I will tell you two things: All the while you are worshipping pleasures which are still more sinful.

You make false gods of yourselves unto yourselves; you worship the pleasure of contemplating yourselves in all your power, in all your honours, in the admiration of the world.
To your false gods you wickedly sacrifice many human victims, and the integrity of your own character.

There is a compact among you by which each is bound to respect his colleague's false god, and promote its worship.

The purest among you are at least guilty of this complicity.
You look away when there is a suggestion of foul conspiracies with vile aims, or of the shameful intrigues of factions which crawl in the dark, letting them go by in silence.

You regard yourselves as incorrupt, and you corrupt others! You distribute the public money regularly to people who sell you their honour and the probity of their consciences.