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 grapes rotted on the vines, the fruits upon the trees. When one considers the ruined cities of the East, the roofless temples and churches of Asia Minor, the hundreds of cities in the Hauran, who shall say how much of their desolation is due to the long wars with Persians and Moslems, and how much is due to the great plague of Justinian?

The reigns of Justinian's successors present little of importance to chronicle in the capital itself. Justin II., more vigorous than Justinian his uncle, was afflicted with temporary fits of insanity, which necessitated the nomination of a successor. He passed over his own relations and named Tiberius, his most successful general. Tiberius II. died after a short reign of four years, leaving behind him the reputation of having been the best sovereign who ever ruled the Eastern Empire. His son-in-law, Maurice, with every virtue except that quality, invaluable in a prince, which commands success—an honourable man, a sincere Christian, and full of humanity, has left behind him the record of a brilliant failure. His attempts to reform the army led to a mutiny in which one Phocas, at the time a mere centurion, but popular among the soldiers for his courage, was raised to the chief command. Phocas led his army to the capital, where he found a strong body of discontents ready to receive him. Maurice, deserted by all his followers, fled with his children. He was captured, and after witnessing the execution of his boys, was himself beheaded. It is related of him that when the child of a nurse was substituted for his own he revealed