The Secret History

by

Procopius of Caesarea

translated by Richard Atwater

(Chicago: P. Covici, 1927 New York Covici Friede 1927)

Reprinted, Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 1961, with indication
that copyright had expired on the text of the translation.

10.. HOW JUSTINIAN CREATED A NEW LAW PERMITTING HIM TO MARRY A COURTESAN

Now as long as the former Empress was alive, Justinian was unable to find a way
to make Theodora his wedded wife. In this one matter she opposed him as in nothing
else: for the lady abhorred vice, being a rustic and of barbarian descent, as I
have shown. She was never able to do any real good, because of her continued ignorance
of the affairs of state. She dropped her original name, for fear people would think
it ridiculous, and adopted the name of Euphemia when she came to the palace. But
finally her death removed this obstacle to Justinian’s desire.

Justin, doting and utterly senile, was now the laughing stock of his subjects;
he was disregarded by everyone because of his inability to oversee state affairs;
but Justinian they all served with considerable awe. His hand was in everything,
and his passion for turmoil created universal consternation.

It was then that he undertook to complete his marriage with Theodora. But as
it was impossible for a man of senatorial rank to make a courtesan his wife, this
being forbidden by ancient law, he made the Emperor nullify this ordinance by creating
a new one, permitting him to wed Theodora, and consequently making it possible for
anyone else to marry a courtesan. Immediately after this he seized the power of
the Emperor, veiling his usurpation with a transparent pretext: for he was proclaimed
colleague of his uncle as Emperor of the Romans by the questionable legality of
an election inspired by terror.

So Justinian and Theodora ascended the imperial throne three days before Easter,
a time, indeed, when even making visits or greeting one’s friends is forbidden.
And not many days later Justin died of an illness, after a reign of nine years.
Justinian was now sole .monarch, together, of course, with Theodora.

Thus it was that Theodora, though born and brought up as I have related, rose
to royal dignity over all obstacles. For no thought of shame came to Justinian in
marrying her, though he might have taken his pick of the noblest born, most highly
educated, most modest, carefully nurtured, virtuous and beautiful virgins of all
the ladies in the whole Roman Empire: a maiden, as they say, with upstanding breasts.
Instead, he preferred to make his own :what, had been common to all men, alike,
careless of all her revealed history, took in wedlock a woman who was not only guilty
of every other contamination but boasted of her many abortions.

I need hardly mention any other proof of the character of this man: for all the
perversity of his soul was completely displayed in this union; which alone was ample
interpreter, witness, and historian of his shamelessness. For when a man once disregards
the disgrace of his actions and is willing to brave the contempt of society, no
path of lawlessness is thereafter taboo to him; but with unflinching countenance
he advances, easily and without a scruple, to acts of the deepest infamy.

However, not a single member of even the Senate, seeing this disgrace befalling
the State, dared to complain or forbid the event; but all of them bowed down before
her as if she were a goddess. Nor was there a priest who showed any resentment,
but all hastened to greet her as Highness. And the populace who had seen her before
on the stage, directly raised its hands to proclaim itself her slave in fact and
in name. Nor did any soldier grumble at being ordered to risk the perils of war
for the benefit of Theodora: nor was there any man on earth who ventured to oppose
her.

Confronted with this disgrace, they all yielded, I suppose, to necessity, for
it was as if Fate were giving proof of its power to control mortal affairs as malignantly
as it pleases: showing that its decrees need not always be according to reason or
human propriety. Thus does Destiny sometimes raise mortals suddenly to lofty heights
in defiance of reason, in challenge to all out cries of injustice; but admits no
obstacle, urging on his favorites to the appointed goal without let or hindrance.
But as this is the will of God, so let it befall and be written.

Now Theodora was fair of face and of a very graceful, though small, person; her
complexion was moderately colorful, if somewhat pale; and her eyes were dazzling
and vivacious. All eternity would not be long enough to allow one to tell her escapades
while she was on the stage, but the few details I have mentioned above should be
sufficient to demonstrate the woman’s character to future generations.

What she and her husband did together must now be briefly described: for neither
did anything without the consent of the other. For some time it was generally supposed
they were totally different in mind and action; but later it was revealed that their
apparent disagreement had been arranged so that their subjects might not unanimously
revolt against them, but instead be divided in opinion.

Thus they split the Christians into two parties, each pretending to take the
part of one side, thus confusing both, as I shall soon show; and then they ruined
both political factions. Theodora feigned to support the Blues with all her power,
encouraging them to take the offensive against the opposing party and perform the
most outrageous deeds of violence; while Justinian, affecting to be vexed and secretly
jealous of her, also pretended he could not openly oppose her orders. And thus they
gave the impression often that they were acting in opposition. Then he would rule
that the Blues must be punished for their crimes, and she would angrily complain
that against her will she was defeated by her husband. However, the Blue partisans,
as I have said, seemed cautious, for they did not violate their neighbors as much
as they might have done.

And in legal disputes each of the two would pretend to favor one of the litigants,
and compel the man with the worse case to win: and so they robbed both disputants
of most of the property at issue.

In the same way, the Emperor, taking many persons into his intimacy, gave them
offices by power of which they could defraud the State to the limits of their ambition.
And as soon as they had collected enough plunder, they would fall out of favor with
Theodora, and straightway be ruined. At first he would affect great sympathy in
their behalf, but soon he would somehow lose his confidence in them, and an air
of doubt would darken his zeal in their behalf. Then Theodora would use them shamefully,
while he, unconscious as it were of what was being done to them, confiscated their
properties and boldly enjoyed their wealth. By such well-planned hypocrisies they
confused the public and, pretending to be at variance with each other, were able
to establish a firm and mutual tyranny.