equally successful with his cattle. His sheep killed wolves,
but were themselves never harmed by wild beasts.[9] Of
sheep he had no less than one hundred and thirty thousand,
and he required eight hundred dogs to keep guard over
them, not to mention the two hundred dogs needed to secure
the safety of his house. Besides, his herds consisted of three
hundred and forty thousand asses and thirty-five hundred
pairs of oxen. All these possessions were not used for self-
indulgent pleasures, but for the good of the poor and the
needy, whom he clothed, and fed, and provided with all
things necessary. To do all this, he even had to employ
ships that carried supplies to all the cities and the dwelling-
places of the destitute. His house was furnished with doors
on all its four sides, that the poor and the wayfarer might
enter, no matter from what direction they approached. At