Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/29

 Bellisarius could not be charged with any crime, yet the Empress prevailed with her Husband to have him cashiered, and put Martin over his head, to command the Army in the East. Besides, she divided the Command of the Targetters, and the Pikemen, and the Guards, which belonged formerly to Bellisarius, and were the readiest and best Disciplined Troops in the whole Army, among certain of her Eunuchs, and other favorites of the Court, who drew Lots for the command of the bravest Soldiers in the Em­pire; and by degrees she proceeded so far, as to forbid all the friends of Bellisarius to have any future correspondence with him. It was an object well worthy compassion, and indeed not easily to be believed to see the Great Bellisarius, who had commanded the whole Force of the Roman Empire, and signalized his Conduct and Valor in Asia, Europe, and Africa, creeping a­bout the streets of Constantinople alone, without authority, or attendance, melancholly, dejected, and expecting every step to be knocked on the head. The Empress deputed one of her Eunuchs to seise, and bring to her Court a vast him of Money which Bellisarius had hoarded in the East.

All which, Theodora did in kindness to Anto­nina, who was then at a distance with her Husband; for she loved Antonina exceedingly, upon account of the service which she had done her in the destruction of John of Cappadocia: So that if ever Bellisarius was to be eased of his misery, or readmitted into favor, the poor Rh