Read the _History_ by Candidus[381] in three books. It begins with
the accession of Leo, a native of Dacia in Illyria, military
tribune and in command of the troops in Selymbria, who obtained the
throne by the aid of Aspar. Aspar was an Alan and a soldier from his
early years. He had been three times married, and had three sons,
Ardaburius, Patricius, and Ermenarichus.[382] The narrative goes
down to the proclamation of Anastasius as emperor. The author was
a native of Isauria Tracheia,[383] as he himself tells us, and by
profession clerk to certain influential Isaurians. By religion he was
an orthodox Christian, as appears from his eulogy of the fourth synod
and his well-justified attack on innovators. His style is not suited
for history. He makes use of poetical expressions that are insipid
and childish; the composition is harsh and discordant, inclined to
dithyrambic bombast or degenerating into carelessness and inelegance.
He introduces new constructions, which do not, as in the case of
other writers, lend additional smoothness and charm to the work, but
make it disagreeable to read and utterly unattractive. While here and
there his style shows improvement, his history is obviously a medley
of most different materials. He maintains that the name Isauria is
derived from Esau.
The first book describes the influence of Aspar and his sons, the
election of Leo to the throne by Aspar, the great fire that broke out
in Constantinople, and Aspar’s measures for the general welfare. Of
Tatian and Vivian; the dispute of Aspar and the emperor concerning
them, and what they said to one another. How this led to an alliance
of the emperor with the Isaurians through Tarasicodissas, the son of
Rusumbladeotes, whose name was changed to Zeno when he became Leo’s
son-in-law, after the death of his first wife. How Ardaburius, to
oppose the emperor, also endeavoured to win over the Isaurians. How
a certain Martin, the friend of Ardaburius, informed Tarasicodissas
of Ardaburius’s plot against the emperor; how mutual suspicion was
aggravated until finally the emperor Leo decided to put to death
Aspar and his sons Ardaburius and Patricius the Caesar. Aspar was
killed; Patricius, however, unexpectedly recovered from his wounds,
and Aspar’s other son Ermenarichus, who happened not to be with his
father at the time, also escaped. Leo gives Tarasicodissas the hand
of his daughter Ariadne in marriage, changes his name to Zeno,
and appoints him general of the East. The successes and reverses
of Basiliscus in Africa. How Leo desired and schemed to secure the
election of his son-in-law Zeno as emperor, but could not prevail
upon his subjects to consent. A little before his death, however,
he proclaimed his grandson Leo, the son of Ariadne, who, after his
grandfather’s death, with the assent of the senate placed the crown
upon the head of his father. Then follows a detailed genealogy of the
Isaurians, in which the author does his best to prove that they were
descendants of Esau. How Zeno, deceived by Verina, fled with his wife
and mother, abandoning the city and the throne. How Verina, hoping
that Patricius the magister would marry her and make himself emperor,
by treachery drove out her son-in-law,[384] but was deceived in her
hopes, for those in authority raised her brother Basiliscus to the
throne. The terrible massacre of Isaurians in Constantinople. Nepos,
the emperor of Rome, succeeded by Augustulus, the son of Orestes.
Such is the contents of the first book.
The second book relates how Patricius the magister, who had carried
on an intrigue with Verina, was slain by her indignant brother
Basiliscus. How Verina conceived a hatred of her brother on this
account, assisted Zeno with money to recover the throne, was
persecuted by her brother, and, had not Armatus[385] secretly got her
away from the church, would probably have lost her life. Armatus,
who had carried on an intrigue with the wife of Basiliscus, obtained
great influence and was entrusted with the conduct of the war against
Zeno; but subsequently entered into an agreement with Illus and went
over to Zeno. Armatus was held in great esteem by Zeno, and his son
was raised to the rank of Caesar. Nevertheless, he was afterwards put
to death, and his son, deprived of the rank of Caesar, became one
of the readers at Blachernae. Basiliscus before this had declared
his son Marcus Caesar and afterwards emperor. Illus, having become
reconciled to Zeno, prepared to help him to recover the throne.
Basiliscus, against whom his own adherents revolted, fled with his
children and his wife Zenonis, was treacherously induced by Armatus
to leave the church in which he had taken refuge, and banished to
Cappadocia, where he was put to death with all his family. When the
impious Peter[386] was disturbing the Churches of the East, Zeno sent
Calandion to be consecrated patriarch of Antioch. The emperor being
in want of money succeeded in obtaining some by methods suggested
to him.[387] Many who conspired against him were seized and put to
death. Illus rendered great services to the empire by his valour
in war and military successes, by his ambitious[388] political
measures and by his just dealings. After the death of the Roman
emperor Nepos and the expulsion of his son Augustulus, Odoacer[389]
obtained possession of Italy and the city of Rome itself. But the
western Gauls rebelled against him, and both they and Odoacer sent
ambassadors to Zeno, who rather favoured Odoacer. A certain Alan who
attempted to kill Illus, after he had wounded him, declared that he
had been bribed by Epinicius, an intimate of Verina. Epinicius was
handed over to Illus, and after obtaining a promise that he should
be forgiven and rewarded, disclosed Verina’s designs against Illus.
Zeno hands Verina over to Illus, who banished her to a fortress in
Cilicia, and thus secured his safety. Illus, who had become very
intimate with the impious Pamprepius,[390] to whom he had been
introduced by Marsus, gradually became ruined. Civil war against
Zeno begun by Marcian and Procopius, sons of the Roman emperor
Anthemius. After they had been defeated, Marcian was ordained a
priest, and Procopius took refuge with Theodoric in Thrace. Marcian,
in banishment in Cappadocia, escaped and stirred up revolt in Ancyra
in Galatia until at length he was captured and banished to Isauria.
The origin of the emperor’s increasing hatred of Illus. This is the
contents of the second book.
The third book, amongst other things, relates how Illus rose in open
revolt against Zeno, declared Leontius emperor and Verina empress;
how the revolt failed, and Illus and Leontius were besieged,[391]
captured, and beheaded. It also contains an account of events to the
death of Zeno.