Monetary Paradoxes

XXXVII.

That at the courts of lords, no honest companions like Clitus Clitus the Black: a general and friend of Alexander the Great who was killed for speaking the truth to the king or jurists like Papinian Aemilius Papinianus: a celebrated Roman jurist who was executed for refusing to legally justify the Emperor Caracalla's murder of his own brother are to be found, but plenty of "corner-preachers" original German: "Winckelprediger," referring to unauthorized or deceptive preachers; here it implies sycophants and flatterers who tell the lords only what they want to hear.

XXXVIII.

That matters have now reached such a state that the preachers and clergy original Latin: "Clerici", through their church censure and spiritual ban, are the ones to punish the currency speculators original: "Müntzhändler," referring to those profiting from the debasement of the currency, while the civil authorities allow their secular arm original Latin: "Brachium seculare," the state's power to enforce law through physical punishment to falter original: "claudiciren," meaning to limp or fail.

XXXIX.

That for the sake of a written indemnity Revers: a formal written obligation or a legal promise of protection, one allows the land and the people to be ruined, even though one cannot restore original Latin: "restituiren" life or property with such paper pledges.

XL.

That those who tolerate or permit such things are called "pious princes," even though another truly pious and God-fearing prince once said as a proverb original Latin: "in proverbio": "A good prince must be recognized by sound coinage, safe roads, and good faith."

original Latin: "Proceres censore opus est, an aruspice nobis?" This is a rhetorical question asking if the ruling class needs a moral guide or if the situation is so chaotic that only a fortune-teller can see the end of it.