Mark the Ascetic - On the Spiritual Law 100-103

100. Avarice is the root of all evil' (1 Tim. 6:10); but avarice is clearly a product of these two components.
101. The intellect is made blind by these three passions: avarice, self-esteem and sensual pleasure.
102. Scripture calls these three the daughters of the horseleech, dearly loved by their mother folly (cf. Prov. 30:15. LXX).
103. These three passions on their own dull spiritual knowledge and faith, the foster-brothers of our nature.