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.
At this time Justinian, by openly encouraging and provoking the Blue
faction, shook the Roman Empire to its foundation, like an earthquake
or a flood, or as though each city had been taken by the enemy.
Everything was everywhere thrown into disorder; nothing was left
alone. The laws and the whole fabric of the State were altogether
upset, and became the very opposite of what they had been. First of
all, the revolutionists altered the fashion of wearing the hair, for
they cut it short, in a manner quite different to that of the rest of
the Romans. They never touched the moustache and beard, but let them
grow like the Persians: but they shaved the hair off the front part of
their heads as far as the temples, and let it hang down long and in
disorder behind, like the Massagetae. Wherefore they called this the
Hunnic fashion of wearing the hair.
In the next place they all chose to wear richly-embroidered dresses,
far finer than became their several stations in life, but they were
able to pay for them out of their illicit gains. The sleeves of their
tunics were made as tight as possible at the wrists, but from thence
to the shoulder were of an astounding width, and whenever they moved
their hands, in applauding in the theatre or the hippodrome, or
encouraging the competitors, this part of the tunic was waved aloft,
to convey to the ignorant the impression that they were so beautifully
made and so strong that they were obliged to wear such robes as these
to cover their muscles. They did not perceive that the empty width of
their sleeves only made their bodies appear even more stunted than
they were. The cloaks, drawers and shoes which they mostly affected
were called after the Huns, and made in their fashion.
At first they almost all openly went about armed at night, but by day
hid short two-edged swords upon their thighs under their cloaks. They
gathered together in gangs as soon as it became dusk, and robbed
respectable people in the market-place and in the narrow lanes,
knocking men down and taking their cloaks, belts, gold buckles, and
anything else that they had in their hands. Some they murdered as well
as robbed, that they might not tell others what had befallen them.
These acts roused the indignation of all men, even the least
disaffected members of the Blue faction; but as they began not to
spare even these, the greater part began to wear brazen belts and
buckles and much smaller cloaks than became their station, lest their
fine clothes should be their death, and, before the sun set, they went
home and hid themselves. But the evil spread, and as the authorities
in charge of the people did nothing to punish the criminals, these men
became very daring; for crime, when encouraged to manifest itself
openly, always increases enormously, seeing that even when punished it
cannot be entirely suppressed. Indeed, most men are naturally inclined
to evil-doing. Such was the behaviour of the Blues.
As for the opposite faction, some of them joined the bands of their
opponents, hoping thus to be able to avenge themselves upon the party
which had ill-used them; some fled secretly to other lands, while many
were caught on the spot and killed by their adversaries, or by order
of the government. A number of young men also joined this party
without having previously taken any interest in such matters, being
attracted by the power and the licence which it gave them to do evil.
Indeed, there was no sort of villany known amongst men which was not
committed at this time unpunished.
In the beginning men put away their own opponents, but, as time went
on, they murdered men who had done them no hurt. Many bribed the Blues
to kill their personal enemies, whom they straightway slew, and
declared that they were Greens, though they might never have seen them
before. And these things were not done in the dark or by stealth, but
at all hours of the day and in every part of the city, before the
eyes, as it might be, of the chief men of the State; for they no
longer needed to conceal their crimes, because they had no fear of
punishment; but to kill an unarmed passer-by with one blow was a sort
of claim to public esteem, and a means of proving one's strength and
courage.
Life became so uncertain that people lost all expectation of security,
for everyone continually had death before his eyes, and no place or
time seemed to offer any hope of safety, seeing that men were slain
indiscriminately in the holiest churches, and even during divine
service. No one could trust friends or relations, for many were slain
at the instance of their nearest of kin. No inquiry took place into
such occurrences, but these blows fell unexpectedly upon everyone, and
no one helped the fallen. Laws and contracts, which were considered
confirmed, had no longer any force; everything was thrown into
confusion and settled by violence. The government resembled a
despotism, not a securely established one, but one which was changed
almost daily, and was ever beginning afresh. The minds of the chief
magistrates seemed stricken with consternation, and their spirits
cowed by fear of one single man. The judges gave sentence on disputed
points not according to what they thought to be lawful and right, but
according as each of the litigants was a friend or an enemy of the
ruling faction; for any judge who disregarded their instructions was
punished with death. Many creditors also were compelled by main force
to restore their bills to their debtors without having received
anything of what was owing them, and many, against their will, had to
bestow freedom upon their slaves.
It is said that some ladies were forced to submit to the embraces of
their own slaves; and the sons of leading men who had been mixed up
with these youths, forced their fathers to hand over their property to
them, and to do many other things against their will. Many boys, with
their fathers' knowledge, were forced to undergo dishonour at the
hands of the Blues, and women living with their own husbands were
forced to submit to the like treatment.
We are told that a woman, who was not over-well dressed, was sailing
with her husband in a boat towards the suburb across the strait; they
met on their way some men of this faction, who took her away from her
husband with threats, and placed her in their own boat. When she
entered the boat together with these young men, she secretly told her
husband to take courage, and not to fear any evil for her. "Never,"
said she, "will I permit myself to be outraged;" and while her husband
was gazing on her with the greatest sorrow, she sprang into the sea,
and was never seen again. Such were the outrages which the people of
this faction dared to commit in Byzantium.
Yet all this did not so much gall the victims as Justinian's offences
against the State; for those who suffer most cruelly from evil-doers
are in great part consoled by the expectation that the law and the
authorities will avenge them. If they have any hope for the future,
men bear their present sufferings with a much lighter heart; but when
they are outraged by the established government, they are naturally
much more hurt by the evil which befalls them, and the improbability
of redress drives them to despair. Justinian's fault was, not only
that he turned a deaf ear to the complaints of the injured, but did
not even disdain to behave himself as the avowed chief of this party;
that he gave great sums of money to these youths, and kept many of
them in his own retinue; that he even went so far as to appoint some
of them to governments and other official posts.