Although Justinian's character was such as I have already explained,
he was easy of access, and affable to those whom he met. No one was
ever denied an audience, and he never was angry even with those who did
not behave or speak properly in his presence. But, on the other hand,
he never felt ashamed of any of the murders which he committed.
However, he never displayed any anger or pettishness against those who
offended him, but preserved a mild countenance and an unruffled brow,
and with a gentle voice would order tens of thousands of innocent men
to be put to death, cities to be taken by storm, and property to be
confiscated. One would think, from his manner, that he had the
character of a sheep; but if anyone, pitying his victims, were to
endeavour, by prayers and supplications, to make him relent, he would
straightway become savage, show his teeth, and vent his rage upon his
subjects. As for the priests, he let them override their neighbours
with impunity, and delighted to see them plunder those round about
them, thinking that in this manner he was showing piety. Whenever he
had to decide any lawsuit of this sort, he thought that righteous
judgment consisted in letting the priest win his cause and leave the
court in triumph with some plunder to which he had no right whatever;
for, to him, justice meant the success of the priest's cause. He
himself, when by malpractices he had obtained possession of the
property of people, alive or dead, would straightway present his
plunder to one of the churches, by which means he would hide his
rapacity under the cloak of piety, and render it impossible for his
victims ever to recover their possessions. Indeed, he committed
numberless murders through his notion of piety; for, in his zeal to
bring all men to agree in one form of Christian doctrine, he recklessly
murdered all who dissented therefrom, under the pretext of piety, for
he did not think that it was murder, if those whom he slew were not of
the same belief as himself. Thus, his thoughts were always fixed upon
slaughter, and, together with his wife, he neglected no excuse which
could bring it about; for both of these beings had for the most part
the same passions, but sometimes they played a part which was not
natural to them; for each of them was thoroughly wicked, and by their
pretended differences of opinion, brought their subjects to ruin.
Justinian's character was weaker than water, and anyone could lead him
whither he would, provided it was not to commit any act of kindness or
incur the loss of money. He especially delighted in flattery, so that
his flatterers could easily make him believe that he should soar aloft
and tread upon the clouds. Once indeed, Tribonianus, when sitting by
him, declared that he was afraid that some day Justinian would be
caught up into heaven because of his righteousness, and would be lost
to men. Such praises, or rather sneers, as these he constantly bore in
mind; yet, if he admired any man for his goodness, he would shortly
afterwards upbraid him for a villain, and after having railed at one of
his subjects without any cause, he would suddenly take to praising him,
having changed his mind on no grounds whatever; for what he really
thought was always the opposite of what he said, and wished to appear
to think. How he was affected by emotions of love or hate I think I
have sufficiently indicated by what I have said concerning his actions.
As an enemy, he was obstinate and relentless; as a friend, inconstant;
for he made away with many of his strongest partisans, but never became
the friend of anyone whom he had once disliked. Those whom he appeared
to consider his nearest and dearest friends he would in a short time
deliver up to ruin to please his wife or anyone else, although he knew
well that they died only because of devotion for him; for he was
untrustworthy in all things save cruelty and avarice, from which
nothing could restrain him. Whenever his wife could not persuade him to
do a thing, she used to suggest that great gain was likely to result
from it, and this enabled her to lead him into any course of action
against his will. He did not blush to make laws and afterwards repeal
them, that he might make some infamous profit thereby. Nor did he give
judgment according to the laws which he himself had made, but in favour
of the side which promised him the biggest and most splendid bribe. He
thought it no disgrace to steal away the property of his subjects,
little by little, in cases where he had no grounds for taking it away
all at one swoop, either by some unexpected charge or a forged will.
While he was Emperor of the Romans neither faith in God nor religion
was secure, no law continued in force, no action, no contract was
binding. When he intrusted any business to his officials, if they put
to death numbers of those who fell into their hands and carried off
great wealth as plunder, they were looked upon as faithful servants of
the Emperor, and were spoken of as men who had accurately carried out
his instructions; but, if they came back after having shown any mercy,
he took a dislike to them and was their enemy for life, and never again
would employ them, being disgusted with their old-fashioned ways. For
this reason many men were anxious to prove to him that they were
villains, although they really were not such. He would often make men
repeated promises, and confirm his promise by an oath or by writing,
and then purposely forget all about it, and think that such an action
did him credit. Justinian behaved in this manner not only towards his
own subjects, but also towards many of his enemies, as I have already
told. As a rule he dispensed with both rest and sleep, and never took
his fill of either food or drink, but merely picked up a morsel to
taste with the tips of his fingers, and then left his dinner, as if
eating had been a bye-work imposed upon him by nature. He would often
go without food for two days and nights, especially when fasting was
enjoined, on the eve of the feast of Easter, when he would often fast
for two days, taking no sustenance beyond a little water and a few wild
herbs, and sleeping, as it might be, for one hour only, passing the
rest of the time in walking to and fro. Had he spent all this time in
useful works, the State would have nourished exceedingly; but, as it
was, he used his natural powers to work the ruin of the Romans, and
succeeded in thoroughly disorganizing the constitution. His constant
wakefulness, his privations, and his labour were undergone for no other
purpose than to make the sufferings of his subjects every day more
grievous; for, as I have said before, he was especially quick in
devising crimes, and swift to carry them out, so that even his good
qualities seemed to have been so largely bestowed upon him merely for
the affliction of his people.