this, observing the
accidents that were indigenous and familiar at Rome, conflagrations,
and tumbling down of houses owing to their weight and crowded state,
he bought slaves, who were architects and builders. Having got these
slaves to the number of more than five hundred, it was his practice to
buy up houses on fire, and the houses which were adjoining to those on
fire; for the owners, owing to fear and uncertainty, would sell them
at a low price; and thus the greatest part of Rome fell into the hands
of Crassus: but, though he had so many artizans, he built no house
except his own; for he used to say that those who were fond of
building were ruined by themselves, without the aid of any opponent.
Though he had many silver mines, and much valuable land, and many
labourers on it, still one would suppose that all this was of little
value, compared with the value of his slaves: so many excellent slaves
he possessed,--readers, clerks, assayers of silver,[9] house-managers,
and table-servants; and he himself superintended their education, and
paid attention to it and taught them, and, in short, he considered
that a master was mainly concerned in looking after his slaves, who
were the living implements of domestic economy. And here Crassus was
right, if, as he used to say, it was his opinion that he ought to
effect everything by the instrumentality of slaves, and that he
himself should direct the slaves; for, we observe, that what is
economical with respect to things lifeless is political with respect
to men. But he was not right in thinking and saying that nobody was
rich who could not maintain an army out of his substance; for war
feeds not by a fixed allowance, according to Archidamus;[10] and,
consequently, the wealth that is required for war is unlimited; and
this opinion of Crassus was very different from the opinion of Marius;
for when Marius, after giving to each man fourteen jugera of land,
found that they wanted more, he said, "May there never be a Roman who
thinks that too little which is enough to maintain him."

III. Besides this, Crassus was hospitable to strangers, for his house
was open to all, and he used to lend money to his friends without
interest; but he would demand it back immediately on the expiration of
the time of the borrower, which made the gratuitous loan more
burdensome than heavy interest. In his entertainments the invitation
was usually to persons of the plebeian class, and general: and the
f