Exhibitionists do not like to confess their venial sins — catamitism and group sex, yes, petty avarice and pettier maliciousness, no: the latter faults do not make for salable reading.

attached to a friend; attaching others to us by wealth or flattery

a fallen building

But whatever might be the internal thoughts of Macedonian officers, they held their peace before Alexander [the Great], whose formidable character and exorbitant self-estimation would tolerate no criticism.