It is easy for us to
see that among the humble the affections are sane and well ordered; but
the rich, on the other hand, everywhere pluming themselves on their
riches, and being insatiable in their pursuit of other things as well as
of wealth, always show more eagerness therein than is becoming; and they
who can do much desire furthermore to have the power of doing that which
they must not do: among whom I feel that thou hast placed thyself, O
most hapless of women, seeing that thou hast already entered and
traveled far on a path that will surely lead to guilt and misery."
After hearing which, I said:
"Be silent, old woman, and provoke not the wrath of the gods by thy
speech. Now that thou art incapacitated from love by age and rejected by
all the gods, thou railest against this one, blaspheming him in whom
thou didst erstwhile take delight. If other ladies, far more puissant,
famous, and wise than I, have formerly called him by that name, it is
not in my power to give him a name anew. By him am I now truly enslaved;
whatever be the cause of this, and whether it be the occasion of my
happiness or misery, I am helpless. The strength wherewith I once
opposed him has been vanquished and has abandoned me. Therefore either
death or the youth for whom I languish can alone end my tortures. If
thou art, then, as wise as I hold thee to be, bestow such counsel and
help on me as may lighten my anguish, or, at least, abstain from
exasperating it by censuring that to which my soul, unable to act
differently, is inclined with all its energy.
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