d in truth a Roman prince, as Pope Felix had
called the recreant Zeno, that is, the head of law, the supreme judge, the
defender of the Church. This was what they looked for. I am about to
mention what they found.

The empress Theodora had tried with all her wiles to set a Monophysite
prelate on the Byzantine See.[132] Pope Agapetus had frustrated her plans
by deposing Anthimus and consecrating Mennas in his place. But Theodora had
not given up her intrigues, and she strove to involve in her net the Roman
See itself. In the train of Agapetus at Constantinople was the ambitious
deacon Vigilius. She sought to win him by promising him the Roman See. She
offered him a great sum of money, and all her powerful support in attaining
the papal dignity, if he would bind himself thereupon to abrogate the
Council of Chalcedon, to enter into communion with Anthimus and Severus,
and help them to recover the sees of Constantinople and Antioch. Vigilius
agreed, and Theodora worked for the interests of her favourite by means of
Antonina, wife of Belisarius. In the meantime, Silverius, as we have seen,
had been chosen Pope in Rome, and Theodatus had exercised in his favour the
influence which the Teuton rulers, whether styled Patricius or King, had
claimed in the papal election since Odoacer. The empress invited the new
Pope to come to Constantinople, or at least to restore her dear Anthimus.
Silverius refused decidedly, though he was in the most dangerous position
between the Greeks and the Ostrogoths, and even his personal liberty was in
danger from Belisarius.

Pope Silverius continued to refuse submission to the wishes of the empress.
The great commander sat in the Pincian palace in March, 537, scarcely three
months after he had taken possession of Rome.[133] There he abased himself
to carry out the commands of two shameless women, Theodora and Antonina. He
caused Pope Silverius to be brought before him on a charge of writing
treasonable letters to Vitiges. The Pope had taken refuge at Santa Sabina
on the Aventine. When brought before Belisarius, he found him sitting at
the feet of Antonina, who reclined on a couch. The attending clergy had
been left behind the first and second curtains. The Pope and the deacon
Vigilius entered alone. "Lord Pope Silverius," said Antonina, "what have we
done to thee and the Romans that thou wouldst deliver us into the hands of
the Goths?" While she was heaping reproaches upon him, John, a sub-deacon
o