assassination of amalasunta, queen of the goths, by peter, theodora’s agent—the secretary, priscus, obliged to enter a cloister—justinian’s hypocrisy—disgrace of areobindus, theodora’s lover—her way of getting rid of persons of rank—punishment of basianus—false accusation against diogenes, a member of the municipal council—suborning of witnesses—theodora’s courage.
i will now relate how theodora treated those who had offended her, merely giving a few details, that i may not seem to have undertaken a task without end.
when amalasunta, as i have narrated in the earlier books, desiring to abandon her connection with the affairs of the goths, resolved to change her manner of life, and to retire to byzantium, theodora, considering that she was of illustrious descent and a princess, that she was of singular beauty, and exceedingly active in forming plans to carry out her wishes, was seized with suspicion of her distinguished qualities and eminent courage, and at the same time with apprehensions on account of her husband’s fickleness. this made her exceedingly jealous; and she determined to compass the death of her rival by intrigue. she immediately persuaded the emperor to send a man named peter, by himself, to italy, as ambassador to her. on his setting out, the emperor gave him the instructions which i have mentioned in the proper place, where it was impossible for me to inform my readers of the truth, for fear of the empress. the only order she gave the ambassador was to compass the death of amalasunta with all possible despatch, having bribed him with the promise of great rewards if he successfully carried out his instructions. this man, expecting either preferment or large sums of money (for under such circumstances men are not slow to commit an unjust murder), when he reached italy, by some arguments or other persuaded theodatus to make away with amalasunta. after this, peter was advanced to the dignity of “master of offices,” and attained to the highest influence, in spite of the detestation with which he was universally regarded. such was the end of the unhappy amalasunta.
justinian had a secretary named priscus, a paphlagonian by birth, a man distinguished in every kind of villainy, a likely person to please the humour of his master, to whom he was exceedingly devoted, and from whom he expected to receive similar consideration; and by these means, in a short time, he unjustly amassed great wealth. theodora, unable to endure his insolence and opposition, accused him to the emperor. at first she was unsuccessful, but, shortly afterwards, she put him on board a ship, sent him away to a place she had previously determined upon, and having ordered him to be shaved, forced him to become a priest. in the meantime, justinian, pretending that he knew nothing of what was going on, neither inquired to what part of the world priscus had been banished, nor ever thought of him again afterwards, but remained silent, as if he had fallen into a state of lethargy. however, he seized the small fortune that he had left behind him.
theodora had become suspicious of one of her servants named areobindus, a barbarian by birth, but a youth of great comeliness, whom she had appointed her steward. wishing to purge the imagined offence, (although, as was said) she was violently enamoured of him, she caused him to be cruelly beaten with rods, for no apparent reason. what became of him afterwards we do not know; nor has anyone seen him up to the present day. for when theodora desired to keep any of her actions secret, she took care to prevent their being talked about or remembered. none of those who were privy to them were permitted to disclose them even to their nearest relations, or to any who desired to obtain information on the subject, however curious they might be. no tyrant had ever yet inspired such fear, since it was impossible for any word or deed of her opponents to pass unnoticed. for she had a number of spies in her employ who informed her of everything that was said and done in public places and private houses. when she desired to punish anyone who had offended her, she adopted the following plan. if he were a patrician, she sent for him privately, and handed him over to one of her confidential attendants, with instructions to carry him to the furthest boundaries of the empire. in the dead of night, her agent, having bound the unfortunate man and muffled his face, put him on board a ship, and, having accompanied him to the place whither he had been instructed to convey him, departed, having first delivered him secretly to another who was experienced in this kind of service, with orders that he was to be kept under the strictest watch, and that no one should be informed of it, until either the empress took pity upon the unfortunate man, or, worn out by his sufferings, he at length succumbed and died a miserable death.
a youth of distinguished family, belonging to the green faction, named basianus, had incurred the empress’s displeasure by speaking of her in sarcastic terms. hearing that she was incensed against him, he fled for refuge to the church of st. michael the archangel. theodora immediately sent the praetor of the people to seize him, bidding him charge him, however, not with insolence towards herself, but with the crime of sodomy. the magistrate, having dragged him from the church, subjected him to such intolerable torments, that the whole assembled people, deeply moved at seeing a person of such noble mien, and one who had been so delicately brought up, exposed to such shameful treatment, immediately commiserated his sufferings, and cried out with loud lamentations that reached the heavens, imploring pardon for the young man. but theodora persisted in her work of punishment, and caused his death by ordering him to be castrated, although he had been neither tried nor condemned. his property was confiscated by the emperor. thus this woman, when infuriated, respected neither the sanctuary of the church, nor the prohibitive authority of the laws, nor the intercession of the people, nor any other obstacle whatsoever. nothing was able to save from her vengeance anyone who had given her offence. she conceived a hatred, on the ground of his belonging to the green faction, for a certain diogenes, a native of constantinople, an agreeable person, who was liked by the emperor and everyone else. in her wrath, she accused him, in like manner, of sodomy, and, having suborned two of his servants, put them up to give evidence against and to accuse their master. but, as he was not tried secretly and in private, as was the usual custom, but in public, owing to the reputation he enjoyed, a number of distinguished persons were selected as judges, and they, scrupulous in the discharge of their duties, rejected the testimony of his servants as insufficient, especially on the ground of their not being of legal age. the empress thereupon caused one of the intimate friends of diogenes, named theodorus, to be shut up in one of her ordinary prisons, and endeavoured to win him over, at one time by flattery, at another by ill-treatment. when none of these measures proved successful, she ordered a cord of ox-hide to be bound round his head, over his forehead and ears and then to be twisted and tightened. she expected that, under this treatment, his eyes would have started from their sockets, and that he would have lost his sight. but theodorus refused to tell a lie. the judges, for want of proof, acquitted him; and his acquittal was made the occasion of public rejoicing.
such was the manner in which theodorus was treated.
