Page:Constantinople by Brodribb.djvu/175

 privileges in costume of those who stood next to him, were carefully regulated. The officers of the court, as well as the private citizens, vied with each other in magnificence of dress. Embroidery, silk, cloth of gold, entered largely into their adornment. We read of maces, battle-axes, and spears, which were gilded or covered with silver. There were gilded helmets, gilded armour, horses covered with trappings of gold and silver. There were artificial trees, with leaves of gold and jewelled automatic birds. There were purple canopies, golden thrones, everything in gold, silver, or rich silken stuff. No Oriental court, no Peruvian court, no court, modern or ancient, ever reached the splendour of Constantinople.

The emperor was, besides, encompassed with court ceremonials of a minute and tedious kind, which can now be paralleled only at St. Petersburg. The theory was, of course, to make difficulty of access heighten the idea of his grandeur. Between him and the court stood, first, the Cæsar, then the Sebastos, in later years, the Sebastocrator, the Panhypersebastos, and the Protosebastos. Then came the chief officers of the state, the Curopalata, the Protovestiaire, the Logothete, the Dragoman, the Great Domestic, the Protostrator, the Stratopedarch, the Great Duke, the Constable, the Acolyth, and the Emir, who were accommodated in palaces belonging to the emperor. But all, whether officers or plain civilians, had to approach the emperor in adoration, falling prostrate on the ground and kissing his feet. When the sovereign rode through the streets they were first cleared