The Canterbury Tales: The Pardoner's Tale Lines 137 – 148 Summary

  • But to make a long story short, I'll make my intention clear: I preach about nothing but greed (alternate reading: I preach only out of greed.)
  • Therefore, my theme is always Radix malorum est Cupiditas: the root of all evil is greed.
  • So I preach against the very vice of which I'm guilty myself, but who cares?
  • I can still make other people turn from greed and repent.
  • But that's not my principal intention: I preach just to make money.
  • You get the picture.