The history of the church from our Lords incarnation, to the twelth year of the Emperour Maricius Tiberius, or the Year of Christ 594 / as it was written in Greek, by Eusebius Pamphilius ..., Socrates Scholasticus, and Evagrius Scholasticus ... ; made English from that edition of these historians, which Valesius published at Paris in the years 1659, 1668, and 1673 ; also, The life of Constantine in four books, written by Eusibius Pamphilus, with Constantine's Oration to the convention of the saints, and Eusebius's Speech in praise of Constantine, spoken at his tricennalia ; Valesius's annotations on these authors, are done into English, and set at their proper places in the margin, as likewise a translation of his account of their lives and writings ; with two index's, the one, of the principal matters that occur in the text, the other, of those contained in the notes.

CHAP. XXXII. Concerning the Emperour [Justinian's] madness rather than kindness shown * 1.1 towards [the Faction] of the Venetiani.

a 1.2 THere was also another thing in Justinian, that exceeded the utmost ferity of Savage Beasts: (which whether [it proceeded] from a fault of Nature, or from sloth and fear, I cannot say; but, it took its beginning from that popular Sedition [termed] * 1.3 Nica.) For he seemed so † 1.4 highly to favour the one of the Factions, I mean that ‖ 1.5 of the Venetiani, that they committed murders up∣on persons of the contrary Faction at noon day, and in the midst of the City; and not only feared not punish∣ments, but also obtained re∣wards: in so much that hence it hapned, that many were made Murderers. Moreover, a li∣berty was indulged them of entring even into houses, of plundring the riches laid up therein, and of selling [miserable] men their own safe∣ty. And if any one of the Magistrates had at∣tempted to punish them, he endangered his own safety. 'Tis certain, a personage who was Comes of the East, because he had ordered some Seditious persons to be bea∣ten with † 1.6 Bow-strings, he himself was lead through the midst of the City and scourged with Bow-strings. Callinicus likewise Governour of Cilicia, be∣cause according to the prescript of the Laws he had inflicted a capitall punishment upon two Cilician Murderers, Paulus and Faustinus, who fell upon him and would have murdered him; was Crucified, undergoing this punishment on account of his great prudence in passing judge∣ment,

and of [his observing] the Laws. Hence it hapned, that * 1.7 those of the other Faction, having fled out of their own Country, and fin∣ding reception amongst no men what ever, but being driven from all places as persons most detestable; beset Travellers, and committed Ra∣pines and Murders: and all places were filled with untimely deaths, Robberies, and such like horrid and impious Crimes. But sometimes † 1.8 he tur∣ned to the contrary opinion, and slew the Ve∣netiani themselves; subjecting them to the Laws, to whom he had given permission of perpetra∣ting nefarious Facts, in a Barbarick manner, throughout every City. But, to give a perti∣cular Narrative of these matters, is a thing above Relation or [any compass of] time: never∣theless, these things [I have mentioned] are sufficient for the making a conjecture concerning the rest.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Or, To∣wards [the Faction in] the blew colour.
• a 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. In Robert Stephens's Edition the verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is wanting, which the Geneva Printers have inserted unhappily from the conjecture of Christophorson and others. But from the Tellerian and Florentine Manuscripts I have mended this place thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c, There was also another thing, &c: Which emendation Nicephorus confirms. For instead of these words of Evagrius, he substitutes these, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Vales.
• * 1.3

  See Chap. 13.
• † 1.4

  Manifestly, or, openly.
• ‖ 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, those of the Blew.
• † 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; the term signifies originally a Nerve, or, Sinew; it imports also a Bow-string, or, Rope.
• * 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Valesius renders these words: Prasiniani, the green∣coloured∣faction.
• † 1.8

  Justinian.