The sources of wisdom are able to give life a direction since they give human action a meaning; and in that manner human action becomes a tool of progress.

When these sources of progress dry up, the actor loses sight of the high goals and the true purpose of his action, and finally makes action itself the goal.

“This happened to the ministers once the king had gone; for the king always had in mind - without them noticing it in detail - the high goals of human perfection which every citizen was meant to reach.

Once the king had gone, the goals were gone with him and only action itself was left, and those who were acting necessarily went astray aimlessly, like the king's son lost his way too - only that he noticed it, just like a child notices it.