Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/56

 for she was naturally very pleasant, and spoke things very well; so that in a short time she drew the Eyes of the whole World up­on her, and especially, because having no shame, nor vertue, she acted any part, how unhand­some soever. She was of such a constitution, she could take any injury or affront, and having complained to the full, she would change her note, and laugh as if her heart would break. For this cause, when civil or vertuous people met her in the Palace or the Streets, they turn­ed another way to avoid her, least approaching her, or by accident touching but her cloaths, they should have participated of her debauche­ries; and they who encountered her in the morning, looked upon it as an ill Omen, and expected no good the following day; she had a mortal animosity against all Women of her own profession.

This being her life for some time, she came into Syria with Hecebolus of Tyre, Governor of Pentapolis, as an instrument of his pleasures; but some difference falling out, he turned her off, and dismissed her. Falling afterwards into distress, her necessities obliged her to her old way of prostitution. At first she came to Alex­andria, aftewards (having practised quite tho­row the East) she arrived at Constantinople, ha­ving exercised a profession that cannot with modesty be named; nay, the Devil so wrought with her, that there was not a place in the whole Empire where Theodora had not left the marks of her immodesty.

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