168. Ammianus (xxii. 4) speaks of some court eunuchs who
were spoliis templorum pasti. Libanius says (Orat. pro
Templ. p. 23) that the emperor often gave away a temple,
like a dog, or a horse, or a slave, or a gold cup: but the
devout philosopher takes care to observe that these
sacrilegious favourites very seldom prospered.