Ath. Certainly not, sweet Cleinias; there are two causes, which are quite
enough to account for the deficiency.
Cle. What are they?
Ath. One cause is the love of wealth, which wholly absorbs men, and never for
a moment allows them to think of anything but their own private possessions;
on this the soul of every citizen hangs suspended, and can attend to nothing
but his daily gain; mankind are ready to learn any branch of knowledge, and to
follow any pursuit which tends to this end, and they laugh at every
other: - that is one reason why a city will not be in earnest about such
contests or any other good and honourable pursuit. But from an insatiable love
of gold and silver, every man will stoop to any art or contrivance, seemly or
unseemly, in the hope of becoming rich; and will make no objection to
performing any action, holy, or unholy and utterly base, if only like a beast
he have the power of eating and drinking all kinds of things, and procuring
for himself in every sort of way the gratification of his lusts.
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