Page:The age of Justinian and Theodora (Volume 2).djvu/136

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cessors, while the same futile prohibitions continued to issue

periodically from the mouth of the Emperor, secluded in his distant Court.^[1] Before the lapse of a twelvemonth Justinian resigned himself to ignoring his own self-denying ordinance, and a candidate for office was noted only in relation to his ability to pay at the moment, and the magnitude of his promises for the future.^[2] His repeated denunciations of the venality of his vicegerents represented no more than his formal recognition of the lamentations which continually reached his tribunal, or his exasperation at a prospective loss of revenue from the flagrant excesses of some reckless extortioner.^[3] He was also extremely parsimonious in remitting*

↑ In 548 he re-established the Vicar of Pontus on account of the ineradicable disorders. His jurisdiction included all the northern region of Asia Minor from the coast opposite CP. to the borders of Armenia. His task is, as usual, to restrain every sort of outrage on women and property, the culprits being men of all ranks, "priests, magistrates, nobles, and plebeians."—Edict viii. Command of the army is given him for the purpose. In 545, and even twenty years later, the injunction as to the fifty days' delay is still being launched at the Rectors; Nov. cxxviii, 23; clxi, 1. In 556 an all-round diatribe denounces the time-honoured malpractices of local rulers, the bishops even being included in the prohibitions; Nov. cxxxiv. Imperial decrees were generally accompanied by a threat that a fine of 10 pounds of gold (£400) and dismissal would be inflicted on the official to whom they were addressed, if he neglected to publish and give them full force; Nov. x, etc.
↑ Procopius, Anecd., 21.
↑ That Justinian and his consort were held in general detestation during the greater part of their reign by a majority of their subjects, who vented "curses, not loud, but deep" against them, appears to be indicated clearly by the expressions of Procopius. "Wherefore I, and most of my acquaintances, did not consider them to be human beings, but pernicious demons, such as the poets call vampires," etc.; Anecd., 12. "His mother is said to have told her friends that he was not the son of Sabbatius, nor of any man, but that before her pregnancy a species of

[1] In 548 he re-established the Vicar of Pontus on account of the ineradicable disorders. His jurisdiction included all the northern region of Asia Minor from the coast opposite CP. to the borders of Armenia. His task is, as usual, to restrain every sort of outrage on women and property, the culprits being men of all ranks, "priests, magistrates, nobles, and plebeians."—Edict viii. Command of the army is given him for the purpose. In 545, and even twenty years later, the injunction as to the fifty days' delay is still being launched at the Rectors; Nov. cxxviii, 23; clxi, 1. In 556 an all-round diatribe denounces the time-honoured malpractices of local rulers, the bishops even being included in the prohibitions; Nov. cxxxiv. Imperial decrees were generally accompanied by a threat that a fine of 10 pounds of gold (£400) and dismissal would be inflicted on the official to whom they were addressed, if he neglected to publish and give them full force; Nov. x, etc.

[2] Procopius, Anecd., 21.

[3] That Justinian and his consort were held in general detestation during the greater part of their reign by a majority of their subjects, who vented "curses, not loud, but deep" against them, appears to be indicated clearly by the expressions of Procopius. "Wherefore I, and most of my acquaintances, did not consider them to be human beings, but pernicious demons, such as the poets call vampires," etc.; Anecd., 12. "His mother is said to have told her friends that he was not the son of Sabbatius, nor of any man, but that before her pregnancy a species of

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