Hmm, I dug further. The story probably comes from Plutarch (Lives), "[Crassus] would buy houses that were afire, and houses which adjoined those that were afir

Hmm, I dug further. The story probably comes from Plutarch (Lives), "[Crassus] would buy houses that were afire, and houses which adjoined those that were afire, and these their owners would let go at a trifling price owing to their fear and uncertainty"[1]. Plutarch was closer to Crassus than I am so I guess I can't argue. [1] https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/e/roman/texts/plutarch/lives/crassus*.htm https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/e/roman/texts/plutarch/...