institutions, but loved innovations in everything, and was, in short, the greatest destroyer of all the best of his country’s institutions.  As for the plague, of which I have made mention in the former books of my history, although it ravaged the whole earth, yet as many men escaped it as perished by it, some of them never taking the contagion, and others recovering from it.  But no human being in all the Roman Empire could escape from this man, for he was like some second plague sent down from heaven to prey upon the whole human race, which left no man untouched.  Some he slew without cause, others he reduced to a struggle with poverty, so that their case was more piteous than that of the dead, and they prayed daily to be relieved from their misery even by the most cruel death, while he robbed others of their lives and their property at the same time.

Not content with ruining the Roman Empire, he carried out the conquest of Italy and Africa, merely that he might treat them in the same way, and destroy the inhabitants, together with those who were already his subjects.  He had not been in authority ten days before he put to death Amantius, the chief of the palace eunuchs, with several others.  He had no complaint whatever against the man beyond that he had said something offensive about John the archbishop of the city.  Owing to this, he became the most dreaded of all men in the world.

Immediately afterwards he sent for the usurper Vitalianus, to whom he had given the most solemn pledges for his safety, and had partaken of the Christian sacrament with him.  Shortly afterwards, he conceived some suspicion of him, and made away with him and his companions in the palace, for no reason whatever, thus showing that he scorned to observe even the most solemn oaths.

CHAPTER VII

In the former part of my history I have explained how the people had long been divided into two factions.  Justinian associated himself with one of these, the Blues, which had previously favoured him, and was thus enabled to upset everything and throw all into disorder.  Thereby the Roman constitution was beaten to its knees.  However, all the Blues did not agree to follow his views, but only those who were inclined to revolutionary measures.  Yet, as the evil spread, these very men came to be regarded as the most moderate of mankind, for they used their opportunities of doing wrong less than they might have done.  Nor did the revolutionists of the Green faction remain idle, but they also, as far as they were able, continually perpetrated all kinds of excesses, although individuals of their number were continually being punished.  This only made them bolder, for men, when they are treated harshly, usually become desperate.