From 388779fa1d039e1dd71fd3e4e26220a084d5258a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Michael Konieczny Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2020 18:16:53 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] CTS conversion --- .../tlg120/tlg0007.tlg120.perseus-eng4.xml | 587 ++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 587 insertions(+) create mode 100755 data/tlg0007/tlg120/tlg0007.tlg120.perseus-eng4.xml diff --git a/data/tlg0007/tlg120/tlg0007.tlg120.perseus-eng4.xml b/data/tlg0007/tlg120/tlg0007.tlg120.perseus-eng4.xml new file mode 100755 index 000000000..f0864eec9 --- /dev/null +++ b/data/tlg0007/tlg120/tlg0007.tlg120.perseus-eng4.xml @@ -0,0 +1,587 @@ + + + + + + + Against Running in Debt, or Taking up Money + Upon Usury + Plutarch + Goodwin + R. Smith + Perseus Project, Tufts University + Gregory Crane + + Prepared under the supervision of + Lisa Cerrato + Rashmi Singhal + Bridget Almas + + The National Endowment for the Humanities + + + Trustees of Tufts University + Medford, MA + Perseus Project + 2010-12-13 + + + + + Plutarch + Plutarch's Morals. + + Translated from the Greek by several hands. Corrected and revised by + William W. Goodwin, PH. D. + + + Boston + Little, Brown, and Company + Cambridge + Press Of John Wilson and son + 1874 + + 5 + + The Internet Archive + + + + + + +

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+ Against running in debt, or taking up money + upon usury. + +
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Plato in his LawsPlato, Laws, VIII. p. 844 B.permits not any one to go and + draw water from his neighbor's well, who has not first + digged and sunk a pit in his own ground till he is come to + a vein of clay, and has by his sounding experimented that + the place will not yield a spring. For the clay or potter's + earth, being of its own nature fatty, solid, and strong, + retains the moisture it receives, and will not let it soak or + pierce through. But it must be lawful for them to take + water from another's ground, when there is no way or + means for them to find any in their own; for the law ought + to provide for men's necessity, but not favor their laziness. + Should there not be the like ordinance also concerning + money; that none should be allowed to borrow upon + usury, nor to go and dive into other men's purses,—as + it were into their wells and fountains,—before they have + first searched at home and sounded every means for the + obtaining it; having collected (as it were) and gathered + together all the gutters and springs, to try if they can + draw from them what may suffice to supply their most + necessary occasions? But on the contrary, many there + are who, to defray their idle expenses and to satisfy their + extravagant and superfluous delights, make not use of + their own, but have recourse to others, running themselves + deeply into debt without any necessity. Now this may + + + + easily be judged, if one does but consider that usurers do + not ordinarily lend to those which are in distress, but only + to such as desire to obtain somewhat that is superfluous + and of which they stand not in need. So that the credit + given by the lender is a testimony sufficiently proving + that the borrower has of his own; whereas on the contrary, since he has of his own, he ought to keep himself + from borrowing.

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Why shouldst thou go and make thy court to a + banker or a merchant? Borrow from thine own table. + Thou hast tankards, dishes, and basins of silver. Make + use of them for thy necessity, and when they are gone to sup + ply thy wants, the pleasant town of Aulis or isle of Tenedos + will again refurnish thy board with fair vessels of earth, far + more cleanly and neat than those of silver. For they are + not scented with the strong and unpleasant smell of usury, + which, like rust, daily more and more sullies and tarnishes + the lustre of thy sumptuous magnificence. They will not be + every day putting thee in mind of the Kalends and + new moons, which, being of themselves the most holy + and sacred days of the months, are by reason of usuries + rendered the most odious and accursed. For as to those + who choose rather to carry their goods to the brokers and + there lay them in pawn for money taken upon usury than + to sell them outright, I do not believe that Jupiter Ctesius + himself can preserve them from beggary. They are + ashamed forsooth to receive the full price and value of + their goods; but they are not ashamed to pay use for + the money they have borrowed on them. And yet the + great and wise Pericles caused that costly ornament of + fine gold, weighing about forty talents, with which Minerva's statue was adorned, to be made in such a manner + that he could take it off and on at his pleasure; to the + end (said he) that when we shall stand in need of money + to support the charges of war, we may take it and make + + + + use of it, putting afterwards in its place another of no less + value. Thus we ought in our affairs, as in a besieged + town, never to admit or receive the hostile garrison of a + usurer, nor to endure before our eyes the delivering up + of our goods into perpetual servitude; but rather to cut + off from our table what is neither necessary nor profitable, + and in like manner from our beds, our couches, and our + ordinary expenses, and so to keep ourselves free and at liberty, in hopes to restore again what we shall have retrenched, if Fortune shall hereafter smile upon us.

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The Roman ladies heretofore willingly parted with + their jewels and ornaments of gold, for the making a cup + to be sent as an offering to the temple of Apollo Pythius + in the city of Delphi. And the Carthaginian matrons did + with their own hands cut the hair from their heads, to + make cords for the managing of their warlike engines and + instruments, in defence of their besieged city. But we, as + if we were ashamed of being able to stand on our own + legs without being supported by the assistance of others, + go and enslave ourselves by engagements and obligations; + whereas it were much better that, restraining our ambition + and confining it to what is profitable for us, we should of + our useless and superfluous plate, which we should either + melt or sell, build a temple of Liberty for ourselves, our + wives, and our children. The Goddess Diana in the city + of Ephesus gives to such debtors as can fly into her temple + freedom and protection against their creditors; but the + sanctuary of parsimony and moderation in expenses, into which no usurer can enter to pluck thence and carry + away any debtor prisoner, is always open for the prudent, + and affords them a long and large space of joyful and + honorable repose. For as the prophetess which gave + oracles in the temple of the Pythian Apollo, about the + time of the Persian wars, answered the Athenians, that + God had for their safety given them a wall of wood, upon + + + + which, forsaking their lands, their city, their houses, and + all their goods, they had recourse to their ships for the + preservation of their liberty; so God gives us a table of + wood, vessels of earth, and garments of coarse cloth, if + we desire to live and continue in freedom. + + + + Aim not at gilded coaches, steeds of price, + + And harness, richly wrought with quaint device; + + +

+

for how swiftly soever they may run, yet will usuries overtake them and outrun them. + Take rather the first ass thou shalt meet or the first packhorse that shall come in thy way, and fly from that cruel and + tyrannical enemy the usurer, who asks thee not earth and + water, as heretofore did the barbarous king of Persia, but + —which is worse—touches thy liberty, and wounds thy + honor by proscriptions. If thou payest him not, he troubles + thee; if thou hast wherewithal to satisfy him, he will not + receive it, unless it be his pleasure. If thou sellest, he will + have thy goods for nothing, or at a very under rate; and + if thou wilt not sell, he will force thee to it; if thou suest + him, he speaks to thee of an accommodation; if thou + swearest to give him content, he will domineer over thee; + if thou goest to his house to discourse with him, he shuts + his door against thee; if thou stayest at home, he is always + knocking at thy door and will never stir from thee.

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Of what use to the Athenians was the decree of + Solon, by which he ordained that the body should not be + obliged for any public debt? For they who owe are in + bondage to all bankers, and not to them alone (for then + there would be no great hurt), but to their very slaves, + who are proud, insolent, barbarous, and outrageous, and in + a word exactly such as Plato describes the devils and + fiery executioners to be, who in hell torment the souls + of the wicked. For thus do these wretched usurers make + the court where justice is administered a hell to the poor + + + + debtors, preying on some and gnawing them, vulture-like, + to the very bones, and + + + + Piercing into their entrails with sharp beaks; + Odyss. XI. 578. + + +

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and standing over others, who are, like so many Tantaluses, + prohibited by them from tasting the corn and fruits of their + own ground and drinking the wine of their own vintage. + And as King Darius sent to the city of Athens his lieutenants Datis and Artaphernes with chains and cords, to + bind the prisoners they should take; so these usurers, bringing into Greece boxes full of schedules, bills, and obligatory contracts, as so many irons and fetters for the + shackling of poor criminals, go through the cities, sowing in them, as they pass, not good and profitable seed,— + as did heretofore Triptolemus, when he went through all + places teaching the people to sow corn,—but roots and + grains of debts, that produce infinite labors and intolerable usuries, of which the end can never be found, and + which, eating their way and spreading their sprouts round + about, do in fine make cities bend under the burden, till + they come to be suffocated. They say that hares at the + same time suckle one young leveret, are ready to kindle + and bring forth another, and conceive a third; but the + usuries of these barbarous and wicked usurers bring forth + before they conceive. For at the very delivery of their + money, they immediately ask it back, taking it up at the + same moment they lay it down; and they let out that + again to interest which they take for the use of what they + have before lent.

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It is a saying among the Messenians, + + + + Pylos before Pylos, and Pylos still you'll find; + + +

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but it may much better be said against the usurers, + + + + Use before use, and use still more you'll find. + + +

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So that they laugh at those natural philosophers who hold + + + + that nothing can be made of nothing and of that which + has no existence; but with them usury is made and engendered of that which neither is nor ever was. They + think the taking to farm the customs and other public + tributes, which the laws nevertheless permit, to be a + shame and reproach; and yet themselves on the contrary, + in opposition to all the laws in the world, make men pay + tribute for what they lend upon interest; or rather, if + truth may be spoken, do in the very letting out their + money to use, basely deceive their debtor. For the poor + debtor, who receives less than he acknowledges in his + obligation, is falsely and dishonestly cheated. And the + Persians indeed repute lying to be a sin only in a second + degree, but to be in debt they repute to be in the first; + forasmuch as lying frequently attends those that owe. Now + there are not in the whole world any people who are + oftener guilty of lying than usurers, nor that practise more + unfaithfulness in their day-books, in which they set down + that they have delivered such a sum of money to such a + person, to whom they have not given nigh so much. And + the moving cause of their lying is pure avarice, not want + or poverty, but an insatiable desire of always having more, + the end of which is neither pleasurable nor profitable to + themselves, but ruinous and destructive to those whom + they injure. For they neither cultivate the lands of which + they deprive their debtors, nor inhabit the houses out of + which they eject them, nor eat at the tables which they + take away from them, nor wear the clothes of which they + strip them. But first one is destroyed, and then a second + soon follows, being drawn on and allured by the former. + For the mischief spreads like wildfire, still consuming, + and yet still increasing by the destruction and ruin of those + that fall into it, whom it devours one after another. And + the usurer who maintains this fire, blowing and kindling it + to the undoing of so many people, reaps no other advantage + + + + from it but only that he now and then takes his book + of accounts, and reads in it how many poor debtors he has + caused to sell what they had, how many he has dispossessed of their lands and livings, whence his money came + which he is always turning, winding, and increasing.

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Think not that I speak this for any ill-will or enmity + that I have borne against usurers; + + + + For never did they drive away + + My horses or my kine. + Il. I. 154. + + +

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But my only aim is to show those who are so ready to take + up money upon use, how much shame and slavery there is + in it, and how it proceeds only from extreme folly, sloth, + and effeminacy of heart. For if thou hast of thy own, + borrow not, since thou hast no need of it; and if thou + hast nothing, borrow not, because thou wilt not have any + means to pay. But let us consider the one and the other + apart. The elder Cato said to a certain old man, who + behaved himself ill: My friend, seeing old age has of + itself so many evils, why dost thou go about to add to + them the reproach and shame of wickedness? In like + manner may we say to a man oppressed with poverty: + Since poverty has of itself so many and so great miseries, + do not heap upon them the anguishes of borrowing and + being in debt. Take not from poverty the only good thing + in which it is superior to riches, to wit, freedom from pensive care. Otherwise thou wilt subject thyself to the derision of the common proverb, which says, + A goat I cannot bear away, + Therefore an ox upon me lay. + Thou canst not bear poverty, and yet thou art going to load + on thyself a usurer, which is a burden even to a rich man + insupportable. + But you will say perhaps, how then would you have + me to live Is this a question fit for thee to ask, who hast + + + + hands, feet, and a voice, who in brief art a man, whose + property it is to love and be beloved, to do and receive a + courtesy? Canst thou not teach, bring up young children, + be a porter or doorkeeper, travel by sea, serve in a ship? + There is in all these nothing more shameful or odious, than + to be dunned with the importunate clamors of such as are + always saying, Pay me, give me my money.

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Rutilius that rich Roman, coming one day to Musonius the philosopher, whispered him thus in his ear: + Musonius, Jupiter the Savior, whom you philosophers + profess to imitate and follow, takes not up money at interest. Musonius smiling presently answered him: Nor + yet does he lend for use. For this Rutilius, who was himself an usurer, upbraided the other with borrowing upon + use. Now what a foolish stoical arrogance was this. For + what need was there of bringing here Jupiter the Savior, + when he might have given him the same admonition by + things that were familiar and before his eyes? Swallows + run not themselves into debt, ants borrow not upon interest; and yet Nature has given them neither reason, hands, + nor art. But she has endued men with such abundance of + understanding, that they maintain not only themselves, but + also horses, dogs, partridges, hares, and jays. Why then + dost thou condemn thyself, as if thou wert less able to + persuade than a jay, more dumb than a partridge, and + more ungenerous than a dog, in that thou couldst not + oblige any man to be assistant to thee, either by serving + him, charming him, guarding him, or fighting in his defence? Dost thou not see how many occasions the land, + and how many the sea affords thee for thy maintenance? + Hear also what Crates says: + + + + Here I saw Miccylus the wool to card, + + Whilst his wife spun, that they by labor hard + + In these hard times might 'scape the hungry jaws + + Of famine. + + +

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King Antigonus, when he had not for a long time seen + + + + Cleanthes the philosopher, said to him, Dost thou yet, O + Cleanthes, continue to grind Yes, sir, replied Cleanthes, + I still grind, and that I do to gain my living and not to + depart from philosophy. How great and generous was the + courage of this man, who; coming from the mill and the + kneading-trough, did with the same hand which had been + employed in turning the stone and moulding the dough, + write of the nature of the Gods, moon, stars, and sun! + And yet we think these to be servile works.

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Therefore, forsooth, that we may be free, we take up + money at interest, and to this purpose flatter base and servile persons, wait on them, treat them, make them presents, + and pay them pensions; and this we do, not being compelled by poverty (for no usurer will lend a poor man + money) but to gratify our prodigality. For if we would + be content with such things as are necessary for human + life, usurers would be no less rare in the world than Centaurs and Gorgons. But luxury and excess, as it produced + goldsmiths, silversmiths, perfumers, and dyers of curious + colors, so has it also brought forth usurers. For we run + not into debt for bread and wine, but for the purchasing + of stately seats, numerous slaves, fine mules, costly banqueting halls, rich tables, and for all those foolish and + superfluous expenses to which we frequently put ourselves + for the exhibiting of plays to the people, or some such vain + ambition, from which we frequently reap no other fruit + but ingratitude. Now he that is once entangled in usury + remains a debtor all his life, not unlike in this to the + horse, who, having once taken the bridle into his mouth + and the saddle on his back, receives one rider after another. Nor is there any means for these debtors to make + their escape into those fair pastures and meadows which + once they enjoyed, but they wander about, like those Daemons mentioned by Empedocles to have been driven out + of heaven by the offended Gods: + + + + + + By the sky's force they're thrust into the main, + + Which to the earth soon spews them back again. + + Thence to bright Titan's orb they're forced to fly, + + And Titan soon remits them to the sky. + + +

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In like manner do such men fall from the hand of one + usurer or banker to another, sometimes of a Corinthian, + sometimes of a Patrian, sometimes of an Athenian, till, + having been deceived and cheated by all, they finally find + themselves dissipated and torn in pieces by usury. For as + he who is fallen into the dirt must either rise up and get + out of it, or else lie still in the place into which he first + fell, for that by tumbling, turning, and rolling about, he + does but still more and more bemire himself; so also those + who do but change their creditor, and cause their names to + be transcribed from one usurer's book to another's, do by + loading and embroiling themselves with new usuries become more and more oppressed. Now in this they properly resemble persons distempered with cholera, who cannot + receive any medicine sufficient to work a perfect cure, but + continually vomit up all that is given them, and so make + way for the choleric humor to gather more and more. For + in the same manner these men are not willing to be cleansed + at once, but do with grievous anguish and sorrow pay their + use at every season of the year, and no sooner have they + discharged one, but another drops and stills immediately + after, which causes them both aching hearts and heads; + whereas they should have taken care to get wholly clear, + that they might remain free and at liberty.

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For I now turn my speech to those who are more + wealthy, and withal more nice and effeminate, and whose + discourse is commonly in this manner: How shall I remain then without servants, without fire, and without + a house or place to which I may repair? Now this + is the same thing as if one who is sick of a dropsy + and puffed up as a barrel should say to a physician: + How? Would you have me become slender, lean, and + + + + empty? And why not, provided you thereby get your + health? Thus it is better you should be without servants, + than that you should yourself become a slave; and that + you should remain without possessions, than that you + should be made the possession of another. Give ear a + little to the discourse of the two vultures, as it is reported + in the fable. One of them was taken with so strong a fit + of vomiting, that he said: I believe I shall cast up my very + bowels. Now to this his companion answered: What hurt + will there be in it? For thou wilt not indeed throw up + thine own entrails, but those of the dead man which we + devoured the other day. So he who is indebted sells not + his own inheritance nor his own house, but that of the + usurer who lent him the money, to whom by the law he + has given the right and possession of them. Nay, by Jupiter (will he say to me); but my father left me this estate. + I believe it well, but he left thee also liberty and a good + repute, of which thou oughtest to make more account and + be more careful. He who begat thee made thy foot and + thy hand, and nevertheless, if they happen to be mortified, + thou wilt give money to the chirurgeon to cut them off. + Calypso presented Ulysses with a robe breathing forth the + sweet-scented odor of an immortal body, which she put on + him, as a token and memorial of the love she had borne + him. But when his ship was cast away and himself ready + to sink to the bottom, not being able to keep above the + water by reason of his wet robe, which weighed him downwards, he put it off and threw it away, and having girt + his naked breast with a broad swaddling band, + + + + Swam, gazing on the distant shore. + Odyss. V. 439. + + +

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And afterwards, when the danger was over and he seen to + be landed, he wanted neither food nor raiment. And is + it not a true tempest, when the usurer after some time + + + + comes to assault the miserable debtors with this word Pay? + + + + This having said, the clouds grow thick, the sea + + Is troubled, and its raging waves beat high, + + Whilst east, south, west winds through the welkin fly. + Odyss. V. 291, 295. + + +

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These winds are use, and use upon use, which roll one + after another; and he that is overwhelmed by them and + kept down by their weight cannot serve himself nor make + his escape by swimming, but at last sinks down to the + bottom, where he perishes, carrying with him his friends + who were pledges and sureties for him.

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Crates, the Theban philosopher, acted far otherwise; + for owing nothing, and consequently not being pressed for + payment by any creditor, but only tired with the cares and + troubles of housekeeping and the solicitude requisite to + the management of his estate, he left a patrimony of eight + talents' value, and taking only his cloak and wallet, retired to philosophy and poverty. Anaxagoras also forsook + his plentiful and well-stocked pastures. But what need + is there of alleging these examples, seeing that the lyric + poet Philoxenus, being one of those who were sent to people a new city and new land in Sicily, where there fell to + his share a good house and great wealth with which he + might have lived well at his ease, yet seeing that delights, + pleasure, and idleness, without any exercise of good letters, + reigned in those quarters, said: These goods, by all the + Gods, shall not destroy me, but I will rather lose them. + And immediately leaving to others the portion that was + allotted to himself, he again took shipping, and returned to + Athens. Whereas those who are in debt bear and suffer + themselves to be sued, taxed, made slaves of, and cheated + with false money, feeding like King Phineus certain winged + harpies. For these usurers fly to them, and ravish out of + their hands their very food. Neither yet have they patience to stay and expect the season; for they buy their + + + + debtors' corn before it is ready for harvest, bargain for the + oil before the olives are ripe, and in like manner for their + wines. I will have it, says the usurer, at such a price; + and immediately he gets the writing signed; and yet the + grapes are still hanging on the vine, expecting the rising + of Arcturus.

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