AVARICE is excessive desire
for base gain. The avaricious man, when he gives a party, will not put
enough bread on the table. He will borrow from a friend who is staying
with him. When he makes a distribution he declares that the distributer
always gets a double share and proceeds to appropriate two shares. If
he sells wine, he puts water into it though the purchaser is his best
friend. He goes to the theatre and takes his children with him only on
the occasions when free admission is given to the gallery. If he has to
travel on public business he leaves at home the money granted by the state
for traveling expenses and borrows of his colleagues. He places a heavier
burden on his slave than he can carry, and gives smaller rations than
any other. He demands his share of the presents given to the embassy by
the city they have visited, and sells it all. When he is anointing himself
at the baths he says to the slave, ‘Tuts, this oil is quite rancid,' and
he anoints himself with somebody else’s. He is sure to demand half of
the farthings found by his slaves in the streets, crying out 'Halves!
Halves!' When he has sent off his cloak to be cleaned he borrows one from
someone he knows and keeps it for quite a time until the owner has to
ask it back. He has other characteristics. He will measure the daily rations
for his household with the scale of the niggard, whose bottom is dented
inwards, and will carefully pass his hand over it lest there be one grain
too many. He will get the better of a friend who is anxious to sell something
at a reasonable price, for he buys it, and then sells it at a higher price.
When paying a debt of several pounds he will certainly keep back some
shillings. If his boys are unwell and cannot go to school for the whole
month be deducts a proportion from the account, and all through the month
of Anthesterion1 he will not send them to school because of
the number of festivals for which he would have to pay. When he is receiving
rent from a slave in farthings he makes him pay in addition the sum required
to enable him to change it into silver without cost to himself. Running
through his club accounts, be demands from the manager a dish from the
common table for his servants, and will make a note of the halt-radishes
left over in case the attendants take them. Again, if he goes a journey
with friends he makes use of their slaves but lets his own out on hires
and of course does not give the money thus gained to the common fund.
If the club dinner is held in his house, he is sure to hide away for himself
some of the firewood, lentils, vinegar, salt, and lamp-oil. If a friend
or a friend’s child is getting married he goes out of town for some time
to escape giving a present. He borrows from his acquaintances things no
one would ask back, or even take back if offered, so that he may be able
to keep them.
1 During this month (corresponding roughly to our February)
at least three great festivals were held.
AVARICE is excessive desire
for base gain. The avaricious man, when he gives a party, will not put
enough bread on the table. He will borrow from a friend who is staying
with him. When he makes a distribution he declares that the distributer
always gets a double share and proceeds to appropriate two shares. If
he sells wine, he puts water into it though the purchaser is his best
friend. He goes to the theatre and takes his children with him only on
the occasions when free admission is given to the gallery. If he has to
travel on public business he leaves at home the money granted by the state
for traveling expenses and borrows of his colleagues. He places a heavier
burden on his slave than he can carry, and gives smaller rations than
any other. He demands his share of the presents given to the embassy by
the city they have visited, and sells it all. When he is anointing himself
at the baths he says to the slave, ‘Tuts, this oil is quite rancid,' and
he anoints himself with somebody else’s. He is sure to demand half of
the farthings found by his slaves in the streets, crying out 'Halves!
Halves!' When he has sent off his cloak to be cleaned he borrows one from
someone he knows and keeps it for quite a time until the owner has to
ask it back. He has other characteristics. He will measure the daily rations
for his household with the scale of the niggard, whose bottom is dented
inwards, and will carefully pass his hand over it lest there be one grain
too many. He will get the better of a friend who is anxious to sell something
at a reasonable price, for he buys it, and then sells it at a higher price.
When paying a debt of several pounds he will certainly keep back some
shillings. If his boys are unwell and cannot go to school for the whole
month be deducts a proportion from the account, and all through the month
of Anthesterion1 he will not send them to school because of
the number of festivals for which he would have to pay. When he is receiving
rent from a slave in farthings he makes him pay in addition the sum required
to enable him to change it into silver without cost to himself. Running
through his club accounts, be demands from the manager a dish from the
common table for his servants, and will make a note of the halt-radishes
left over in case the attendants take them. Again, if he goes a journey
with friends he makes use of their slaves but lets his own out on hires
and of course does not give the money thus gained to the common fund.
If the club dinner is held in his house, he is sure to hide away for himself
some of the firewood, lentils, vinegar, salt, and lamp-oil. If a friend
or a friend’s child is getting married he goes out of town for some time
to escape giving a present. He borrows from his acquaintances things no
one would ask back, or even take back if offered, so that he may be able
to keep them.
