ttle; they continued
urging me thus. "In this season of youth, you ought to drink [98] of
the choicest wines, and send for beautiful mistresses to participate
in the pleasures thereof, and enjoy yourself in their company."

In short, the evil genius of man is man: my disposition changed from
listening constantly [to their pernicious advice.] Wine, dancing,
and gaming occupied my time. At last matters came to such a pitch,
that, forgetting my commercial concerns, a mania for debauchery
and gambling came over me. My servants and companions, when they
perceived my careless habits, secreted all they could lay hand on;
one might say a systematic plunder took place. No account was kept of
the money which was squandered; from whence it came, or where it went:

"When the wealth comes gratuitously, the heart has no mercy on
it." [99]

Had I possessed even the treasures of _Karun_, [100] they would
not have been sufficient to supply this vast expenditure. In the
course of a few years such became all at once my condition, that,
a bare skull cap for my head, and a rag about my loins, were all that
remained. Those friends who used to share my board, and [who so often
swore] [101] to shed their blood by the spoonful for my advantage,
disappeared; yea, even if I met them by chance on the highway, they
used to withdraw their looks and turn aside their faces from me;
moreover, my servants, of every description, left me, and went away;
no one remained to enquire after me, and say, "what state is this
you are reduced to?" I had no companion left but my grief and regret.

I now had not a half-farthing's worth of parched grain [to grind
between my jaws,] and give a relish to the water I drank: I endured
two or three severe fasts, but could no longer bear [the cravings
of] hunger. From necessity, covering my face with the mask of
shamelessness, I formed the resolution of going to my sister; but
this shame continued to come into my mind, that, since the death of
my father, I had kept up no friendly intercourse with her, or even
written her a single line; nay, further, she had written me two or
three letters of condolence and affection, to which I had not deigned
to make any reply in my inebriated moments of prosperity. From this
sense of shame my heart felt no inclination [to go to my sister,]
but except her house, I had no other [to which I could resort.] In
the best way I could, on foot, empty-handed, with much fatigue a