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first came to Alexandria. Then, after traveling all over the East, she returned to Byzantium, practicing in each city a craft which, I think, a man who names it would never find God merciful, as if the demon could not bear that any place should be ignorant of Theodora's licentiousness. 9.29 So then it happened that this woman was both born and brought up and became notorious among many men in public 9.30 and among all men. But when she arrived in Byzantium again, Justinian fell in love with her with a kind of extraordinary love, and at first he consorted with her as a mistress, although he had raised her to the rank of the patricians. 9.31 Theodora was immediately able, therefore, to acquire a certain extraordinary power and exceedingly great wealth. For it seemed sweetest of all things to the man, as is wont to happen to those who are excessively in love, to bestow all favors and all wealth on his beloved. 9.32 And the state became fuel for this love. With her, therefore, he corrupted the people much more still, not only here, but throughout the entire Ro9.33 man empire. For since both were of the Blue faction from of old, with great power they put matters of state into the hands of these particular parti9.34 sans. But much later, most of the evil had subsided in the following way. 9.35 It happened that Justinian was sick for many days, and in this illness he came to such a point of danger that it was even said that he had died; the partisans, however, committed the outrages that have been mentioned, and they killed a certain Hypatius, a man not without distinction, in broad daylight in the sanctuary of Sophia. 9.36 When the evil deed had been done, the uproar about the affair came to the emperor, and each of those about him, since he took advantage of Justinian's absence, made it his business to magnify the outrageousness of what had been done, recounting from the beginning everything that had chanced to happen. 9.37 Then indeed the emperor commanded the prefect of the city to inflict punishments for all that had been done. This man was Theodotus by name, whom 9.38 they called by the nickname Colocynthius. And he, investigating everything, was able to seize many of the evildoers and put them to death according to law, but many also escaped notice and 9.39 were saved. For in the meantime they had to be lost to the Roman state. But he, having been saved by an unexpected and sudden deliverance, immediately tried to kill Theodotus as a poisoner 9.40 and a magician. But since he had no pretext by which he could destroy the man, he tortured some of his associates most bitterly and forced them to utter words least sound against him. 9.41 But when all stood out of his way and in silence lamented the plot against Theodotus, Proclus alone, who held the office of the so-called quaestor, declared the man to be 9.42 innocent of the charge and in no way deserving of death. Therefore, Theodotus is brought to Jerusalem by the emperor's decision. But learning that some men had come there who would destroy him, he was hiding in the sanctuary the entire time, and so having lived out his life, he died. 9.43 So the affair concerning Theodotus turned out in this way. But the partisans became from that time the most moderate of all 9.44 men. For they no longer tolerated committing such offenses, although it was possible for them to practice lawlessness in their way of life with greater impunity. 9.45 And here is the proof: for when a few later showed similar audacity, 9.46 no punishment came upon them. For those who always had the power to punish granted to those who had done these terrible things license to escape notice, by this indulgence leading them on to trample upon the laws. 9.47 As long, therefore, as the empress was still alive, Justinian was by no means able to make Theodora his lawful wife. For in this alone she went against him, 9.48 although she opposed him in nothing else. For the woman happened to be very far removed from wickedness, but she was utterly rustic and of barbarian stock, as has been said by me. 9.49 And she was in no way able to take hold of virtue, but she continued to be most inexperienced in the affairs of the state, who indeed not even with her own name since

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οὖνἈλεξάνδρειαν τὰ πρῶτα ἧκεν. ἔπειτα δὲ πᾶσαν τὴν ἕω περιελθοῦσα ἐς Βυζάντιον ἐπανῆκεν, ἐργασίᾳ χρωμένη ἐν πόλει ἑκάστῃ, ἥν γε ὀνομάζοντι, οἶμαι, ἀνθρώπῳ οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἵλεως ὁ θεὸς εἴη, ὥσπερ οὐκ ἀνεχομένου τοῦ δαίμονος χῶρόν τινα τῆς Θεοδώρας ἀκολασίας ἀγνῶτα εἶναι. 9.29 Οὕτω μὲν οὖν τετέχθαι τε τῇδε τῇ γυναικὶ καὶ τετράφθαι ξυνέβη καὶ ἐς δημοσίους πολλὰς διαβοήτῳ 9.30 γεγενῆσθαι καὶ ἐς πάντας ἀνθρώπους. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀφίκετο ἐς Βυζάντιον αὖθις, ἠράσθη αὐτῆςἸουστινιανὸς ἔρωτα ἐξαίσιον οἷον, καὶ τὰ πρῶτα ἐπλησίαζεν ὡς ἐρωμένῃ, καίπερ αὐτὴν ἀναγαγὼν ἐς τὸ τῶν πατρικίων 9.31 ἀξίωμα. δύναμιν τοίνυν ἐξαισίαν τινὰ καὶ χρήματα ἐπιεικῶς μεγάλα περιβαλέσθαι ἡ Θεοδώρα εὐθὺς ἴσχυσε. πάντων γὰρ ἥδιστον τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐφαίνετο, ὃ δὴ ξυμβαίνειν τοῖς ἐκτόπως ἐρῶσι φιλεῖ, χάριτάς τε πάσας καὶ χρήματα πάντα τῇ ἐρωμένῃ χαρίζεσθαι. 9.32 ἐγίνετό τε ἡ πολιτεία τοῦ ἔρωτος τοῦδε ὑπέκκαυμα. ξὺν αὐτῇ τοίνυν πολλῷ ἔτι μᾶλλον τὸν δῆμον διέφθειρεν οὐκ ἐνταῦθα μόνον, ἀλλ' ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴνῬω9.33 μαίων ἀρχήν. ἄμφω γὰρ μοίρας τῆς Βενέτων ἐκ παλαιοῦ ὄντες ἐν πολλῇ ἐξουσίᾳ τούτοις δὴ τοῖς στα9.34 σιώταις τὰ ἐς τὴν πολιτείαν πράγματα ἔθεντο. χρόνῳ δὲ πολλῷ ὕστερον τὸ πλεῖστον τοῦ κακοῦ ἐλελωφήκει τρόπῳ τοιῷδε. 9.35Ἰουστινιανῷ ἐν ἡμέραις πολλαῖς νοσῆσαι ξυνέβη, ἐν δὲ τῇ νόσῳ ταύτῃ ἐς τόσον κινδύνου ἀφίκετο ὥστε καὶ ἐλέχθη ὅτι δὴ ἀποθάνοι· οἱ μέντοι στασιῶται ταῦτα ἅπερ ἐρρήθη ἡμάρτανον, καί τιναὙπάτιον οὐκ ἀφανῆ ἄνδρα δι' ἡμέρας ἐν τῷ τῆς Σοφίας ἱερῷ διε9.36 χρήσαντο. ἐξειργασμένου δὲ τοῦ κακοῦ ἡ τοῦ ἔργου ταραχὴ ἐς βασιλέα ἦλθε, τῶν τε ἀμφ' αὐτὸν ἕκαστος, ἐπεὶ τῆςἸουστινιανοῦ ἀπουσίας ἐλάβετο, τὴν τῶν πεπραγμένων ἀτοπίαν ἐπὶ μέγα αἴρειν ἐν σπουδῇ ἐποιεῖτο, καταλέγων ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἅπαντα, ὅσα δὴ γενέσθαι 9.37 τετύχηκε. τότε δὴ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ τῆς πόλεως ἐπάρχῳ ἐπέστελλε τῶν πεπραγμένων ἁπάντων ποιεῖσθαι τὰς τίσεις. ἦν δὲ οὗτος ὁ ἀνὴρ Θεόδοτος ὄνομα, ὅνπερ 9.38 Κολοκύνθιον ἐπίκλησιν ἐκάλουν. καὶ ὃς διερευνώμενος ἅπαντα πολλοὺς μὲν τῶν κακούργων ἑλεῖν τε καὶ διαχρήσασθαι νόμῳ ἴσχυσε πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ διαλαθόντες 9.39 ἐσώθησαν. μεταξὺ γὰρ ἐπιαπολέσθαι αὐτοὺς πράγμασιῬωμαίων ἔδει. ὁ δὲ παράδοξον διασωθεὶς ἐξάπινα σωτηρίαν καὶ τὸν Θεόδοτον κτεῖναι ἅτε φαρμα9.40 κέα καὶ μάγον εὐθὺς ἐνεχείρει. ἐπεὶ δὲ οὐκ εἶχεν ὅτῳ ποτὲ προσχήματι χρώμενος τὸν ἄνθρωπον διαφθείρειε, τῶν οἱ ἐπιτηδείων τινὰς πικρότατα αἰκισάμενος ἠνάγκαζε λόγους ὡς ἥκιστα ὑγιεῖς ἐπ' αὐτῷ 9.41 φθέγγεσθαι. πάντων δέ οἱ ἐκποδὼν ἱσταμένων καὶ σιωπῇ τὴν ἐς τὸν Θεόδοτον ὀδυρομένων ἐπιβουλὴν, μόνος ὁ Πρόκλος τὴν τοῦ καλουμένου κοιαίστωρος ἔχων ἀρχὴν καθαρὸν ἀπέφαινε τοῦ ἐγκλήματος εἶναι 9.42 τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ θανάτου οὐδαμῆ ἄξιον. διὸ δὴ ὁ Θεόδοτος ἐς τὰἹεροσόλυμα βασιλέως κομίζεται γνώμῃ. γνοὺς δὲ ἥκειν τινὰς ἐνταῦθα, οἵπερ αὐτὸν διαφθεροῦσιν, ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἦν κρυπτόμενος τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον, οὕτω τε διαβιοὺς ἐτελεύτησε. 9.43 Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ Θεοδότῳ ταύτῃ πη ἔσχεν. οἱ δὲ στασιῶται σωφρονέστατοι τὸ ἐντεῦθεν ἐγένοντο ἀν9.44 θρώπων ἁπάντων. οὐ γὰρ ἔτι τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐξαμαρτάνειν ἠνείχοντο, καίπερ σφίσι παρὸν ἀδεέστερον τῇ 9.45 ἐς τὴν δίαιταν παρανομίᾳ χρῆσθαι. τεκμήριον δέ· ὀλίγων γάρ τινων ὕστερον τόλμαν τὴν ὁμοίαν ἐνδει9.46 ξαμένων τίσις οὐδεμία ἐς αὐτοὺς γέγονεν. οἱ γὰρ τοῦ κολάζειν τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἀεὶ ἔχοντες παρρησίαν τοῦ διαλανθάνειν τοῖσδε τὰ δεινὰ εἰργασμένοις παρείχοντο, ταύτῃ αὐτοὺς τῇ ξυγχωρήσει ἐς τὸ τοῖς νόμοις ἐπεμβαίνειν ἐνάγοντες. 9.47Ἕως μὲν οὖν ἡ βασιλὶς περιῆν ἔτι, γυναῖκα ἐγγυητὴνἸουστινιανὸς τὴν Θεοδώραν ποιήσασθαι οὐδεμιᾷ μηχανῇ εἶχεν. ἐν τούτῳ γὰρ μόνον ἀπ' ἐναντίας αὐτῷ 9.48 ἐχώρει, καίπερ ἀντιστατοῦσα τῶν ἄλλων οὐδέν. πονηρίας μὲν γὰρ ἡ γυνὴ ἀπωτάτω οὖσα ἐτύγχανεν, ἄγροικος δὲ ἦν κομιδῆ καὶ βάρβαρος γένος, ὥσπερ μοι 9.49 εἴρηται. ἀντιλαβέσθαι τε ἀρετῆς οὐδαμῆ ἴσχυσεν, ἀλλ' ἀπειροτάτη οὖσα διατετέλεκε τῶν κατὰ τὴν πολιτείαν πραγμάτων, ἥ γε οὐδὲ ξὺν τῷ ὀνόματι τῷ αὐτῆς ἰδίῳ ἅτε