Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/444

422 how to hold his own, left all and gave over his estate and patrimony, which amounted to the value of eight talents, took himself to his bag and wallet, to his simple robe and cloak of coarse cloth, and fled into the sanctuary and liberties of philosophy and poverty. As for Anaxagoras, he forsook his fair lands and plenteous pastures: but what need I to allege these examples? considering that Philoxenus the musician, being sent with other to people and possess a new colony in Sicily, and having befallen to his lot a goodly house and living to it, enjoying (I say) for his part a good portion wherewith he might have lived in fulness and plenty; when he saw once that delights, pleasures and idleness without any exercise at all of good letters reigned in those parts; Pardie (quoth he), these goods here shall never spoil and undo me, but I will rather (I trow) make a hand and havoc of them; leaving therefore unto others his portion that fell unto him by lot, he took sea again and sailed away to Athens. Contrariwise, those that be in debt are evermore sued in the law, become tributaries and very slaves, bearing and enduring all indignities, like unto those varlets that dig in silver mines, nourishing and maintaining as Phineus did the ravenous winged harpies: for surely these usurers always fly upon them, and be ready to snatch and carry away their very food and sustenance; neither have they patience to stay and attend times and seasons; for they buy up their debtor's corn before it be ripe for the harvest; they make their markets of oil before the olives fall from the tree, and likewise of wine: For I will have it at this price (quoth the usurer); and withal the debtor giveth him presently a bill of his hand for such a bargain; meanwhile the grapes hang still upon the vine, waiting for the month of September, when the star Arcturus riseth and sheweth the time of vintage.