1although these attacks against gold and silver may be
directed especially
against money, yet inasmuch as the Poets one after another condemn it,
their criticism must be met, and this can be done by one argument alone.
Money is good for those who use it well; it brings loss and evil to those who
use it ill. Hence, very rightly, Horace says:
against money, yet inasmuch as the Poets one after another condemn it,
their criticism must be met, and this can be done by one argument alone.
Money is good for those who use it well; it brings loss and evil to those who
use it ill. Hence, very rightly, Horace says:
“Wealth hoarded up is the master or slave of each possessor; it
should follow rather than lead, the ‘twisted rope.’ ”23
should follow rather than lead, the ‘twisted rope.’ ”23
When ingenious and clever men considered carefully the system of barter,
which ignorant men of old employed and which even to-day is used by
certain uncivilised and barbarous races, it appeared to them so troublesome
and laborious that they invented money. Indeed, nothing more useful
could have been devised, because a small amount of gold and silver is of as
great value as things cumbrous and heavy; and so peoples far distant from one
another can, by the use of money, trade very easily in those things which
civilised life can scarcely do without.
which ignorant men of old employed and which even to-day is used by
certain uncivilised and barbarous races, it appeared to them so troublesome
and laborious that they invented money. Indeed, nothing more useful
could have been devised, because a small amount of gold and silver is of as
great value as things cumbrous and heavy; and so peoples far distant from one
another can, by the use of money, trade very easily in those things which
civilised life can scarcely do without.
The curses which are uttered against iron, copper, and lead have no
weight with prudent and sensible men, because if these metals were done
away with, men, as their anger swelled and their fury became unbridled,
would assuredly fight like wild beasts with fists, heels, nails, and teeth.
They would strike each other with sticks, hit one another with stones, or
dash their foes to the ground. Moreover, a man does not kill another with
iron alone, but slays by means of poison, starvation, or thirst. He may
seize him by the throat and strangle him; he may bury him alive in the
ground; he may immerse him in water and suffocate him; he may burn
or hang him; so that he can make every element a participant in the death
of men. Or, finally, a man may be thrown to the wild beasts. Another
may be sewn up wholly except his head in a sack, and thus be left to be
devoured by worms; or he may be immersed in water until he is torn to
pieces by sea-serpents. A man may be boiled in oil; he may be greased,
tied with ropes, and left exposed to be stung by flies and hornets; he may
be put to death by scourging with rods or beating with cudgels, or struck
down by stoning, or flung from a high place. Furthermore, a man
may be tortured in more ways than one without the use of metals; as when
the executioner burns the groins and armpits of his victim with hot wax;
or places a cloth in his mouth gradually, so that when in breathing he
draws it slowly into his gullet, the executioner draws it back suddenly and
violently; or the victim's hands are fastened behind his back, and he is
drawn up little by little with a rope and then let down suddenly. Or
similarly, he may be tied to a beam and a heavy stone fastened by a
cord to his feet, or finally his limbs may be torn asunder. From these
examples we see that it is not metals that are to be condemned, but our
vices, such as anger, cruelty, discord, passion for power, avarice, and lust.
weight with prudent and sensible men, because if these metals were done
away with, men, as their anger swelled and their fury became unbridled,
would assuredly fight like wild beasts with fists, heels, nails, and teeth.
They would strike each other with sticks, hit one another with stones, or
dash their foes to the ground. Moreover, a man does not kill another with
iron alone, but slays by means of poison, starvation, or thirst. He may
seize him by the throat and strangle him; he may bury him alive in the
ground; he may immerse him in water and suffocate him; he may burn
or hang him; so that he can make every element a participant in the death
of men. Or, finally, a man may be thrown to the wild beasts. Another
may be sewn up wholly except his head in a sack, and thus be left to be
devoured by worms; or he may be immersed in water until he is torn to
pieces by sea-serpents. A man may be boiled in oil; he may be greased,
tied with ropes, and left exposed to be stung by flies and hornets; he may
be put to death by scourging with rods or beating with cudgels, or struck
down by stoning, or flung from a high place. Furthermore, a man
may be tortured in more ways than one without the use of metals; as when
the executioner burns the groins and armpits of his victim with hot wax;
or places a cloth in his mouth gradually, so that when in breathing he
draws it slowly into his gullet, the executioner draws it back suddenly and
violently; or the victim's hands are fastened behind his back, and he is
drawn up little by little with a rope and then let down suddenly. Or
similarly, he may be tied to a beam and a heavy stone fastened by a
cord to his feet, or finally his limbs may be torn asunder. From these
examples we see that it is not metals that are to be condemned, but our
vices, such as anger, cruelty, discord, passion for power, avarice, and lust.