304
The destroyers of the world.—Suppose some failed in something; in the end he will angrily exclaim: “Would that the whole world came to rack and ruin!” This abominable wish is the height of envy, which reasons because I cannot have a something, the whole world shall have nothing! the whole world shall be nothing.
305
Avarice.—Our avarice in purchasing increases with the cheapness of the objects—why? Is it that the small differences in price constitute the small eye of avarice?
306
The Greek ideal.—What did the Greeks admire in Ulysses? First and foremost, the capacity of lying and of shrewd and terrible revenge; being equal to circumstances; appearing nobler than the noblest if required; being what one wants to be; persevering with heroic steadfastness; having all means within one's reach; having genius—his genius forms the admiration of all the gods, they smile when they think of itall this is the Greek ideal! Its most remarkable side is that the contrast between semblance and truth was not in the least recognised, and consequently not morally laid to anybody's charge. Did there ever exist such consummate actors ?
