But in my opinion the result was the very opposite of what they wished.

If it is thought that a man has great riches and does not help his friends in proportion to his wealth, he cannot but appear ignoble and niggardly.

[33] There are others," he went on, "who would have their wealth forgotten, and these I look upon as traitors to their friends: for it must often happen that a comrade is in need and yet hesitates to tell them because he does not know how much they have, and so he is kept in the dark and left to starve.

[34] The straightforward course, it seems to me, is always to make no secret of our own resources, but to use them all, whatever they are, in our efforts to win the crown of honour.

Accordingly I am anxious to show you all my possessions so far as they can be seen, and to give you a list of the rest." [35] With these words he proceeded to point out his visible treasures, and he gave an exact account of those that could not be shown.