What vain, vexatious, useless things I’ve seen,
And good for nothing but to move one’s spleen.
Thou fool, what is it thou sayest? When thou oughtest to have stripped
thy wife of her purple and gaudy attire, that she might cease to live
luxuriously and to run mad after strangers and their fashions, instead
of this, dost thou adorn and beautify thy house, that it may appear
like a theatre or a stage to all comers?
10. The happiness riches pretend to is such that it depends upon
spectators and witnesses; else it would signify nothing at all. But it
is quite otherwise when we consider temperance or philosophy, or such
knowledge of the Gods as is requisite. For these, though unknown to all
other mortals, communicate a peculiar light and great splendor within
the soul, and cause a joy that dwells with it as an inmate, whilst it
enjoys the chiefest good, though neither Gods nor men may be privy to
it. Such a thing is truth, virtue, or the beauty of geometrical and
astrological sciences; and do riches, with their bravery and necklaces
and all that gaudery that pleases girls, deserve to be compared with
any of these? When nobody observes and looks on, riches are truly blind
and deprived of light. For if a rich man makes a meal with his wife or
familiars alone, he makes no stir about magnificent tables to eat on
or golden cups to drink in, but uses those that come next to hand; and
his wife, without any gold or purple to adorn her, presents herself in
a plain dress. But when he makes a feast,—that is, when the pomp and
theatre is to be fitted and prepared, and the scene of riches is to
enter,—
Then from the ships, with costly goods full fraught,
The trevets and the caldrons straight are brought;[169]
then they provide lamps, and much ado is made about the drinking-cups,
they put the cup-bearers into a new dress, they bring forth whatever
is made of gold and silver or set with precious stones, thus plainly
declaring that they would be looked upon by all for rich men. But even
though he should eat his meal alone, he wants hilarity of mind and that
contentment which alone makes a feast.