,

having come to be in the gateways of the emperors, they were beseeching with acclamations the bridegroom the Caesar, seated on a throne, to appear to the troops and to grant wedding gifts to the subjects. But the royal bridal chamber was magnificently adorned in the precinct of the first great shrines of the emperors, richly decorated with gold and proud stones; yes, and indeed with purple garments of very precious, twice-dyed Tyrian dye it was decked in purple. And the daughter of Tiberius, the maiden, the bride, went before the emperor to the wedding throne as if in a secret place, about to be seen by the people, when the fine fabrics were suddenly drawn apart as if on signal. And immediately the emperor comes to the bridal chamber, conspicuously escorted by many men in white robes. And so he goes up behind the high curtains both to display the empress to the spectators and to embrace her. And the emperor's bridesman was present; this man was, in fact, a eunuch of the emperor, Margarites was his name, a distinguished man in the emperor's household. And the empress rose from the throne, honoring her husband the emperor, and the people cried out a wedding hymn. And the bridesman, with a cup, pledged the health of the bride and groom as the people watched. For it was not lawful to put on crowns; for those being married were not private citizens; for this was already reserved for the imperial dignity. These things, then, on the previous day. And the city celebrated for seven days and was crowned with silver vessels; for hollow plates and basins and cups and bowls, kneading-troughs and baskets, Roman wealth was poured out, and the luxury of golden ornament, the mysteries of the home, was a spectacle for anyone wishing to feast his eyes, and flutes and pipes and lyres sounded all around, something at once relaxed and enticing, and many of the wonder-workers all day long paraded their own witty performances for the spectators, and those on stage reviling whomever they wished with the greatest rivalry displayed their laughter-making plays as if it were a matter of some importance, and chariot races were held, and the emperor feasted those in authority in the house of the emperors. And so that glorious wedding came to an end. But since it is surely obvious to everyone that he who writes a history should set forth the notable deeds, come now, let us also mix the more difficult fortunes with the more cheerful ones. At the beginning of spring, in the so-called Forum (this is a very splendid place of the city), raging flames of fire were setting fire to the beauty of the city, and it was not possible to assuage the fury of the all-consuming fire. Nevertheless, the people of the city soften the fire with golden streams, as if having somewhat conquered its relentlessness; for the force of the wind happened to be great, so that the entire city came near to partaking of the soot. In this very year, a certain Paulinus, a man not obscure in the city, having partaken of much education, having thrust his soul down into the pit of sorcerers, is caught in the act. But the manner of his exposure is peculiar among incredible tales. And I will tell it, as it is altogether worthy of wonder. The sorcerer had a certain silver basin, through which he used to collect the effusions of blood, whenever he consorted with the apostate powers. This basin he sells to men who trade in silver. The merchants, therefore, having paid the price of the basin to Paulinus, attempted to move the vessel and set it before the doors of their own little house, giving opportunity to anyone who wished to buy it. It happened then that the bishop of the city Heraclea, which the ancients once named Perinthus, was staying in Byzantium at that time and saw the basin of the sorcerer displayed for sale. This he buys with great joy and

γενόμενοι ἐν τοῖς προπυλαίοις τῶν βασιλέων ἐλιπάρουν ταῖς εὐφημίαις τὸν νυμφίον τὸν Καίσαρα ἐπὶ θρόνου καθίσαντα ἐπιφαίνεσθαι τοῖς στρατεύμασι καὶ γαμήλια δῶρα τοῖς ὑπη1.10.6 κόοις χαρίζεσθαι. ἡ δὲ παστὰς ἡ βασίλειος μεγαλουργῶς ἐκεκόσμητο ἐν τῷ περιβόλῳ τῶν πρώτων μεγάλων τῶν βασιλέων σηκῶν χρυσῷ καὶ λίθοις ἀγερώχοις κατάκοσμος· ναὶ μὴν καὶ ἁλουργοῖς ἱματίοις βαφῆς δευσοποιοῦ Τυρίας μεγα1.10.7 τιμίου περιπόρφυρος ἦν. ἡ δὲ Τιβερίου παῖς ἡ παρθένος ἡ νύμφη προηγεῖτο τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπὶ τὸν γαμήλιον θρόνον ὡς ἐν παραβύστῳ ὅσον οὔπω ὀψομένη τοῖς δήμοις, τῶν λεπτῶν ὑφασμάτων ἀθρόον διασταλέντων ὡς ἐν συνθήματι. παραυτίκα δ' ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τὸν παστὸν παραγίνεται ὑπὸ 1.10.8 πολλῶν λευχειμόνων ἀνδρῶν περιφανῶς προπεμπόμενος. καὶ οὖν ἄνεισιν ἐν τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς προπετάσμασι πομπεῦσαί τε ἅμα τοῖς θεαταῖς τὴν βασίλειαν καὶ περιπτύξασθαι. παρῆν δ' ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως νυμφευτής· εὐνοῦχος δ' ἄρα ἦν οὗτος τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος, Μαργαρίτης ὄνομα αὐτῷ, ἀνὴρ περίβλεπτος 1.10. ἐν τῇ ἑστίᾳ τοῦ βασιλέως. ἡ δὲ βασίλεια ἐξανέστη τοῦ θρόνου τὸν γαμέτην τὸν βασιλέα γεραίρουσα, ἀνέκραγόν τε οἱ δῆμοι ὑμέναιον. ὁ δὲ νυμφαγωγὸς κύλικι τοὺς νυμφίους ὁρώντων τῶν δήμων ἐφιλοφρονήσατο. οὐ θέμις γὰρ ἦν ἐπιθέσθαι στεφάνους· οὐ γὰρ ἰδιῶται ἐτύγχανον ὄντες οἱ νυμφευόμενοι· 1.10.10 ἤδη γὰρ τοῦτο τῷ βασιλικῷ ἀξιώματι προκατείληπτο. ταῦτα μὲν δῆτα τῇ προτεραίᾳ. ἡ δὲ πόλις ἐπανηγύριζεν ἐν ἡμέραις ἑπτὰ ἀργυρέοις τε ἐστεφάνωτο σκεύεσιν· κοῖλαί τε γὰρ πίνακες καὶ λεκανίδες καὶ κυλίχναι καὶ τρύβλια μαγίδες τε καὶ κανᾶ, πλοῦτος ῾Ρωμαϊκὸς διεκέχυτο, τρυφή τε χρυσέου κόσμου, τὰ οἴκοι μυστήρια, θέατρον ἦν τοῦ βουλομένου 1.10.11 παντὸς ἑστιᾶσαι τὰς ὄψεις, αὐλοί τε καὶ σύριγγες καὶ κιθάραι περιελάλουν ἀνειμένον ὁμοῦ καὶ ἐπαγωγόν, πολλοί τε τῶν θαυματοποιῶν πανημέριοι τὰς σφῶν αὐτῶν εὐτραπελίας τοῖς 1.10.12 φιλοθεάμοσιν ἐθριάμβευον, οἵ τε ἐπὶ σκηνῆς λοιδορούμενοι οἷς ἂν ἐθέλοιεν μετὰ μεγίστης ἁμίλλης τὰς γελωτοποιοὺς δραματουργίας οἷα περὶ σπουδαίου τινὸς τοῦ πράγματος ἐπεδείκνυντο, ἱππικοί τε ἐτελοῦντο ἀγῶνες, καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς εἱστία τοὺς ἐν τέλει ἐν τῇ τῶν βασιλέων οἰκίᾳ. καὶ οὕτως ὁ περίδοξος ἐκεῖνος κατεπέπαυτο γάμος. 1.11.1 ᾿Επεὶ δὲ τὸν ἱστορίαν ἀναγραφόμενον τὰς ἐπισήμους τῶν πράξεων παντί που προῦπτον ἐς μέσον προτίθεσθαι, ἄγε δή, φέρε καὶ τὰς δυσχερεστέρας τύχας τοῖς φαιδροτέροις ἐμμίξωμεν. ἦρος ἀρχομένου ἐν τῷ λεγομένῳ Φόρῳ (περίλαμπρος δ' οὗτος χῶρος τῆς πόλεως) φλόγες μαινόλεις πυρὸς ἐνεπίμπρων τὴν ὥραν τοῦ ἄστεος, καὶ θεραπεύειν τοῦ παμφάγου 1.11.2 πυρὸς οὐχ οἷόν τε ἦν τὸν θυμόν. ὅμως ὑπομαλάττουσι τὸ πῦρ οἱ τῆς πόλεως ῥείθροις χρυσοῖς ὥσπερ ὑπονικήσαντες αὐτοῦ τὸ ἀμείλικτον· μεγάλη γὰρ ἐτύγχανεν οὖσα ἡ ῥύμη τοῦ πνεύματος, ὡς μικροῦ δεῖν τῆς αἰθάλης μεταλήψεσθαι ἅπαν τὸ πόλισμα. 1.11.3 Κατὰ τοῦτον δὴ τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν Παυλῖνός τις, ἀνὴρ τῶν οὐκ ἀσήμων τῆς πόλεως, πλείστης παιδείας μετειληφώς, ἐπὶ τὸ τῶν γοήτων βάραθρον τὴν ψυχὴν κατωθήσας κατάφωρος γίνεται. ὁ δὲ τῆς ἐλέγξεως τρόπος τῶν παραδοξολογουμένων λόγων καθέστηκεν ἴδιος. λέξω δὲ τοῦτον πάνυ καθεστηκότα 1.11.4 θαύματος ἄξιον. ἀργύρεος λεκανίς τις ὑπῆρχε τῷ γόητι, δι' ἧς τὰς τῶν αἱμάτων χύσεις συνήθροιζεν, ὁπόταν ταῖς ἀποστατικαῖς προσωμίλει δυνάμεσιν. ταύτην τὴν λεκανίδα δια1.11.5 πωλεῖ ἄργυρον ἐμπορευομένοις ἀνδράσιν. οἱ μὲν οὖν ἔμποροι τὰς τῆς λεκανίδος τιμὰς ἀποδόμενοι τῷ Παυλίνῳ μετεκχωρεῖν ἐνεχείρουν τὸ σκεῦος καὶ πρὸ τῶν θυρῶν τοῦ ἑαυτῶν οἰκίσκου ταύτην προετίθεσαν ἐξουσίαν διδόντες ὠνήσασθαι τῷ βουλο1.11.6 μένῳ παντί. ἐδέησε τοίνυν τὸν ἐπισκοποῦντα τὴν πόλιν ῾Ηράκλειαν, ἣν Πείρινθον οἱ πάλαι ποτὲ κατωνόμαζον, κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ ἐς Βυζάντιον διατρίβειν καὶ θεάσασθαι πρὸς ἐκποίησιν ἠρτημένην τὴν λεκανίδα τοῦ γόητος. ταύτην ὠνεῖται περιχαρῶς καὶ