I keep my friends as misers do their treasure, because, of all

In the passionate and reflective words of Pietro Aretino, the poet of Renaissance Italy, there glows a wisdom both tender and fierce: “I keep my friends as misers do their treasure, because, of all the things granted us by wisdom, none is greater or better than friendship.” In these words, we hear not only the voice of a man who knew the brilliance of human affection, but one who had witnessed the fragility of loyalty and the rarity of true companionship. Aretino, whose wit and courage earned him both honor and exile, understood that in a world of shifting fortunes and fickle hearts, friendship is the one treasure that neither rusts nor fades. To him, the heart of a friend was a vault of light—more precious than gold, more enduring than fame.

The origin of this truth lies in the very heart of the Renaissance, an age that rediscovered the beauty and dignity of human connection. Pietro Aretino, born in 1492, lived among princes, painters, and poets, yet he trusted few and valued deeply the rare souls who stood by him in both favor and disgrace. He had seen how wealth and power crumble before time, but how a true friend could stand like an oak against every storm. Thus he likened friendship to treasure, not because it could be hoarded for gain, but because it must be guarded with devotion, tended as something sacred. A miser clings to gold because it sustains his life; a wise man clings to friendship because it sustains his spirit.

In his phrase lies a beautiful paradox: though friendship is the most generous of bonds, it must also be protected with care. For what is easily given is easily lost. Friendship, like a fine jewel, demands patience to find and prudence to preserve. It is born in trust, tested by time, and proven in adversity. Aretino’s comparison to a miser does not speak of greed, but of reverence—the recognition that true friendship is so rare that it must be cherished beyond measure. Just as the miser counts his gold to remind himself of its worth, so too should we count our friends, not in number, but in gratitude.

History offers countless examples of those who understood this sacred truth. Consider the bond between Michelangelo and Vittoria Colonna, two spirits bound by admiration and mutual respect. Michelangelo, the sculptor of the divine, found in Vittoria not a patron, but a friend who saw his soul beyond his art. Their letters, filled with tenderness and wisdom, reveal a friendship that nourished both their hearts and minds. It was not born of flattery or need, but of recognition—a meeting of souls who sought truth and beauty in one another. Their friendship, though chaste and pure, was as passionate as any love, and it endured through years of distance and sorrow. Truly, Michelangelo guarded Vittoria’s friendship as a miser guards gold, for he knew that such kinship is not granted twice in a lifetime.

Aretino’s wisdom also reveals a hierarchy of values—he declares friendship the greatest gift granted by wisdom, greater even than intellect or power. Why? Because wisdom teaches a man that all other pursuits—wealth, pleasure, achievement—are fleeting if not shared with those who understand and love him. The philosopher may seek truth, the artist may seek beauty, but both will find their deepest joy only when their discoveries are met with a friend’s understanding. For friendship transforms solitude into strength and turns the burdens of life into shared victories. It is the divine alchemy by which two souls exchange light and multiply it.

Yet the keeping of friends is not a passive act. It demands the same labor and vigilance that Aretino speaks of—a stewardship of the heart. To keep a friend is to forgive often, to listen deeply, to give without measure, and to protect the bond from the poisons of envy, pride, and neglect. One must polish friendship as one polishes silver, lest it dull in the dust of forgetfulness. The miser’s treasure is useless if buried in darkness; likewise, friendship must be expressed, nourished, and shared. The wise do not hoard affection—they honor it by presence, loyalty, and truth.

And so, dear listener, take this teaching to heart: treasure your friends as the rarest of gifts. Count them not by the number of smiles, but by the weight of their constancy. Be a guardian of their trust and a keeper of their peace. Do not let distance or time erode what love and loyalty have built. Remember that wisdom herself, when she bestows her gifts, places friendship at the summit of all virtues—because in it, the soul finds its reflection, its comfort, and its immortality.

For in the end, when kingdoms crumble and gold turns to dust, what remains are the hearts that have known and loved us. To keep a friend, as Pietro Aretino taught, is not to possess another’s loyalty, but to honor their soul as your own. In doing so, you will hold in your hands not mere treasure—but the purest gold of heaven itself: the eternal light of friendship, the greatest gift ever granted by wisdom.