Page:The age of Justinian and Theodora (Volume 1).djvu/113

 and in each case a train of eunuchs in gorgeous liveries, and decked with ornaments of gold, mark the progress of a great lady. Occasionally we may see the Praefect of the City, or some other man of signal rank, passing in a silver wagon drawn by four horses yoked abreast. Often we meet a noble riding a white horse, his saddle-cloth embroidered in gold; around him a throng of attendants bearing rods of office with which they rudely scatter all meaner citizens to make way for their haughty master. A person of any consequence perambulating the city is followed by at least one slave bearing a folding seat for incidental rest. In some retired nook we may encounter a circle of the populace gazing intently at the performance of a street mountebank; he juggles with cups and goblets; pipes, dances, and sings a lewd ballad; the bystanders reward him with a morsel of bread or an obole; he invokes a thousand blessings on their heads, and departs to resume his display in some other spot.

The Byzantine Emperor and Empress are distinguished in dress from all their subjects by the privilege of wearing the Imperial purple. The Emperor is further denoted by*