XL. CHAP. pital, this peftilence was diffufed into the provinces and cities of the East, and the sportive distinction of two colours produced two ftrong and irreconcilable factions, which fhook the foundations of a feeble government *5. The popular diffenfions, founded on the moft ferious intereft, or holy pretence, have scarcely equalled the obftinacy of this wanton difcord, which invaded the peace of families, divided friends and brothers, and tempted the female fex, though feldom feen in the circus, to espouse the inclinations of their lovers, or to contradict the wishes of their husbands. Every law, either human or divine, was trampled under foot, and as long as the party was successful, its deluded followers appeared carelefs of private diftrefs or public calamity. The license, without the freedom, of democracy, was revived at Antioch and Conftantinople, and the fupport of a faction became neceffary to every candidate for civil or ecclefiaftical honours. A fecret attachment to the family or fect of Anaftafius, was imputed to the greens; the blues were zealously devoted to the cause of orthodoxy and Juftinian, and their grateful patron protected, above five years, the disorders of a faction, whose seasonable tumults (A.D. 501, No 4, 5, 6.) is satisfied that the blues were orthodox; but Tillemont is angry at the fuppofition, and will not allow any martyrs in a playhouse (Hift. des Emp: tom. vi. p. 554.). Juftinian favours the blues. 45 See Procopius, Perfic. l. i. c. 24. In defcribing the vices of the factions and of the government, the public, is not more favourable than the secret, hiftorian. Aleman. (p. 26.) has quoted a fine passage from Gregory Nazianzen, which proves the inveteracy of the evil. 46 The partiality of Juftinian for the blues (Anecdot. c. 7.) is attefted by Evagrius (Hift. Ecclef. 1. iv. c. 32); John Malala (tom. ii. p. 138, 139), especially for Antioch; and Theophanes (p. 142.). overawed XL. overawed the palace, the fenate, and the capitals CHA P. of the East. Infolent with royal favour, the blues affected to strike terror by a peculiar and Barbaric drefs, the long hair of the Huns, their close fleeves and ample garments, a lofty step, and a fonorous voice. In the day they concealed their two-edged poynards, but in the night they boldly affembled in arms, and in numerous bands, prepared for every act of violence and rapine. Their adverfaries of the green faction, or even inoffenfive citizens, were stripped and often murdered by these nocturnal robbers, and it became dangerous to wear any gold buttons or girdles, or to appear at a late hour in the streets of a peaceful capital. A daring spirit, rifing with impunity, proceeded to violate the fafeguard of private houses; and fire was employed to facilitate the attack, or to conceal the crimes of these factious rioters. No place was fafe or facred from their depredations; to gratify either avarice or revenge, they profufely spilt the blood of the innocent; churches and altars were polluted by atrocious murders; and it was the boast of the affaffins, that their dexterity could always inflict a mortal wound with a fingle ftroke of their dagger. The diffolute youth of Constantinople adopted the blue livery of diforder; the laws were filent, and the bonds of fociety were relaxed creditors were compelled to refign their obligations; judges to reverfe their fentence; mafters to enfranchise their flaves; fathers to fupply the extravagance of their children; noble matrons were prostituted to the luft of their fervants; beautiful boys were torn from the arms of XL. 47 CHAP. their parents; and wives, unlefs they preferred a voluntary death, were ravifhed in the prefence of their husbands +7. The defpair of the greens, who were perfecuted by their enemies, and deserted by the magistrate, affumed the privilege of defence, perhaps of retaliation: but thofe who furvived the combat, were dragged to execution, and the unhappy fugitives efcaping to woods and cavern, preyed without mercy on the fociety from whence they were expelled. Those ministers of justice who had courage to punish the crimes, and to brave the refentment of the blues, became the victims of their indifcreet zeal; a præfect of Conftantinople fled for refuge to the holy fepulchre, a count of the Eaft was ignominioufly whipped, and a governor of Cilicia was hanged, by the order of Theodora, on the tomb of two affaffins whom he had condemned for the murder of his groom, and a daring attack upon his own life 48. his own life 48. An aspiring candidate may be tempted to build his greatness on the public confufion, but it is the intereft as well as duty of a fovereign to maintain the autho rity of the laws. The first edict of Juftinian, which was often repeated, and fometimes executed, announced his firm refolution to fupport the innocent, and to chastise the guilty of every 47 A wife (fays Procopius), who was feized and almost ravished by a blue coat, threw herself into the Bofphorus. The bishops of the fecond Syria (Aleman. p. 26.) deplore a fimilar fuicide, the guilt or glory of female chastity, and name the heroine. 48 The doubtful credit of Procopius (Anecdot. c. 17). is fupported by the lefs partial Evagrius, who confirms the fact, and specifies the The tragic fate of the præfect of Conftantinople is related by John Malala (tom. ii. p. 139.). names. deno XL. denomination and colour. Yet the balance of CHA P. juftice was ftill inclined in favour of the blue faction, by the fecret affection, the habits, and the fears of the emperor; his equity, after an apparent struggle, submitted, without reluctance, to the implacable paffions of Theodora, and the em prefs never forgot, or forgave, the injuries of the comedian. At the acceffion of the younger Juftin, the proclamation of equal and rigorous juftice indirectly condemned the partiality of the former, reign. "Ye blues, Juftinian is no more! ye greens, he is ftill alive + !". Conítan furnamed A.D. 532. A fedition, which almoft laid Conftantinople in Sedition of afhes, was excited by the mutual hatred and mo- tinople, mentary reconciliation of the two factions. In the fifth year of his reign, Justinian celebrated the festival of the ides of January: the games were inceffantly difturbed by the clamorous difcontent of the greens; till the twenty-second race, the emperor maintained his filent gravity; at length, yielding to his impatience, he condefcended to hold, in abrupt fentences, and by the voice of a cryér, the most fingular dialogue "° that ever paffed between a prince and his fubjects. The first complaints were respectful and modeft; they accused 49 See John Malala (tom. ii. p. 147.); yet he owns that Juftinian was attached to the blues. The seeming discord of the emperor and Theodora, is perhaps viewed with too much jealousy and refinement by Procopius (Anecdot. c. 10.). See Aleman. Præfat. p. 6. 50 This dialogue, which Theophanes has preserved, exhibits the popular language, as well as the manners, of Constantinople in the vith century. Their Greek is mingled with many strange and barbarous words, for which Ducange cannot always find a meaning or etymology. VOL. VII. G the XL. CHAP the fubordinate minifters of oppreffion, and pro claimed their wishes for the long life and victory of the emperor. "Be patient and attentive, ye "infolent railers," exclaimed Juftinian; " be "mute, ye Jews, Samaritans, and Manichæans.' The greens ftill attempted to awaken his compaffion. "We are poor, we are innocent, we are injured, we dare not pass through the ftreets: "a general perfecution is exercised against our "name and colour. Let us die, O emperor, but "let us die by your command, and for your fer vice!" But the repetition of partial and paffionate invectives degraded, in their eyes, the majefty of the purple; they renounced allegiance to the prince who refufed juftice to his people; lamented that the father of Juftinian had been born; and branded his fon with the opprobrious names of an homicide, an afs, and a perjured tyrant. "Do you despise your lives?" cried the indignant monarch: the blues rose with fury from their feats; their hoftile clamours thundered in the hippodrome; and their adverfaries, deserting the unequal conteft, fpread terror and despair through the streets of Conftantinople. At this dangerous moment, feven notorious affaffins of both factions, who had been condemned by the præfect, were carried round the city, and afterwards tranfported to the place of execution in the suburb of Pera. Four were immediately beheaded; a fifth was hanged: but when the fame punishment was inflicted on the remaining two, the rope broke, they fell alive to the ground, the populace applauded their efcape, and the monks of St. Co non, |