A gold coin rests in one pan of tilted brass scales beside an open book on muted olive ground.

Original artwork, not a still

Antigone

Sophocles

There’s nothing in the world so demoralizing as money.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The speaker declares that nothing in the world drains morale and character like money. It is a sweeping claim that wealth, or the pursuit of it, wears down people's spirit and principles more than any other force. The tone is blunt and absolute.

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