Truly now is the golden age; the highest honour comes by means of
gold; by gold love is procured.
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Truly now is the golden age; the highest honour comes by means of
gold; by gold love is procured.
[Lat., Aurea nunc vere sunt saecula; plurimus auto
Venit honos; auro concilatur amor.]

Commerce has set the mark of selfishness,
The signet of its all-enslaving power
Upon a shining ore, read more

Commerce has set the mark of selfishness,
The signet of its all-enslaving power
Upon a shining ore, and called it gold;
Before whose image bow the vulgar great,
The vainly rich, the miserable proud,
The mob of peasants, nobles, priests, and kings,
And with blind feelings reverence the power
That grinds them to the dust of misery.
But in the temple of their hireling hearts
Gold is a living god, and rules in scorn
All earthly things but virtue.

There is thy gold; worse poison to men's souls, Doing more murther in this loathsome world, Than these poor compounds read more

There is thy gold; worse poison to men's souls, Doing more murther in this loathsome world, Than these poor compounds that thou mayst not sell:.

A thirst for gold,
The beggar's vice, which can but overwhelm
The meanest hearts.

A thirst for gold,
The beggar's vice, which can but overwhelm
The meanest hearts.

That is gold which is worth gold.

That is gold which is worth gold.

What nature wants, commodious gold bestows;
'Tis thus we cut the bread another sows.

What nature wants, commodious gold bestows;
'Tis thus we cut the bread another sows.

Though wisdom cannot be gotten with gold, still less can it be gotten without it.

Though wisdom cannot be gotten with gold, still less can it be gotten without it.

(Portia:) A quarrel ho! already! What's the matter?
(Gratiano:) About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring
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(Portia:) A quarrel ho! already! What's the matter?
(Gratiano:) About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring
That she did give me, whose posy was
For all the world like cutler's poetry
Upon a knife--'Love me, and leave me not.'

Gold's father is dirt, yet it regards itself as noble.

Gold's father is dirt, yet it regards itself as noble.