Stronger than thunder's winged force
All-powerful gold can speed its course;
Through watchful guards its passage make,
read more

Stronger than thunder's winged force
All-powerful gold can speed its course;
Through watchful guards its passage make,
And loves through solid walls to break.
[Lat., Aurum per medios ire satellites
Et perrumpere amat saxa potentius
Ictu fulmineo.]

One secures the gold of the spirit when he finds himself.

One secures the gold of the spirit when he finds himself.

It is much better to have your gold in the hand than in the heart.

It is much better to have your gold in the hand than in the heart.

Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is read more

Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.

The lust of gold succeeds the rage of conquest;
The lust of gold, unfeeling and remorseless!
The read more

The lust of gold succeeds the rage of conquest;
The lust of gold, unfeeling and remorseless!
The last corruption of degenerate man.

Accursed thirst for gold! what dost thou not compel mortals to
do?
[Lat., Quid non mortalia pectora cogis,
read more

Accursed thirst for gold! what dost thou not compel mortals to
do?
[Lat., Quid non mortalia pectora cogis,
Auri sacra fames?]

Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold...

Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold...

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.

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.