Truth comes to us from the past, then, like gold washed down from the mountains.

Truth comes to us from the past, then, like gold washed down from the mountains.

Truly now is the golden age; the highest honour comes by means of
gold; by gold love is procured.
read more

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.]

Gold is a vain and foolish fancy.
[Fr., L'or est une chimere.]

Gold is a vain and foolish fancy.
[Fr., L'or est une chimere.]

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.

The man who treasures his friends is usually solid gold himself.

The man who treasures his friends is usually solid gold himself.

Gold gives to the ugliest thing a certain charming air,
For that without it were else a miserable affair.
read more

Gold gives to the ugliest thing a certain charming air,
For that without it were else a miserable affair.
[Fr., L'or donne aux plus laids certain charme pour plaire,
Et que sans lui le reste est une triste affaire.]

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.]

You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of
thorns--you shall not crucify mankind upon read more

You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of
thorns--you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!

Gold like the sun, which melts wax, but hardens clay, expands great souls.

Gold like the sun, which melts wax, but hardens clay, expands great souls.