Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 6 (1897).djvu/101

 OF THE KOMAN EMPIRE 81 the revolution of ages, the counts and praefects, the praetor and quaestor, insensibly descended, while their servants rose above their heads to the first honours of the state. 1. In a monarchy, which refers every object to the person of the prince, the care and ceremonies of the palace form the most respectable depart- ment. The Curopalala,^- so illustrious in the age of Justinian, was supplanted by the Prolurcsliarc, whose primitive functions were limited to the custody of the wardrobe. From thence his jurisdiction was extended over the numerous menials of pomp and luxury ; and he presided with his silver wand at the public and private audience. 2. In the ancient system of Constantine, the name of Logolhcic, or accountant, was applied to the receivers of the finances : the principal officers were distinguished as the Logothetes of the domain, of the posts, the army, the private and public treasui-e ; and the grcal Logolhetc, the supreme guardian of the laws and revenues, is compared with the chan- cellor of the Latin monarchies."*^ His discerning eye pen'aded •'^Pars exstans curis, solo diademate dispar, Ordine pro rerum vocitatus C-ura-Palati ; says the African Corippus (de Laudibus Justini, 1. i. 136), and in the same century (the sixth) Cassiodorius represents him, who, virga aurea decoratus, inter numerosa obsequia primus ante pedes regios incederet (Variar. vii. 5). But this great officer (unknown) n.viTviyvMtno';, exercising no function, w)v 8e ouSefiiW, was cast down by the modern Greeks to the xvth rank (Codin. c. 5, p. 65 [p. 35, ed. Bonn]). [It is not correct to say that the place of the Curopalates was taken by the pro- tovestiarios. This office of Curopalates still existed, but his functions and the entire responsibility of the care of the Palace were devolved upon the Great Papias (o y.iya.% TraTriof), who was always an eunuch and held the rank of protospathar. He was a very important official, and had an assistant (also an eunuch) called " the Second" (o Sevrfpo?). Under him were all the palace ser'ants : (i) the diaetarii, attendants attached to the various rooms ; (2) the lustai, bath-attendants ; (3) the lamp-lighters (Kai5>)A<in-Tai) ; (4) the stove-heaters (ica/xrji'aies, KakhopioC); (5) the horo- logoi, who looked after the palace clocks, and (6) the mysterious ^apo^ai. Under the Second, who was specially concerned with the wardrobe, were the z'esti tores, &c. The protovestiarios is totally distinct. He was a sort of chamberlain, next in rank apparently to the Praepositus sacri cubiculi, and holding an office of great trust. Bieliaiev (to whom we owe a valuable essay on all these offices in Byzantina, i. p. 145 sqq.) conjectures that the duty of the Protovestiary was to take care of a private treasury (in which not only ornaments but money was kept) in the Imperial bed- chamber (p. 176-7). .As for the Curopalates he still remained one of the highest dignitaries, though it is not clear what duties he performed. Probably his post was honorary. In rank he was the highest person at court next to the nobilissimus, who came immediately after the Caesar. (Philotheus, ap. Const. Porph. de Cer. ii. 52, p. 711.) Only six persons were deemed worthy of sitting at the same table as the Emperor and Empress, namely, the Patriarch of Constantinople, the Caesar, the Nobilissimus, the Curopalates, the Basileopator (cp. above, vol. v. p. 206), and the Zostd patricia or highest maid of honour. See Philotheus, ib. p. 726.] fiovKfrai] 4,u,vr KayKeXapiav, (is {"EAAtji'^t fl-OLfv .Voyofle'TTji/. Vet the epithet ofiieyi": was added by the elder Andronicus (Ducange, torn. i. p. 82 2, 823). [This is the Ix)gothete toC- yeviroi who Corresponded to the old (Jount o£ the Sacred Largesses VOL. VI. 6
 * ^Nicetas(in Manuel. 1. vii. c. i. [p. 262, ed. Bonn]) delines him <«« li AaTtrur