I will now relate how Theodora treated those who had offended her,
merely giving a few details, that I may not seem to have undertaken a
task without end.
When Amalasunta, as I have narrated in the earlier books, desiring to
abandon her connection with the affairs of the Goths, resolved to
change her manner of life, and to retire to Byzantium, Theodora,
considering that she was of illustrious descent and a princess, that
she was of singular beauty, and exceedingly active in forming plans to
carry out her wishes, was seized with suspicion of her distinguished
qualities and eminent courage, and at the same time with apprehensions
on account of her husband's fickleness. This made her exceedingly
jealous; and she determined to compass the death of her rival by
intrigue. She immediately persuaded the Emperor to send a man named
Peter, by himself, to Italy, as ambassador to her. On his setting out,
the Emperor gave him the instructions which I have mentioned in the
proper place, where it was impossible for me to inform my readers of
the truth, for fear of the Empress. The only order she gave the
ambassador was to compass the death of Amalasunta with all possible
despatch, having bribed him with the promise of great rewards if he
successfully carried out his instructions. This man, expecting either
preferment or large sums of money (for under such circumstances men
are not slow to commit an unjust murder), when he reached Italy, by
some arguments or other persuaded Theodatus to make away with
Amalasunta. After this, Peter was advanced to the dignity of "Master
of Offices," and attained to the highest influence, in spite of the
detestation with which he was universally regarded. Such was the end
of the unhappy Amalasunta.
Justinian had a secretary named Priscus, a Paphlagonian by birth, a
man distinguished in every kind of villainy, a likely person to please
the humour of his master, to whom he was exceedingly devoted, and from
whom he expected to receive similar consideration; and by these means,
in a short time, he unjustly amassed great wealth. Theodora, unable to
endure his insolence and opposition, accused him to the Emperor. At
first she was unsuccessful, but, shortly afterwards, she put him on
board a ship, sent him away to a place she had previously determined
upon, and having ordered him to be shaved, forced him to become a
priest. In the meantime, Justinian, pretending that he knew nothing of
what was going on, neither inquired to what part of the world Priscus
had been banished, nor ever thought of him again afterwards, but
remained silent, as if he had fallen into a state of lethargy.
However, he seized the small fortune that he had left behind him.
Theodora had become suspicious of one of her servants named
Areobindus, a barbarian by birth, but a youth of great comeliness,
whom she had appointed her steward. Wishing to purge the imagined
offence, (although, as was said) she was violently enamoured of him,
she caused him to be cruelly beaten with rods, for no apparent reason.
What became of him afterwards we do not know; nor has anyone seen him
up to the present day. For when Theodora desired to keep any of her
actions secret, she took care to prevent their being talked about or
remembered. None of those who were privy to them were permitted to
disclose them even to their nearest relations, or to any who desired
to obtain information on the subject, however curious they might be.
No tyrant had ever yet inspired such fear, since it was impossible for
any word or deed of her opponents to pass unnoticed. For she had a
number of spies in her employ who informed her of everything that was
said and done in public places and private houses. When she desired to
punish anyone who had offended her, she adopted the following plan. If
he were a patrician, she sent for him privately, and handed him over
to one of her confidential attendants, with instructions to carry him
to the furthest boundaries of the empire. In the dead of night, her
agent, having bound the unfortunate man and muffled his face, put him
on board a ship, and, having accompanied him to the place whither he
had been instructed to convey him, departed, having first delivered
him secretly to another who was experienced in this kind of service,
with orders that he was to be kept under the strictest watch, and that
no one should be informed of it, until either the Empress took pity
upon the unfortunate man, or, worn out by his sufferings, he at length
succumbed and died a miserable death.
A youth of distinguished family, belonging to the Green faction, named
Basianus, had incurred the Empress's displeasure by speaking of her in
sarcastic terms. Hearing that she was incensed against him, he fled
for refuge to the church of St. Michael the Archangel. Theodora
immediately sent the Praetor of the people to seize him, bidding him
charge him, however, not with insolence towards herself, but with the
crime of sodomy. The magistrate, having dragged him from the church,
subjected him to such intolerable torments, that the whole assembled
people, deeply moved at seeing a person of such noble mien, and one
who had been so delicately brought up, exposed to such shameful
treatment, immediately commiserated his sufferings, and cried out with
loud lamentations that reached the heavens, imploring pardon for the
young man. But Theodora persisted in her work of punishment, and
caused his death by ordering him to be castrated, although he had been
neither tried nor condemned. His property was confiscated by the
Emperor. Thus this woman, when infuriated, respected neither the
sanctuary of the church, nor the prohibitive authority of the laws,
nor the intercession of the people, nor any other obstacle whatsoever.
Nothing was able to save from her vengeance anyone who had given her
offence. She conceived a hatred, on the ground of his belonging to the
Green faction, for a certain Diogenes, a native of Constantinople, an
agreeable person, who was liked by the Emperor and everyone else. In
her wrath, she accused him, in like manner, of sodomy, and, having
suborned two of his servants, put them up to give evidence against and
to accuse their master. But, as he was not tried secretly and in
private, as was the usual custom, but in public, owing to the
reputation he enjoyed, a number of distinguished persons were selected
as judges, and they, scrupulous in the discharge of their duties,
rejected the testimony of his servants as insufficient, especially on
the ground of their not being of legal age. The Empress thereupon
caused one of the intimate friends of Diogenes, named Theodorus, to be
shut up in one of her ordinary prisons, and endeavoured to win him
over, at one time by flattery, at another by ill-treatment. When none
of these measures proved successful, she ordered a cord of ox-hide to
be bound round his head, over his forehead and ears and then to be
twisted and tightened. She expected that, under this treatment, his
eyes would have started from their sockets, and that he would have
lost his sight. But Theodorus refused to tell a lie. The judges, for
want of proof, acquitted him; and his acquittal was made the occasion
of public rejoicing.
Such was the manner in which Theodorus was treated.