One cause of the decay of the power of defense in a state, says the Athenian Stranger in Plato's Laws — one cause is the love of wealth, which wholly… - Charles Dudley Warner

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One cause of the decay of the power of defense in a state, says the Athenian Stranger in Plato's Laws — one cause is the love of wealth, which wholly absorbs men and never for a moment allows them to think of anything but their private possessions; on this the soul of every citizen hangs suspended, and can attend to nothing but his daily gain; mankind are ready to learn any branch of knowledge and to follow any pursuit which tends to this end, and they laugh at any other; that is the reason why a city will not be in earnest about war or any other good and honorable pursuit.