heavy cloud appears, he is afraid as if he were in danger. If raindrops sprinkle the earth, he begins to weep quietly; and if a rain comes sufficient to cure the drought, the matter is complete mourning. 3.6.4 He then goes about to everyone, conferring about the grain as if about a son in danger, what is the cure, what is the device, so that it may be sufficient for a long time, so that it may escape the damage of moths. And if he perceives a heatwave, like doctors with those who are delirious, he spreads it out, divides it, and cools it down, he sits by it laboring, he contrives a covering during midday, he exposes it from the shadows at night, so that it might be fanned by the nocturnal breezes. 3.7.1 While he is toiling over these things, the poor man stands beside him, asking for some of the endangered grain, and he does not give it; or if he gives, he grants it sparingly and is half-dead, clinging tightly to his grain. Do not, therefore, toil endlessly and grievously, such a man, I beg you. For even the greedy man who lives in luxury is worthy of pity, who limits his life to his belly and other pleasures, considering this the end of humanity. But the petty and stingy man has no measure for his wretchedness, taking the things of many and not giving to himself, and his zeal results in nothing. 3.7.2 For who does not know that nothing that is done, except for the virtues, is done for its own sake, but we do one thing in order to accomplish another? No one sails the sea for the sake of sailing, nor does a farmer live with his toils for the sake of farming; but it is clear that both persevere in painful things, the one so that he may receive the produce of the earth, the other so that he may acquire the wealth of maritime commerce. But you, tell me what is your goal. Is it to accumulate? And what kind of end is this, to heap up useless material and look at it? 3.7.3 The sight itself delights me, he says. Therefore, pursue your own sickness in another way. For it is possible also to gratify your desire with the money of others. If the gleam of silver delights you, sit by the silversmiths and gaze at the thick and gleaming radiance, or go to the shops and delight in the various vessels, both serving-dishes and pitchers; for the sight is free for you and unhindered. 3.7.4 See also the money-changers at their tables, constantly handling and counting the coins; but rather, persuaded by good advice, change your mind. For the correction is easy, since greed is not a necessity of nature, but an impulse of choice, which is not difficult to change for those who consider what is advantageous. 3.8.1 Look forward with your reason to the time to come, when you will not be, when a little earth will hold your outstretched, senseless body; and a slab of a few spans will cover your remains. Where then will be the wealth and the collected treasures? Who of the

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καὶ πολυσύνθετα, καὶ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς τὸν φαρμακοπώλην ἢ τὸ μυροπώλιον κελευσθῶσιν, θᾶττον τὴν ψυχὴν ἀφίεντας ἢ λύοντας τὸ βαλάντιον. Γήϊνοι γὰρ ὄντες τὸ φρόνημα τὴν κτῆσιν τῶν γηΐνων ὑλῶν νομίζουσι τὴν ζωήν. 3.6.1 Τούτους λυποῦσιν ἄγαν καὶ αἱ κοιναὶ εὐπραγίαι, εὐφραίνουσι δὲ αἱ 3.6.1 περιστάσεις. Εὔχονται καὶ φόρων ἀνυποΐστων φοιτᾶν ἐπιτάγματα, ἵνα τόκοις πλεονάσωσι τὸ ἀργύριον· ἐπιθυμοῦσι βλέπειν τοὺς παρὰ τῶν δανειστῶν ἀγχομένους, ἵνα κτήσωνται τὸν ἀγρὸν ἢ τὸ σκεῦος ἢ τὸ ζῷον εὐώνως ἐκ τῆς ἀνάγκης ῥιπτούμενον. 3.6.2 Συνεχῶς δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβλέπουσι κατὰ τοὺς φιλοσόφους, τοὺς τὰ μετέωρα φροντιστάς, οὐκ ἀστέρος ἐπιτολὴν ζητοῦντες, οὐδὲ τίς οἶκος ἕνα τῶν πλανητῶν ἔχει περισκοπούμενοι, ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀέρος πολυπραγμονοῦντες κατάστασιν, εἰ τὰ προφαινόμενα σημεῖα ὄμβρων ἐπιρροὴν ἢ αὐχμὸν ἐπαγγέλλεται. Κἂν ἴδωσί τι τοῖς πολλοῖς δυσχερὲς προσδοκώμενον, εὐφραίνονται τῇ τῶν ἄλλων κακώσει. 3.6.3 Πάντα συνάγουσιν ἐν τοῖς ταμιείοις ἀσφαλῶς κατασημαίνοντες καὶ δισσοῖς κλείθροις κατασφαλίζονται· διαμετροῦντες ἀλήκτως ψηφίζουσιν. Ἀσχολουμένου δὲ τοῦ πλεονέκτου περὶ τὴν τοιαύτην ἐλπίδα καὶ τέως ὄναρ πλουτοῦντος ἐν τῇ σκιαγραφίᾳ τῶν ἐννοιῶν, ἐὰν ἐπιγένηται νέφος βαθύ, φοβεῖται ὡς κινδυνεύσων. Ἂν ψεκάδες τὴν γῆν ἐπιρραίνωσιν, ὑποδακρύειν ἄρχεται· ἂν δὲ καὶ ὑετὸς ἐπιγένηται ἀρκῶν τὸν αὐχμὸν ἐξιάσασθαι, πένθος τέλειον τὸ πρᾶγμα. 3.6.4 Περινοστεῖ λοιπὸν πᾶσι συσκοπούμενος περὶ τοῦ σίτου ὡς υἱοῦ κινδυνεύοντος, τίς ἴασις, τίς μηχανή, ἵνα πρὸς πολὺν αὐταρκέσῃ χρόνον, ἵνα τῶν σητῶν διαφύγῃ τὸ πάθος. Κἂν αἴσθηται καύσωνος, ὡς ἰατροὶ τοὺς διαφορουμένους διαπλώσας αὐτόν, καταμερίζει καὶ καταψύχει, μοχθῶν προσκαθέζεται, σκέπην κατὰ τὴν μεσημβρίαν σοφίζεται, τὰς σκιὰς νυκτὸς ἀπογυμνοῖ, ἵνα ταῖς αὔραις ταῖς νυκτεριναῖς ὑποπνέηται. 3.7.1 Ταῦτα αὐτῷ ταλαιπωροῦντι ὁ πένης παρίσταται, ζητῶν ἐκ τοῦ κινδυνεύοντος σίτου, καὶ οὐ δίδωσιν· ἢ δούς, φειδωλῶς χαρίζεται καὶ ἡμίθνητος τοῦ σίτου σφόδρα περιεχόμενος. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀπέραντα μόχθει καὶ χαλέπα, ὁ τοιοῦτος, παρακαλῶ. Ἐλέου μὲν γὰρ ἄξιος καὶ ὁ τρυφῶν πλεονέκτης, ὁ τῇ γαστρὶ καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις ἡδοναῖς περιορίζων τὸν βίον, τοῦτο τέλος νομίζων τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος. Ὁ δὲ μικροπρεπὴς καὶ σμικρολόγος οὐδὲ μέτρον ἔχει τῆς ἀθλιότητος, λαμβάνων τὰ τῶν πολλῶν καὶ ἑαυτῷ μὴ διδούς, εἰς οὐδὲν δὲ καταλήγων τῆς σπουδῆς ἀποτέλεσμα. 3.7.2 Τίς γὰρ οὐκ οἶδεν, ὡς οὐδὲν τῶν γινομένων, πλὴν τῶν ἀρετῶν, αὐτὸ δι' ἑαυτὸ γίνεται, ἀλλ' ἕτερόν τι πράττομεν, ἵν' ἄλλο κατορθώσωμεν; Οὐδεὶς πλέων δι' αὐτὸ τὸ πλεῖν θαλαττεύει, οὐδὲ γεωργῶν δι' αὐτὸ τὸ γεωργεῖν τοῖς πόνοις συζῇ· ἀλλὰ πρόδηλον, ὡς τοῖς λυπηροῖς ἐγκαρτε ροῦσιν ἀμφότεροι, ὁ μὲν ἵνα τὴν ἐπικαρπίαν τῆς γῆς, ὁ δὲ ἵνα τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς ναυτικῆς ἐμπορίας κομίσηται. Σὺ δέ, τί τὸ σὸν πέρας εἰπέ. Ἵνα συναγάγῃς; Καὶ ποῖον τοῦτο τέλος, τὸ ἄχρηστον ὕλην σωρεύσαντα βλέπειν; 3.7.3 Τέρπει με, φησί, καὶ ἡ θέα. Οὐκοῦν ἄλλως τὸ σαυτοῦ νόσημα μέτελθε. Ἔξεστιν γὰρ καὶ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις χρήμασι προσαναπαύειν τὸν πόθον. Εἰ εὐφραίνει σε τὸ στιλπνὸν τοῦ ἀργυρίου, προσκαθήμενος τοῖς ἀργυροχόοις ἀπόβλεπε πρὸς τὴν πυκνὴν καὶ στίλβουσαν αὐγήν, ἢ καὶ τὰ πρατήρια καταλαμβάνων τέρπου τοῖς ποικίλοις σκεύεσιν, ὀψοφόροις τε καὶ προχόοις· προῖκα γάρ σοι καὶ ἀκώλυτον ἡ θέα. 3.7.4 Ὅρα καὶ τοὺς ἀργυρογνώμονας τοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν τραπεζῶν ψηλαφῶντας καὶ ἀριθμοῦντας συνεχῶς τὰ νομίσματα· μᾶλλον δὲ παραινέσει πεισθεὶς ἀγαθῇ μετάθου τῆς γνώμης. Εὔκολος γὰρ ἡ διόρθωσις, ἐπειδὴ μὴ φύσεώς ἐστιν ἀνάγκη πλεονεξία, ὁρμὴ δὲ προαιρέσεως, ἣν μεταβαλεῖν τοῖς τὸ συμφέρον ἐπιλογιζομένοις οὐ χαλεπόν. 3.8.1 Ὑπέρκυψον τῷ λογισμῷ εἰς τὸν ἑξῆς χρόνον, ὅτε οὐκ ἔσῃ, ὅτε μικρὰ γῆ καθέξει σοῦ διηπλωμένον τὸ σῶμα ἀναίσθητον· πλὰξ δὲ ὀλίγων σπιθαμῶν καλύψει τὸ λείψανον. Ποῦ τότε ὁ πλοῦτος καὶ τὰ συναχθέντα κειμήλια; Τίς ὁ τῶν