Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/442

420 Thus fall they into the hands of usurers or bankers, one after another; now of a Corinthian, then of a Patrian, and after of an Athenian; so long, until when all of them have had a fling at him, he become in the end wasted, eaten out and consumed with usury upon usury, for like as he that is stepped into a quagmire must either at first get forth of it, or else continue still there and not remove at all out of one place; for he that striveth, turneth and windeth every way, not only doth wet and drench his body, but mireth it all over and bewrayeth himself more than he was at first with filthy dirt; even so they that do nothing but change one bank for another, making a transcript of their name out of one usurer's book into another's, loading their shoulders eftsoons with new and fresh usuries, become always overcharged more and more; and they resemble for all the world those persons who are diseased with the choleric passion or flux, who will not admit of any perfect cure to purge it at once, but continually taking away a certain portion of the humour, make room for more and more still, to gather and engender in the place; for even so these are not willing to be rid and cleansed at once, but with dolour, grief, and anguish pay usury every season and quarter of the year; and no sooner have they discharged one, but another distilleth and runneth down after it, which gathereth to an head; and so by that means they are grieved with the heartache and pain of the head; whereas it behoved that they should make quick dispatch, and give order to be clear and free once for all; for now I direct my speech unto those of the better sort, who have wherewith above their fellows, and yet be nicer than they should be; and those commonly come in with such-like words and excuses as these: How then; would you have me unfurnished of slaves and servants? to live without fire, without an house and abiding-place? which is all one as if he that were in a dropsy and swollen as big as a tun, should say unto a physician; What will you do? would you have me to be lean, lank, spare-bodied and empty; and why not? or what shouldest not thou be contented to be, so thou mayest recover thy health and be whole again? and even so may it be said unto thee? Better it were for to be without slaves than to be a slave thyself; and to remain without heritage and possession, that thou mayest not be possessed by another.

Hearken a little to the talk that was between two geirs or vultures as the tale goes; when one of them disgorged so strongly that he said withal; I think verily that I shall cast up my very