Chaucer got it right, though, if I remember - cupiditas radix malorum est was the motto of the Pardoner's (or was it the Reeve's?) tale. For what it's worth, a variant on that tale was used by Kipling in his Second Jungle Book and the story of "The King's Ankus".

While on the subject, why is the word cupidity so rare. It would be the perfect substitute, wouldn't it?

"Cupidity is the root of all evil"

So there...

cheer

the sunshine warrior