Wherefore, if wealth cannot get rid of want, and makes new wants of its own, how can ye believe that it bestows independence ?' SONG III.
THE INSATIABLENESS OF AVARICE.
Though the covetous grown wealthy See his piles of gold rise high; Though he gather store of treasure That can never satisfy; Though with pearls his gorget blazes, Rarest that the ocean yields; Though a hundred head of oxen Travail in his ample fields; Ne'er shall carking care forsake him While he draws this vital breath, And his riches go not with him, When his eyes are closed in death.
IV.
'Well, but official dignity clothes him to whom it comes with honour and reverence! Have, then, offices of state such power as to plant virtue in the minds of their possessors, and drive out vice?
Nay, they are rather wont to signalize iniquity than to chase it away, and hence arises our indignation that honours so often fall to the most iniquitous of men.
Accordingly, Catullus calls Nonius an "ulcer-spot," though "sitting in the curule chair." Dost not see what infamy high position brings upon the bad?
Surely their unworthiness will be less conspicuous if their rank does not draw upon them the public notice! In thy own case, wouldst thou ever have been induced by all these perils to think of sharing office with Decoratus, since thou hast discerned in him the spirit of a rascally parasite and informer?
No; we cannot deem men worthy of reverence on account of their office, whom we deem unworthy of the office itself.

But didst thou see a man endued with wisdom, couldst thou suppose him not worthy of reverence, nor of that wisdom with which he was endued ?' 'No; certainly not.' 'There is in Virtue a dignity of her own which she forthwith passes over to those to whom she is united.

And since public honours cannot do this, it is clear that they do not possess the true beauty of dignity.

And here this well deserves to be noticed--that if a man is the more scorned in proportion as he is despised by a greater number, high position not only fails to win reverence for the wicked, but even loads them the more with contempt by drawing more attention to them.

But not without retribution; for the wicked pay back a return in kind to the dignities they put on by the pollution of their touch.