Two neighbours came before Jupiter and prayed him to grant their
hearts’ desire. Now the one was full of avarice, and the other eaten up
with envy. So to punish them both, Jupiter granted that each might have
whatever he wished for himself, but only on condition that his
neighbour had twice as much. The Avaricious man prayed to have a room
full of gold. No sooner said than done; but all his joy was turned to
grief when he found that his neighbour had two rooms full of the
precious metal. Then came the turn of the Envious man, who could not
bear to think that his neighbour had any joy at all. So he prayed that
he might have one of his own eyes put out, by which means his companion
would become totally blind.
Vices are their own punishment.