not worth...an obol

latest usage i met in Attar's delightful Conference of Birds (into english by c.s.nott london 1954) p.115 in "reply of an idiot of god" ... "this world, which is compounded of horrors and crime, is like a palm-tree of wax, adorned with a hundred colours. if you squeeze the tree it becomes a lump of wax; therefore the colours and shapes you admire are not worth an obol. if there be unity, there cannot be duality; neither "i" nor "thou" has significance.
but what is the use of my words....." plus ca change.... stephen has just brought me (and libby) a glass of wine....