Desire
‹ 8 · Outline · 10 ›
9.Avarice, covetousness and envy
9a.The love of money and gain
See also: Wealth 2c
Homer, The OdysseyVol. 22
- p. 131The crew's envy and greed for supposed gold and silver lead them to open the wallet.read · scan
Confucius, The Sayings of ConfuciusVol. 44
- p. 59A sordid colleague fearful of losing what he has may go anywhere.read · scan
Sophocles, Oedipus the KingVol. 8
- p. 225Creon says he desires only honest gain, not more power.read · scan
Marcus Tullius Cicero, On Old AgeVol. 9
- p. 68Avarice in the old is absurd, seeking more journey money as the journey shortens.read · scan
Virgil, The AeneidVol. 13
- p. 80–85The monarch is blinded with desire of wealth.read · scan
Luke, The Acts of the ApostlesVol. 44
- p. 439–440Simon covets the power to bestow the Holy Spirit.read · scan
Plutarch, AristidesVol. 12
- p. 82Aristides felt no desire to take the spoils.read · scan
Saint Augustine, The Confessions of St. AugustineVol. 7
- p. 27–28He desired not the pears but the sin; ambition, covetousness and other appetites are cataloged.read · scan
- p. 40Iniquity arises from lust and covetousness, loving private good more than the Good of all.read · scan
- p. 46Cupidity drove him to sell eloquence; wayward passion led to his liaison.read · scan
- p. 139–140Covetousness that once shared the burden of teaching had left him.read · scan
Stories from the Thousand and One NightsVol. 16
- p. 348The sorcerer's hidden greed for the treasure drives him to lure the boy with promises and to strike him when he tries to flee.read · scan
The Story of the Volsungs and NiblungsVol. 49
- p. 284Regin's greed and manipulation drive him to egg Sigurd on to the deed.read · scan
- p. 312–313Grimhild covets Sigurd's goodliness and wealth for her house and schemes to keep him.read · scan
Dante Alighieri, HellVol. 20
- p. 123–125Adamo, who lacked nothing he coveted in life, now craves one drop of water, and longs to see those who led him to sin.read · scan
Dante Alighieri, PurgatoryVol. 20
- p. 200–202Lamenting why men set hearts on goods that exclude sharers.read · scan
- p. 234Virgil cites the curse on the thirst for gold that misguides mortal appetite.read · scan
Sir Thomas Malory, The Holy GrailVol. 35
- p. 120–122Melias, not hungry, covets the crown of gold and takes it.read · scan
Sir Thomas More, UtopiaVol. 36
- p. 142Insatiable covetousness of the sheepmasters is blamed for the ruin of the realm.read · scan
- p. 183Covetousness arises from fear of lack, or in man from pride in excelling others; certain plenty removes both.read · scan
Martin Luther, Address to the Christian Nobility of the German NationVol. 36
- p. 276–277Rome's avarice: antichrist takes the riches of the earth.read · scan
- p. 303Greed lay behind compulsory celibacy, men seeking priestly livelihood without labour.read · scan
- p. 306Greed that cannot trust God underlies the practice of endowed masses.read · scan
Benvenuto Cellini, The Autobiography of Benvenuto CelliniVol. 31
- p. 164Gaddi and Franzesi covetously praise Cellini's arms and models while awaiting his death.read · scan
- p. 391The Duchess is said to be dying to have the necklace and unable to live without it.read · scan
- p. 409The Duke accuses Cellini of being blinded by cupidity in asking ten thousand crowns.read · scan
Sir Francis Drake, Sir Francis Drake RevivedVol. 33
- p. 194–195Pedro's longing for the scimitar outweighs all other offered goods, and he dares not ask for it himself.read · scan
Miguel de Cervantes, The History of Don Quixote of the Mancha, Part IVol. 14
- p. 153Sancho laments that his hopes of the promised island are torn by covetousness.read · scan
- p. 191–192Sancho's greed for more gold is stirred while Quixote longs to know the owner.read · scan
- p. 193–194Sancho is moved by hope of the promised asses and would keep the gold.read · scan
- p. 234–235Sancho's covetousness leads him to conceal the valise booty; empire is held out as bait.read · scan
Edward Haies, Sir Humphrey Gilbert's Voyage to NewfoundlandVol. 33
- p. 264–265Men must examine whether their urge to colonize springs from ambition or avarice, which forfeits God's protection, or from virtuous motives.read · scan
Ben Jonson, The AlchemistVol. 47
- p. 563–564Subtle foresees Mammon's greedy fantasies of using the stone to cure, enrich and turn the age to gold.read · scan
- p. 567–571Subtle rebukes Mammon's hasty covetousness and carnal appetite.read · scan
- p. 611–613Mammon's greed and lust for gold and luxury, and his fantasy of what the stone will bring.read · scan
Abraham Cowley, PoemsVol. 40
- p. 365–366The drinking song's sailor wants gold from Peru so as never to be poor.read · scan
John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's ProgressVol. 15
- p. 109–110The Plain of Ease and Hill Lucre allegorize temptation to comfort and gain.read · scan
William Penn, Some Fruits of SolitudeVol. 1
- p. 348Men seek wealth over subsistence; appetite rules reason.read · scan
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, A Discourse upon the Origin and the Foundation of the Inequality among MankindVol. 34
- p. 210–211Avarice and ambition render man wicked, stifling compassion and justice.read · scan
John Woolman, The Journal of John WoolmanVol. 1
- p. 204Love of ease and gain motivates keeping slaves and weak arguments.read · scan
- p. 224Slaveholders urged to be weaned from the desire of getting and holding estates.read · scan
- p. 295Silence motions of love of money; pure desires come from the spirit of truth.read · scan
- p. 296–297Prays for redemption from love of money and seeking honor of one another.read · scan
- p. 297–298Desire for gain clouds discernment of God's will and must be given up.read · scan
- p. 298–299Desire of gain defiles like touching the dead; purifying love washes it away.read · scan
Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of NationsVol. 10
- p. 320–321Men desire money not for its own sake but for what it can purchase.read · scan
- p. 398The Venetians' great profits tempted the avidity of the Portuguese to find a sea route.read · scan
- p. 400–401Hope of finding treasure was the sole motive of the undertaking.read · scan
- p. 401The Spaniards' 'sacred thirst of gold' drove every enterprise after Columbus, who first asked whether any gold was to be found.read · scan
- p. 402Human avidity produced delusions like the philosopher's stone and Eldorado, which even wise men like Raleigh shared.read · scan
- p. 403Reports of found gold inflamed the avidity of all Spaniards, each expecting an Eldorado.read · scan
Alessandro Manzoni, I Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed)Vol. 21
- p. 426–427Agnese lies awake with castle-building and longing for the morrow, filled with plans for the money.read · scan
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Household TalesVol. 17
- p. 105–106Longing for home and the mother's greed for gold.read · scan
Hans Christian Andersen, TalesVol. 17
- p. 349–350The lure of ever greater riches drives the soldier to descend into the tree.read · scan
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, PoemsVol. 42
- p. 986Bedivere is tempted by the jewelled hilt's beauty and value.read · scan
Robert Browning, PoemsVol. 42
- p. 1075–1078Covetous longing for stone, horses, manuscripts and mistresses persists even at death's door.read · scan
Frank Aretas Haskell, The Battle of GettysburgVol. 43
- p. 400Rebels dreamed of plundering the rich North's poultry, fruit, whiskey and beds, imagining easy victory.read · scan
9b.Greed that destroys its object
Aesop, FablesVol. 17
- p. 11–12The dog's greed for the shadow's meat makes him lose the real piece.read · scan
- p. 33Greed for everything at once destroys the source of gain.read · scan
- p. 33–34The labourer's wish to possess the song and then to eat the bird.read · scan
Virgil, The AeneidVol. 13
- p. 304Euryalus, fond of gaudy spoils, lingers to take the belt and helmet, a greed that betrays them.read · scan
- p. 381–383Camilla's greed for Chloreus's golden spoils blinds her to danger and leads to her death.read · scan
Stories from the Thousand and One NightsVol. 16
- p. 352–354Frantic to gain the Lamp, the Moor rages and gives up all hope, sacrificing the boy to his desire.read · scan
- p. 427–428Kasim's greed for the treasure makes him forget the password and traps him in the cave.read · scan
Sir Francis Drake, Sir Francis Drake RevivedVol. 33
- p. 192–193A companion's covetous mind, clinging to jewels, slows his flight and gets him captured, unlike the man who threw his pillage down.read · scan
William Shakespeare, The TempestVol. 46
- p. 450The conspirators lust after fine clothes and kingship, distracted from the murder Caliban urges; greed and ambition undercut their plot.read · scan
Ben Jonson, The AlchemistVol. 47
- p. 658–661Mammon's covetous hope of turning goods to gold and building a silver-ditched city shows ambition mocked.read · scan
John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's ProgressVol. 15
- p. 111–112Covetous longing for the Hill Lucre destroys By-ends and Demas's followers; Hopeful's inclination to look is likened to Lot's wife's covetousness.read · scan
- p. 284–285Hill Lucre's silver mine attracts the foolish eye; nature is unmoved by others' harms and men turn aside despite knowledge.read · scan
William Penn, Some Fruits of SolitudeVol. 1
- p. 344Coveting more has cost many all they gained; avarice over wisdom.read · scan
Thomas Gray, PoemsVol. 40
- p. 462–463The cat's ardent wish for the golden prize leads to ruin; 'what female heart can gold despise'.read · scan
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Household TalesVol. 17
- p. 160–161The innkeeper's daughters' greed for a golden feather traps them one after another.read · scan
9c.Envy and revenge
Aesop, FablesVol. 17
- p. 24Revenge drives the horse to submit.read · scan
- p. 31–32Avarice and envy, granted their wishes, are punished by their own excess and malice.read · scan
- p. 42–43The Ass wishes to be the Horse, envying its ease.read · scan
Plutarch, CoriolanusVol. 12
- p. 165–166He is driven solely by revenge on the Romans, with no honorable or useful end.read · scan
- p. 167Marcius seeks vengeance on those who expelled him, buying the pleasure of wrath at the cost of his life.read · scan
Chapters from the KoranVol. 45
- p. 970–971Those who follow their lusts wish believers to swerve; coveting others' advantages forbidden.read · scan
Stories from the Thousand and One NightsVol. 16
- p. 27–28The imprisoned 'Efrit's vows of reward for a liberator turn to rage and vengeance as centuries pass without rescue.read · scan
- p. 32The avaricious Wezir, moved by envy of Duban's distinction, plots against him; the adage says none is void of envy.read · scan
- p. 78Envy drives the neighbour to trouble and try to kill the prosperous man.read · scan
- p. 104–105The sisters envy her on the young man's account and plot against her.read · scan
- p. 225The Wezir's malice and desire for revenge lead him to destroy the letter.read · scan
- p. 426–427Curiosity and covetousness lead the wife to trick Ali Baba's wife with suet on the measure.read · scan
- p. 437–438The captain, mortified and lonely, is driven by revenge to kill Ali Baba.read · scan
Songs from the Elder EddaVol. 49
- p. 391–394Brynhild's jealous grudge and lust for murder that drove the killingread · scan
The Story of the Volsungs and NiblungsVol. 49
- p. 318–319Brynhild covets Sigurd and his wealth and cannot bear Gudrun having them.read · scan
Dante Alighieri, PurgatoryVol. 20
- p. 204Envy arises from wishes fixed on goods diminished by sharing; love of the higher sphere removes it.read · scan
Traditional BalladsVol. 40
- p. 53–55Envy of the suitor's love drives the eldest sister.read · scan
William Roper, The Life of Sir Thomas MoreVol. 36
- p. 91Wolsey's ambition for the papacy, disappointed, breeds his desire for revenge against the Emperor.read · scan
Benvenuto Cellini, The Autobiography of Benvenuto CelliniVol. 31
- p. 48Envy of Caradosso and ambition to excel in every branch drive his industry.read · scan
Thomas Hobbes, Of Man, Being the First Part of LeviathanVol. 34
- p. 388–389Two men desiring the same thing they cannot both enjoy become enemies.read · scan
John Milton, Paradise LostVol. 4
- p. 108Revenge and spite drive the plot against creation, seeking to make God repent his own works.read · scan
- p. 180Satan's envy and pride drive him to withdraw his legions from the Son's ruleread · scan
- p. 261Satan's ambition, envy and revenge drive him to descend into a beast to spite God's favourite.read · scan
Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in FranceVol. 24
- p. 184–185Unprincipled ambition and avarice chafe at any fixed order, filling with envy and revenge.read · scan
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, EgmontVol. 19
- p. 326–327Alva's rage and envy at Egmont's success drive his lifelong hatred.read · scan
Friedrich Schiller, William TellVol. 26
- p. 485John confesses that impatient passionate desires and envy of his cousin's honour and lands drove him to murder.read · scan
Alessandro Manzoni, I Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed)Vol. 21
- p. 171She clings to unsatisfiable desires and envies women who freely enjoy their gifts.read · scan
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Household TalesVol. 17
- p. 209–210The mother says 'The desire shall pass away' and kills the goat out of envy.read · scan
Robert Browning, PoemsVol. 42
- p. 1078–1079The bishop's greed and envy of rival Gandolf, and craving for lapis, remain unrelenting as he dies.read · scan
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