The evil deeds of Justinian were so numerous, that time would fail
me if I were to attempt to relate them all. It will therefore be
sufficient, if I select some of those which will exhibit his whole
character to posterity, and which clearly show his dissimulation, his
neglect of God, the priesthood, the laws, and the people which showed
itself devoted to him. He was utterly without shame; he had no care for
the interests or advantage of the state, and did not trouble himself
about excusing his misdeeds, or, in fact, about anything else but how
he might plunder and appropriate the wealth of the whole world.
To begin with, he appointed Paul bishop of Alexandria, at the time
when Rhodon, a Phoenician by birth, was governor of the city. He
ordered him to show the greatest deference to the bishop, and to
execute all his instructions; for by this means he hoped to prevail
upon the chief persons of the city to support the council of Chalcedon.
There was also a certain Arsenius, a native of Palestine, who had made
himself most necessary to the Empress, and, in consequence of her
favour and the great wealth he had amassed, had attained the rank of a
senator, although he was a man of most abandoned character. He belonged
to the Samaritan sect, but, in order to preserve his authority, he
assumed the name of Christian. His father and brother, who lived in
Scythopolis, relying upon his authority and following his advice,
bitterly persecuted the Christians in that city. Whereupon the citizens
rose up against them, and put them to death most cruelly, which
afterwards proved the cause of much misery to the inhabitants of
Palestine. On that occasion neither Justinian nor the Empress inflicted
any punishment upon Arsenius, although he was the principal cause of
all those troubles. They contented themselves with forbidding him to
appear at court, in order to satisfy the continued complaints that were
preferred against him by the Christians.
This Arsenius, thinking to gratify the Emperor, set out with Paul to
Alexandria to assist him generally, and, above all, to do his utmost to
aid him in securing the favour of the inhabitants; for, during the time
of his exclusion from the palace, he affirmed that he had made himself
thoroughly acquainted with all the doctrines of Christianity. This
displeased Theodora, who pretended to hold a different opinion to the
Emperor in religious matters, as I have already stated.
When they arrived at Alexandria, Paul delivered over the deacon
Psoes to the governor to be put to death, asserting that he was the
only obstacle in the way of the realisation of the Emperor's desires.
The governor, urged on by despatches from the Emperor, which frequently
arrived and were couched in pressing terms, ordered Psoes to be
flogged, and he died under the torture. When the news of this reached
the Emperor, at the earnest entreaty of Theodora, he expressed great
indignation against Paul, Rhodon, and Arsenius, as if he had forgotten
the orders he himself had given them. He appointed Liberius, a Roman
patrician, governor of Alexandria, and sent some priests of high repute
to investigate the matter. Amongst them was Pelagius, archdeacon of
Rome, who was commissioned by Pope Vigilius to act as his agent. Paul,
being convicted of murder, was deprived of his bishopric; Rhodon, who
had fled to Byzantium, was executed by order of Justinian, and his
estate confiscated, although he produced thirteen despatches, in which
the Emperor expressly ordered and insisted that he should in everything
act in accordance with Paul's orders, and never oppose him, that he
might have liberty to act as he pleased in matters of religion.
Arsenius was crucified by Liberius, in accordance with instructions
from Theodora; his estate was confiscated by the Emperor, although he
had no cause of complaint against him except his intimacy with Paul.
Whether in this he acted justly or not, I cannot say; but I will
afterwards state the reason why I have mentioned this affair.
Some time afterwards Paul went to Byzantium, and, by the offer of
seven centenars of gold, endeavoured to persuade the Emperor to
reinstate him in his office, of which he said he had been unjustly
deprived. Justinian received the money affably, treated him with
respect, and promised to reinstate him as soon as possible, although
another at present held the office, as if he did not know that he
himself had put to death two of his best friends and supporters, and
confiscated their estates. The Emperor exerted all his efforts in this
direction, and there did not appear to be the least doubt that Paul
would be reinstated. But Vigilius, who at the time was in Byzantium,
resolved not to submit to the Emperor's orders in this matter, and
declared that it was impossible for him to annul by his own decision a
sentence which Pelagius had given in his name. So that, in everything,
Justinian's only object was to get money by any means whatsoever.
The following is a similar case. There was a Samaritan by birth, a
native of Palestine, who, having been compelled by the law to change
his religion, had become a Christian and taken the name of Faustinus.
This Faustinus became a member of the senate and governor of Palestine;
and when his time of office had expired, on his return to Byzantium he
was accused by certain priests of favouring the religion and customs of
the Samaritans and of having been guilty of great cruelties towards the
Christians in Palestine. Justinian appeared to be very angry and
expressed his indignation that, during his reign, anyone should have
the audacity to insult the name of Christian. The members of the senate
met to examine into the matter, and, at the instance of the Emperor,
Faustinus was banished. But Justinian, having received large presents
of money from him, immediately annulled the sentence. Faustinus,
restored to his former authority and the confidence of the Emperor, was
appointed steward of the imperial domains in Palestine and Phoenicia,
and was allowed to act in every respect exactly as he pleased. These
few instances are sufficient to show how Justinian protected the
Christian ordinances.