After the Emperor and Empress had destroyed John of Cappadocia, they were desirous of appointing someone else to his office, and agreed to search for a man even more vicious than he. They looked around to find this instrument of tyranny, and examined the dispositions4 of all, in order that they might the more speedily be able to ruin their subjects. They temporarily conferred the office upon Theodotus, who, though certainly not an honourable5 man, was not sufficiently6 wicked to satisfy them. They continued their search in all directions, and at last by accident found a banker named Peter, a Syrian by birth, surnamed Barsyames. He had long sat at the copper7 money-changer’s counter, and had amassed8 large sums by his disgraceful malpractices. He was exceedingly cunning at thieving obols, ever deceiving his customers by the quickness of his fingers. He was very clever at filching9 without ado what fell into his hands, and, when detected, he swore that it was the fault of his hands, and made use of most impudent10 language in order to conceal11 his guilt12.
This Barsyames, having been enrolled13 in the praetorian guard, behaved so outrageously14 that he approved himself beyond all others to Theodora, and was selected by her to assist in carrying out those of her nefarious15 schemes which required the most inventive genius. For this reason Justinian and Theodora immediately deprived Theodotus of the dignity bestowed16 upon him as the successor of the Cappadocian, and appointed Peter in his stead, who in every respect acted in accordance with their wishes.
He not only, without the least fear or shame, cheated the soldiers of their pay, but offered commands and offices for sale to a greater extent than before. Having thus degraded them, he sold them to persons who were not ashamed to engage in this unholy traffic, giving express permission to the purchasers to deal as they pleased with the lives and properties of those who were subject to their authority; for Barsyames claimed for himself and granted to anyone who had paid down the price of a province the right of plundering17 and ravaging18 it at pleasure. It was from the chief of the State that this traffic in lives proceeded, and agreements were entered into for the ruin of the cities. In the chief courts and in the public market-place the legalised brigand19 went round about, who was called “collector” from his duty of collecting the money paid for the purchase of dignities, which they exacted from the oppressed, who had no hope of redress20. Of all those who were promoted to his service, although several were men of repute, Barsyames always preferred such as were of depraved character.
He was not the only offender21 in this respect; all his predecessors22 and successors were equally guilty. The “Master of Offices” did the same, likewise the officials of the imperial treasury, and those who had the duty of superintending the Emperor’s private and personal estate—in a word, all who held public appointments in Byzantium and other cities. In fact, from the time that this tyrant23 had the management of affairs, either he or his minister claimed the subsidies24 suitable to each office, and those who served their superiors, suffering extreme poverty, were compelled to submit to be treated as if they were the most worthless slaves.
The greater part of the corn that had been imported to Byzantium was kept until it rotted; but, although it was not fit for human consumption, he forced the cities of the East to purchase it in proportion to their importance, and he demanded payment, not at the price paid even for the best corn, but at a far higher rate; and the poor people, who had been forced to purchase it at an outrageously heavy price, were compelled to throw it into the sea or the drains.
That which was sound and not yet spoilt, of which there was great abundance in the capital, the Emperor determined25 to sell to those cities which were scantily26 supplied. In this manner he realised twice the amount that had formerly27 been obtained by the receivers of the public tribute in the provinces. The next year the supply of corn was not so abundant, and the transports did not bring a sufficient quantity to supply the needs of the capital. Peter, disconcerted at the state of affairs, conceived the idea of buying up a great quantity of corn from Bithynia, Phrygia and Thrace. The inhabitants of those provinces were forced to bring it down to the coasts themselves (a work of great labour), and to convey it at considerable risk to Byzantium, where they had to be satisfied with an absurdly low price. Their losses were so considerable, that they would have preferred to have given the corn gratuitously28 to the public granaries, and even to have paid twice as much. This burdensome duty was called Syn=on=e, or provisioning the capital with corn from the provinces. But, as even then the supply of corn was not sufficient for the needs of the city, many complaints were made to the Emperor. At the same time the soldiers, hardly any of whom had as yet received their pay, assembled and created a great disturbance29 in the city. The Emperor appeared greatly irritated against Peter, and resolved to deprive him of his office, both for the reasons stated and also because it was reported to him that he had amassed extraordinary wealth, which he kept hidden away, by robbing the public treasury; and this in fact was the case. But Theodora opposed her husband’s intention, being exceedingly enamoured of Barsyames, apparently30 on account of his evil character and the remarkable31 cruelty with which he treated his subjects; for, being herself exceedingly cruel and utterly32 inhuman33, she was anxious that the character of her agents should be in conformity34 with her own. It is also said that Theodora, against her will, had been forced by the enchantments35 of Barsyames to become his friend; for this man had devoted36 great attention to sorcerers and supernatural beings, admired the Manichaeans, and was not ashamed openly to profess37 himself their supporter. Although the Empress was not ignorant of this, she did not withdraw her favour, but resolved on this account to show even greater interest and regard for him than before, for she herself also, from her earliest years, had associated with sorcerers and magicians, since her character and pursuits inclined her towards them. She had great faith in their arts, and placed the greatest confidence in them. It is even said that she did not render Justinian susceptible38 to her influence so much by her flatteries as by the irresistible39 power of evil spirits; for Justinian was not sufficiently kindly40, or just, or persistent41 in well-doing to be superior to such secret influence, but was manifestly dominated by a thirst for blood and riches, and fell an easy prey42 to those who deceived and flattered him. In undertakings43 which needed the greatest attention, he changed his plans without any reason and showed himself as light as the dust swept before the wind. Thus none of his kinsmen44 or friends had the least confidence in his stability, but, in the execution of his purpose, his opinion perpetually changed with the greatest rapidity. Being, as I have said, an easy object of attack for the sorcerers, he in like manner readily fell a victim to Theodora, who, for this reason, entertained the highest affection for Peter as one devoted to the study of these arts.
The Emperor only succeeded with great difficulty in depriving him of his office, and, at the pressing entreaty45 of Theodora, soon afterwards appointed him chief of the treasury, and deprived John of these functions, although he had only been invested with them a few months previously46. This John was a native of Palestine, a good and gentle man, who did not even know how to find out the means of increasing his private fortune, and had never done injury to a single individual. The more decided47 the affection of the people for him, the less he met with the approval of Justinian and his partner, who, as soon as they found amongst their agents, contrary to expectation, a good and honourable man, were quite dumbfounded, showed their indignation, and endeavoured by every possible means to get rid of him with the least delay. Thus Peter succeeded John as chief of the royal treasury, and was one of the chief causes of great misery48 to all the inhabitants of the Empire. He embezzled49 the greater part of the fund, which, in accordance with an ancient custom, was annually50 distributed by the Emperor to a number of families by way of assisting them. Part of this public money he sent to the Emperor, and kept part for himself, whereby he acquired ill-gotten wealth. Those who were thus deprived of this money lived in a pitiable state. He did not even coin the same amount of gold as before, but less—a thing which had never been done before. Such was the manner in which Justinian dealt with the magistracies.
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1
gratuities
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| n.报酬( gratuity的名词复数 )；小账；小费；养老金 | |
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2
supersedes
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| 取代，接替( supersede的第三人称单数 ) | |
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3
treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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4
dispositions
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| 安排( disposition的名词复数 )； 倾向； （财产、金钱的）处置； 气质 | |
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5
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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6
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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7
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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8
amassed
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| v.积累，积聚( amass的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
filching
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| v.偷（尤指小的或不贵重的物品）( filch的现在分词 ) | |
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10
impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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11
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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12
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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13
enrolled
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| adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起 | |
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14
outrageously
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| 凶残地； 肆无忌惮地； 令人不能容忍地； 不寻常地 | |
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15
nefarious
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| adj.恶毒的，极坏的 | |
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16
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17
plundering
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| 掠夺，抢劫( plunder的现在分词 ) | |
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18
ravaging
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| 毁坏( ravage的现在分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫 | |
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19
brigand
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| n.土匪，强盗 | |
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20
redress
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| n.赔偿，救济，矫正；v.纠正，匡正，革除 | |
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21
offender
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| n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者 | |
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22
predecessors
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| n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身 | |
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23
tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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24
subsidies
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| n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 ) | |
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25
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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26
scantily
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| adv.缺乏地；不充足地；吝啬地；狭窄地 | |
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27
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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28
gratuitously
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| 平白 | |
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29
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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30
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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31
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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32
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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33
inhuman
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| adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的 | |
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34
conformity
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| n.一致，遵从，顺从 | |
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35
enchantments
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| n.魅力( enchantment的名词复数 )；迷人之处；施魔法；着魔 | |
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36
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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37
profess
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| v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰 | |
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38
susceptible
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| adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的 | |
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39
irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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40
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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41
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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42
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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43
undertakings
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| 企业( undertaking的名词复数 )； 保证； 殡仪业； 任务 | |
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44
kinsmen
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| n.家属，亲属( kinsman的名词复数 ) | |
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45
entreaty
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| n.恳求，哀求 | |
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46
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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47
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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48
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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49
embezzled
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| v.贪污，盗用（公款）( embezzle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
annually
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| adv.一年一次，每年 | |
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