ointed--one at Rome, the other at Byzantium. Whoever was
advanced to that dignity was expected to expend more than twenty
centenars of gold upon the public. This sum was to a small extent
furnished by the consuls themselves, while the greater part was due to
the liberality of the Emperor. This money was distributed amongst
those whom I have mentioned, above all to the most necessitous, and
principally to those employed upon the stage, which materially
increased the comfort of the citizens. But, since the accession of
Justinian, the elections never took place at the proper time;
sometimes one consul remained in office for several years, and at last
people never even dreamed of a fresh appointment. This reduced all to
the greatest distress; since the Emperor no longer granted the usual
assistance to his subjects, and at the same time deprived them of what
they had by every means in his power.

I think I have given a sufficient account of the manner in which this
destroyer swallowed up the property of the members of the Senate and
deprived them all of their substance, whether publicly or privately. I
also think that I have said enough concerning the fraudulent
accusations which he made use of, in order to get possession of the
property of other families which were reputed to be wealthy. Lastly, I
have described the wrongs he inflicted upon the soldiers and servants
of those in authority and the militia in the palace; upon countrymen,
the possessors and proprietors of estates, and professors of the arts
and sciences; upon merchants, shipmasters and sailors; mechanics,
artisans, and retail dealers; those who gained their livelihood by
performing upon the stage; in a word, upon all who were affected by
the misery of these. I must now speak of his treatment of the poor,
the lower classes, the indigent, and the sick and infirm. I will then
go on to speak of his treatment of the priests.

At first, as has been said, he got all the shops into his own hands,
and having established monopolies of all the most necessary articles
of life, exacted from his subjects more than three times their value.
But if I were to enter into the details of all these monopolies, I
should never finish my narrative, for they are innumerable.

He imposed a perpetual and most severe tax upon bread, which the
artisans, the poor, and infirm were compelled to purchase. He demanded
from this commodity a revenue of three centenars of gold every year,
and th