Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/85

 (no matter which) without any remorse or shame, believing it no dishonor to him to af­front, or injure any Man, so it turned to his profit; and as he was, such was Justinian.

Theodora was so hardned in her inclinations to cruelty, that she never offended by perswa­sion of other people; but what she fancied her self, she pursued with all imaginable impetuosity, and used all endeavors to bring it about. Never any body interceded for the pardon of any man that was condemned so well were they satisfied, that neither length of time, cruelty of the punishment, the humblest and most impor­tunate Prayers, nor the fear of Gods judgments were sufficient to molifie her heart, or abate one jot of her fury. It was never seen, that any one who had once offended her, was ever for­given, no not after they were dead; for the child that survived, inherited the displeasure of the Empress, with the Lands of his Father; and when he died, left it afterwards to his Sons. She was easily inraged, and that rage (not being to be withstood) was the loss of many a man. She had not so much care of her body, as of her pleasure; and through her wanton mind, practised it with a tired appetite, when it was unnecessary. She rose very early in the morning to go into her Bath, where having continued a good time, she eat her breakfast, and went again to sleep. At dinner and supper there was no sort of meat but she would have, and that in abundance. She slept much, and often; in the day time, she slept till night, and in the night