Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/148

 good Customs, and having sent word thereof to Justinian the Emperor, he expressed his ap­probation, by the many Acts of Grace which he conferred upon the said Alexander, who plaid another unlucky prank with the Inhabi­tants of Helene, in his Voyage into Italy. The people of the Country about Thermopyles, had alwayes had the keeping of that Pass, and at the time of Alexanders Expedition into those parts, being apprehensive least the Barbarians should make an Inroad into Peloponessus, the Pea­sants kept Guard by Turns, in the place of the Mountains where they were most likely to pass. Alexander being arrived, pretended he did not think it safe to trust so considerable a Pass, to the Defence of the Countrey people, and as if his Design had been nothing but the preservati­on of Peloponessus, he left there 10000 Men, which were paid not out of the Coffers of the Emperor, but at the charge of the Neighbou­ring Towns, in the Province of Hellade, by which means he annexed to the Emperors Re­venue, what ever had been formerly given to the said Towns, for the Building or repairing publick Structures, or the Expense of their shews, under pretence of imploying it for the payment of those Souldiers, which were of so great im­portance for the preservation of that Country, so that from that time, neither in the Province of Hellade, nor in Athens it self, could any Buil­dings be erected or repaired, any shows exhi­bited, or any other thing promoted for the be­nefit of those Towns, at the Charge of the ­lick,