Of Men and Money

I'll tell you what I think about the way
    This city treats her soundest men today:
By a coincidence more sad than funny,
    It's very like the way we treat our money.

The noble silver drachma that of old we were
    So proud of, and the recent gold coins that
Rang true, clean-stamped and worth their weight
    Throughout the world, have ceased to circulate.

Instead , the purses of Athenian shoppers
    Are full of shoddy silver-plated coppers
Just so, when men are needed by the nation,
    The best have been withdrawn from circulation

Aristophanes, The Frogs, ~400BC