Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/87

 slavishly to kiss her feet; and the Roman Em­pire lost much of its magnanimity and splendor, partly by the easiness of Justinian, and partly by the insolence of Theodora, who thrust her self into all affairs, and obstructed their suc­cess.

This difference there was betwixt their hu­mors, but in covetousness and murder they a­greed well enough: Neither of them knew what it was to speak truth, but on the contrary, both of them were great inventors of lies. If any one was in disfavor with Theodora, and had com­mitted any fault, how little soever, from that very time, she would accuse them of something or other, which perhaps never came into their thoughts, and aggravating it so highly, That she would charge others with confederacy, and never rest till she had delivered them up into the hands of Justice; and when the Judges met, they knew well enough that their sentence must be accommodated to the cruelty of Theodora. Judgment being given and executed, and all the goods seised (let the party be as great as he will) she caused him to be drubbed, and after­wards either banished him, or put him to death. On the other side, if any of her favorites trans­gressed, and were guilty of assassination, or any Other crime (either in raillery, or by way of threat) she took off the Informers, and staid the process. She had a way of turning things of greatest importance into ridicule, mocking and drolling upon them, as if they were in a Play; and she acting them as formerly upon the Stage.