is the slave of the striped cloak! If he is given, he is content, and if he is denied, he is displeased. Wretched and overturned he is; and if a thorn should pierce him, may it never be plucked out.

The same applies to anyone whose confidence is overwhelmed by his social standing or his wealth, so that he imagines his patron among the notables, or his subordinates among aides and soldiers, or his friends, or his assets to be the ones that procure such-and-such a benefit and ward off such-and-such a harm. He relies on them and seeks their assistance; and whatever help is sought is, by definition, something invoked and entreated.

Worship all too often entails seeking assistance. Whenever the heart depends on something for provision, victory, benefit, or protection from harm, it bows before it, submits to it, yields to it, and loves it from that angle—even if it does not love it for its own sake. Yet the state may dominate him until he loves it in and of itself and forgets the original purpose for which he pursued it, as happens frequently with those who are infatuated with wealth or with the persons through whom they attain honor and power.

As for what the heart loves, desires, and intends, one does not necessarily seek its help or rely on it unless he senses that it is capable of securing his aim—just as a lover senses whether the beloved can grant him union. If he perceives such capability, he will seek the beloved’s aid; if not, he will refrain.