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.[149]
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.
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.