"
"And there," said Longarine, "you have another one of the sins that
I meant; for we know that to love money, excepting so far as it be
necessary, is idolatry."
Parlamente then said that St. Paul had not forgotten the vices of the
Italians, and of all those who believe that they exceed and surpass
others in honour, prudence and human reason, and who trust so strongly
to this last as to withhold from God the glory that is His due.
Wherefore the Almighty, jealous of His honour, renders' those who
believe themselves possessed of more understanding than other men,
more insensate even than wild the beasts, causing them to show by their
unnatural deeds that their sense is reprobate.
Longarine here interrupted Parlamente to say that this was indeed the
third sin to which the Italians were prone.
"By my faith," said Nomerfide, "this discourse is very pleasing to
me, for, since those that possess the best trained and acutest
understandings are punished by being made more witless even than wild
beasts, it must follow that such as are humble, and low, and of little
reach, like myself, are filled with the wisdom of angels."
"I protest to you," said Oisille, "that I am not far from your opinion,
for none is more ignorant than he who thinks he knows.
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