An Envious Man happened to be offering up his prayers to Jupiter, at
the same time and in the same place with a covetous miserable Fellow.
Jupiter sent Apollo to examine the merits of their petitions, and to
give them such relief as he should think proper. Apollo therefore
opened his commission, and told them, that to make short of the matter,
whatever the one asked, the other should have doubled. Upon this, the
Covetous Man, who had a thousand things to request, forebore to ask
first, hoping to receive a double quantity; for he concluded that
all men’s wishes sympathized with his own. By this circumstance, the
Envious Man had the opportunity of giving vent to his malignity, and of
preferring his petition first, which was what he aimed at; so without
hesitation he prayed to have one of his eyes put out, knowing that of
consequence his companion would be deprived of both.