Utopia

UTOPIA, however, the island which I hear is also called UDEPOTIA a play on the Greek ou-depote, meaning "nowhere" or "never," echoing the Greek pun behind the name Utopia, is said to have drawn—by some wonderful chance, if we are to believe it—the Christian rites and true wisdom itself, both publicly and privately, and to have preserved them undefiled to this very day. It maintains, as if with joined hands (as they say), three divine institutions: first, the equality of goods and evils among citizens, or a civilization perfect in all its parts; second, a constant and persistent love of peace and tranquility; and third, the contempt for gold and silver. These are (if I may put it this way) the three overthrowers of all frauds, impostures, deceptions, trickery, and the wickedness of cheats. If the gods above were to act in their own name, and if these three chapters of UTOPIAN law were to be fixed in the minds of all mortals with iron nails of firm conviction, you would immediately see the pride, greed, insane contention, and almost all other wounding weapons of the Stygian hellish or infernal adversary fall and grow weak. You would see that immense force of volumes of law, which detains so many excellent and solid minds until the grave, left for woodworms or dedicated as wrapping paper for shops. Oh, by the gods,