Both Uses of
avarice
in
The Prince
- things concerning a prince, and discussing those which are real, I say that all men when they are spoken of, and chiefly princes for being more highly placed, are remarkable for some of those qualities which bring them either blame or praise; and thus it is that one is reputed liberal, another miserly, using a Tuscan term (because an avaricious person in our language is still he who desires to possess by robbery, whilst we call one miserly who deprives himself too much of the use of his own); one is reputed generous, one rapacious; one cruel, one compassionate; one faithless, another faithful; one effeminate and cowardly, another bold and brave; one affable, another haughty; on†
Chpt 15avaricious = having or showing excessive desire for wealth
- There is first to note that, whereas in other principalities the ambition of the nobles and the insolence of the people only have to be contended with, the Roman emperors had a third difficulty in having to put up with the cruelty and avarice of their soldiers,
Chpt 19 *avarice = excessive desire for wealth
Definition:
excessive desire for wealth
Like "greed", but implies greed specifically for money. The early Christian Church counted avarice as one of the "seven deadly sins."