He wanted to be talked about as the richest
man in the world—as the man who was hap
pier, better, and greater than any other man
because he had more money than any other
man.
What did Croesus intend to do with all this
money ?
He did not know. He had never given a
thought to that. His purpose was to keep on
getting it —more, more, more, and ever
MORE! —until he had the greatest fortune in
the world.
Then what?
Go on getting more and more and more/
There never was a definite plan or purpose
in his head beyond the getting of the money.
What to do with it, after he had got it, was
a mere irrelevant, non-germane question, not
to be considered or tolerated for a moment.
Drive on and on and on: get more and
more and more: —that was the purpose of
Crcesus.
Silliest old thing that ever lived, wasn’t he,
my son?
And it came to pass that Solon, in the
course of his travels, came to Sardis, and he
was received as an honored guest at the court
of the king—for Solon’s renown as a ruler
and a sage had gone abroad into many foreign
lands. v
In the midst of that brilliant court, in the
palace of the king, Solon was the same man
that he had been at home, unabashed, clear
eyed, sensible, courageous, strong in his
glorious manhood. His eyes were not dazzled
by the glitter of wealth, his spirit not over
awed by the display of power, his intelligence.
