Page:The age of Justinian and Theodora (Volume 2).djvu/130

 very sternly against paederasty, and even made a public example of certain bishops who were convicted of that offence. He further forbade the making of eunuchs within the Empire, threatening confiscation, exile, and retaliative castration against those who infringed his prohibition. Consistently he ordained that eunuchs of servile condition should for the reason alone of their defect become free men.

3. In the midst of his most earnest efforts at reform Justinian never failed to impress on all concerned that with himself and his Imperial partner the rights of the crown and the maintenance of the revenue were of paramount importance. At the head of their codicils the Rectors were admonished to make it their study above all things to expedite the fiscal exactions; whilst the tributaries were warned that no matter how vehemently their governor had enforced payment of the imposts, no cause of action was granted to them against him. On the contrary, they were to conduct him with all deference from the province at the end of his term, and, should they presume to molest him during his fifty days of postponed departure on that account, they would be subjected to penalties of exceptional severity. The Emperor deplores the diminution of Roman territory