[17] So he appointed Liberius, one of the Patricians of Rome, as Governor of Alexandria and he sent some of the notable priests to that city to make a review of the situation, among them being the Archdeacon of Rome, Pelagius, assuming the rôle of the Chief Priest Vigilius, as he had been ordered to do by Vigilius.
[18] τοῦ τε φόνου ἐληλεγμένου Παῦλον τῆς ἱερωσύνης εὐθὺς καθεῖλον, φυγόντα δὲ Ῥόδωνα ἐς Βυζάντιον τήν τε κεφαλὴν ἀφείλετο ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ τὰ χρήματα ἐς τὸ δημόσιον ἀνάγραπτα ἐποιήσατο, καίπερ τρισκαίδεκα ἐπιστολὰς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐνδειξαμένου, ἅσπερ αὐτῷ βασιλεὺς ἔγραψε σπουδάζων τε καὶ διατεινόμενος ἄγαν ἐπαγγέλλων τε ἅπαντα τῷ Παύλῳ ὑπηρετεῖν ἐπιτάττοντι καὶ μηδ̓ ὁτιοῦν ἀντιτείνειν, ὅπως ἐπὶ τῇ δόξῃ ἐπιτελέσαι τὰ δόξαντα δυνατὸς εἴη.
[18] And when the murder had been proved, they immediately removed Paulus from his priesthood; and when Rhodon fled to Byzantium, the Emperor cut off his head and confiscated all his property to the Treasury, although the man displayed thirteen letters which the Emperor had written to him urging and earnestly insisting and commanding that he support Paulus in all things and not oppose him in anything whatsoever, to the end that he might be able to execute the Emperor’s decisions touching the faith.
[19] Ἀρσένιόν τε Λιβέριος γνώμῃ Θεοδώρας ἀνεσκολόπισε, καὶ αὐτοῦ τὰ χρήματα δημοσιοῦν βασιλεὺς ἔγνω, καίπερ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ ἐπεγκαλεῖν ἔχων ἢ ὅτι ξὺν τῷ Παύλῳ δίαιταν εἶχε.
[19] And Liberius, by the will of Theodora, impaled Arsenius, and the Emperor saw fit to confiscate his property, although he had no charge to bring against him other than that he consorted with Paulus.
[20] Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν εἴτε ὀρθῶς εἴτε ἄλλῃ πη αὐτῷ εἴργασται, οὐκ ἔχω εἰπεῖν, ὅτου δὲ δὴ ἕνεκα ταῦτά μοι εἴρηται αὐτίκα δηλώσω.
[20] Now as to whether these things were rightly done by him or otherwise I cannot say, but the reason why I have recounted these things I shall declare immediately.
[21] ὁ Παῦλος χρόνῳ τινὶ ὕστερον ἐς Βυζάντιον ἥκων ἑπτά τε χρυσοῦ κεντηνάρια τῷ βασιλεῖ τούτῳ προέμενος ἠξίου τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἀπολαβεῖν ἅτε αὐτὴν οὐδενὶ νόμῳ ἀφῃρημένος.
[21] Paulus some time later came to Byzantium and offered the Emperor seven centenaria of gold, demanding that he receive back the priesthood, on the ground that it had been illegally wrested from him.
[22] Ἰουστινιανὸς δὲ τά τε χρήματα ἐδέξατο πρᾴως καὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐν τιμῇ ἔσχεν, ἀρχιερέα τε ὡμολόγησεν Ἀλεξανδρεῦσιν αὐτὸν καταστήσεσθαι αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα, καίπερ ἑτέρου τὴν τιμὴν ἔχοντος, ὥσπερ οὐκ εἰδὼς ὅτι δὴ τοὺς αὐτῷ ξυνοικήσαντάς τε καὶ ὑπουργεῖν τετολμηκότας ἔκτεινέ τε αὐτὸς καὶ τὰς οὐσίας ἀφείλετο.
[22] And Justinian accepted the money courteously and kept the man in honour, and he agreed to make him Chief Priest of Alexandria immediately, though another held that honour, just as if he did not know that he himself had both slain and robbed of their property men who had lived with him and had dared to serve him.
[23] ὁ μὲν οὖν Σεβαστὸς ἐς ἄγαν διατεινόμενος τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐν σπουδῇ ἐποιεῖτο, Παῦλος δὲ διαρρήδην ἐπίδοξος ἦν τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἀπολήψεσθαι μηχανῇ πάσῃ.
[23] So the Augustus was taking up the matter with great vehemence and enthusiasm, and Paulus was definitely expected to resume the priesthood in any case.
[24] ἀλλὰ Βιγίλιος τηνικάδε παρὼν εἴκειν βασιλεῖ τὸ τοιοῦτον ἐπιτάττοντι οὐδαμῇ ἔγνω. ἔφασκε γὰρ οὐχ οἷός τε εἶναι ψῆφον τὴν οἰκείαν αὐτὸς ἀνάδικον διειργάσθαι,
[24] But Vigilius, who was now present, absolutely refused to yield to the Emperor if he should issue such a command. For he said that he could not possibly cancel his own vote — meaning the opinion rendered by Pelagius.
[25] τὴν Πελαγίου παραδηλῶν γνῶσιν. οὕτως ἄλλου οὐδενὸς τῷ βασιλεῖ τούτῳ ὅτι μὴ χρημάτων ἀφαιρέσεως ἀεὶ ἔμελεν. εἰρήσεται δὲ καὶ ἄλλο τοιόνδε.
[25] Thus this Emperor had no concern for anything except to be for ever depriving others of money. And another incident shall be told, as follows.
[26] Φαυστῖνος ἦν τις, Παλαιστῖνος γένος, Σαμαρείτης μὲν γεγονὼς ἄνωθεν, ὀνόματος δὲ τοῦ Χριστιανῶν ἀντιλαμβανόμενος ἀνάγκῃ τοῦ νόμου.
[26] There was a certain Faustinus, born in Palestine, a Samaritan by descent, but under the constraint of the law he had espoused the name of Christian.
[27] οὗτος ὁ Φαυστῖνος ἔς τε βουλῆς ἀξίωμα ἦλθε καὶ τῆς χώρας τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔσχεν, ἧσπερ αὐτὸν παραλυθέντα οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον ἔς τε τὸ Βυζάντιον ἥκοντα τῶν τινες ἱερέων διέβαλλον ἐπενεγκάμενοι ὡς Σαμαρειτῶν νόμιμα περιστέλλει, καὶ Χριστιανοὺς δράσειε τοὺς ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ ᾠκημένους ἀνόσια ἔργα.
[27] This Faustinus had risen to the senatorial rank and was ruler of the land; but a little later he was removed from this office and came to Byzantium, where some of the priests began to slander him, alleging that he was observing the rites of the Samaritans and basely mistreating the Christians living in Palestine.
[28] Ἰουστινιανὸς δὲ ἀγριαίνεσθαί τε καὶ δεινὰ ποιεῖσθαι διὰ ταῦτα ἐδόκει, ὅτι δὴ αὐτοῦ τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἀρχὴν ἔχοντος τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὄνομα ὑφ̓ ὁτουοῦν διασύροιτο.
[28] And Justinian appeared to be furious and deeply resentful on this account, that while he was ruling over the Romans the name of Christ should be insulted by anyone.
[29] οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐκ τῆς συγκλήτου βουλῆς τὴν διάγνωσιν πεποιημένοι τοῦ πράγματος φυγῇ τὸν Φαυστῖνον ἐζημίωσαν, βασιλέως ἐγκειμένου σφίσι.
[29] So when the Senate made an investigation of the matter, they penalized Faustinus with banishment because of the Emperor’s importunity.
[30] βασιλεὺς δὲ πρὸς αὐτοῦ χρήματα ὅσα ἐβούλετο κεκομισμένος ἀνάδικα εὐθὺς τὰ δεδικασμένα ἐποίησε.
[30] But the Emperor received from him all the money he wanted and immediately recalled the decision which had been made.
[31] Φαυστῖνος δὲ αὖθις τὸ πρότερον ἀξίωμα ἔχων, βασιλεῖ τε ὡμίλει ἐπίτροπός τε καταστὰς τῶν ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ τε καὶ Φοινίκῃ βασιλικῶν χωρίων ἀδεέστερον ἅπαντα κατειργάζετο ὅσα οἱ αὐτῷ βουλομένῳ εἴη.
[31] So Faustinus, once more in possession of his former dignity, consorted with the Emperor, and when he w
as appointed Overseer of the Imperial Domains in Palestine and Phoenicia, he felt more free to put through all the measures that were in accord with his own wishes.
[32] ὅντινα μὲν οὖν Ἰουστινιανὸς τρόπον τὰ Χριστιανῶν δικαιώματα περιστέλλειν ἠξίου, καίπερ οὐ πολλῶν εἰρημένων ἡμῖν, ἀλλ̓ ἐκ τῶνδε βραχέων ὄντων τεκμηριοῦν ἔστιν.
[32] As to the methods, then, by which Justinian saw fit to defend the claims of the Christians, although it is not much that we have related, yet it is possible to form a conclusion from it, brief though it be.
[33] ὅπως δὲ καὶ τοὺς νόμους οὐδεμιᾷ ὀκνήσει κατέσειε χρημάτων κειμένων βραχυτάτῳ δηλωθήσεται λόγῳ.
[33] And how without any hesitation he shattered the laws when money was in sight shall be disclosed very briefly.
XXVIII
Πρίσκος τις ἐν τῇ Ἐμεσηνῶν ἐγένετο πόλει, ὅσπερ ἀλλότρια γράμματα μιμεῖσθαι εὐφυῶς ἐξηπίστατο, τεχνίτης τε ἦν περὶ τὸ κακὸν τοῦτο δεξιὸς ἄγαν.
There was a certain Priscus in the city of Emesa who had a great natural ability in imitating the handwriting of others, and he was a very clever artist at this evil business.
[2] ἐτύγχανε δὲ ἡ τῶν Ἐμεσηνῶν ἐκκλησία τῶν τινος ἐπιφανῶν κληρονόμος γεγενημένη χρόνοις τισὶ πολλοῖς ἔμπροσθεν.
[2] Now it happened that the Church of Emesa had a good many years before become the heir of one of the notables.
[3] ἦν δὲ οὗτος ἀνὴρ πατρίκιος μὲν τὸ ἀξίωμα, Μαμμιανὸς δὲ ὄνομα, γένει λαμπρὸς καὶ περιουσίᾳ χρημάτων.
[3] The man in question was of patrician rank, one Mammianus by name, a man of distinguished family and great wealth,
[4] ἐπὶ δὲ Ἰουστινιανοῦ βασιλεύοντος ὁ Πρίσκος διερευνησάμενος πόλεως τῆς εἰρημένης τὰς οἰκίας πάσας, εἴ τινας εὗρέ τε πλούτῳ ἀκμάζοντας καὶ πρὸς ζημίαν χρημάτων μεγάλων διαρκῶς ἔχοντας, τούτων διερευνησάμενος ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς τοὺς προπάτορας, γράμμασιν αὐτῶν παλαιοῖς ἐντυχὼν, βιβλίδια πολλὰ ὡς παῤ ἐκείνων γεγραμμένα πεποίηται, ὁμολογούντων πολλὰ χρήματα τῷ Μαμμιανῷ ἀποδώσειν ἅτε παρακαταθήκης λόγῳ ταῦτα πρὸς ἐκείνου κεκομισμένων.
[4] and during the reign of Justinian Priscus investigated all the families of the above-named city, and if he found any persons who both abounded in wealth and were capable of sustaining great losses of money, he would carefully trace out their ancestors, and when he chanced upon old letters of theirs, he made many documents purporting to have been written by them, in which they promised to pay to Mammianus large sums of money on the ground that they had received this as a deposit from him.
[5] τό τε ὡμολογημένον ἐν τούτοις δὴ τοῖς καταπλάστοις γραμματείοις χρυσίον ξυνῄει οὐχ ἧσσον ἢ ἐς ἑκατὸν κεντηνάρια.
[5] And the total amount acknowledged in these forged documents amounted to no less than a hundred centenaria.
[6] καὶ ἀνδρὸς δέ τινος, ὅσπερ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς τηνικάδε τοῦ χρόνου καθήμενος, ἡνίκα ὁ Μαμμιανὸς περιῆν, δόξαν τε πολλὴν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ καὶ τῇ ἄλλῃ ἀρετῇ ἔχων, ἅπαντα ἐπετέλει τὰ τῶν πολιτῶν γραμματεῖα, ἕκαστον οἰκείοις ἐπισφραγίζων αὐτὸς γράμμασιν, ὅνπερ ταβελλίωνα καλοῦσι Ῥωμαῖοι, τὰ γράμματα δαιμονίως μιμησάμενος τοῖς διοικουμένοις τὰ πράγματα τῆς Ἐμεσηνῶν ἐκκλησίας παρέδωκεν, ὡμολογηκόσι μοῖραν αὐτῷ τινα κεῖσθαι τῶν ἐνθένδε πορισθησομένων χρημάτων.
[6] And selecting the writing of a certain man who had been wont to have a seat in the market-place at the period when Mammianus was alive, a man who had a great reputation for truth and for virtue in general, and who used to execute all the documents of the citizens, sealing each personally with his own writing (such a person the Romans call tabellio), Priscus, after making a marvellous imitation of this man’s writing, delivered the documents to those who administered the affairs of the Church of Emesa, they having promised that a share of the money to be derived from that source should fall to him.
[7] ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ νόμος ἐμποδὼν ἵστατο, τὰς μὲν ἄλλας δίκας ἁπάσας ἐς τριακοντοῦτιν παραγραφὴν ἄγων, ὀλίγας δὲ ἄττας καὶ τὰς ὑποθηκαρίας καλουμένας τεσσαράκοντα ἐνιαυτῶν μήκει ἐκκρούων,
[7] But since the law stood in the way, which provided that all ordinary cases should be subject to a thirty-year limitation, yet some few cases, including cases involving mortgages, should be extended to include a period of forty years, they hit upon the following expedient.
[8] μηχανῶνται τοιάδε. ἐς Βυζάντιον ἀφικόμενοι καὶ χρήματα μεγάλα τῷ βασιλεῖ τούτῳ προέμενοι ἐδέοντο σφίσι τὸν τῶν πολιτῶν ὄλεθρον οὐδὲν ὠφληκότων ξυγκατεργάζεσθαι.
[8] Coming to Byzantium and paying out great sums of money to this Emperor, they besought him to co-operate with them in accomplishing the destruction of the citizens who had been found guilty of nothing.
[9] ὁ δὲ τὰ χρήματα κεκομισμένος μελλήσει οὐδεμιᾷ νόμον ἔγραψεν, οὐ χρόνοις τὰς ἐκκλησίας τοῖς καθήκουσιν, ἀλλ̓ ἐνιαυτῶν ἑκατὸν πλήθει δικῶν τῶν αὐταῖς προσηκουσῶν ἀποκεκλεῖσθαι, καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐν Ἐμέσῃ μόνον κύρια εἶναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἀρχήν.
[9] And he, after he had got the money, without the least hesitation published a law that Churches should be debarred from prosecuting their claims, not after the regular period of time, but after the lapse of full one hundred years, and providing that this should be valid, not in Emesa alone, but throughout the whole Roman Empire.
[10] Ἐμεσηνοῖς τε τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο διαιτᾶν ἔταξε Λογγῖνόν τινα δραστήριόν τε ἄνδρα καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἰσχυρὸν ἄγαν, ὃς καὶ τὴν τοῦ δήμου ἀρχὴν ἐν Βυζαντίῳ ὕστερον ἔσχεν.
[10] And to arbitrate this question for the people of Emesa he designated a certain Longinus, an energetic man and very powerful in body, who later also held the office of Mayor of Byzantium.
[11] οἱ δὲ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τὰ πράγματα διοικούμενοι τὰ μὲν πρῶτα τῶν τινι τῶν πολιτῶν δίκην κεντηναρίοιν ἐκ βιβλίων τῶν εἰρημένων λαχόντες δυοῖν, κατεδικάσαντο τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εὐθὺς, ὅ τι καὶ ἀπολογήσαιτο οὐδαμῆ ἔχοντος διά τε χρόνου τοσόνδε μῆκος καὶ ἄγνοιαν τῶν τότε πεπραγμένων.
[1] And those who managed the affairs of the Church lodged, to begin with, a case for two centenaria, based on the documents mentioned, against one of the citizens, and
they immediately secured the man’s conviction, since he was utterly unable, both because of such a lapse of time and because of his ignorance of what had been done at the time in question, to make any defence whatever.
[12] ἐν πένθει δὲ μεγάλῳ ἐκάθηντο οἵ τε ἄλλοι ξύμπαντες ἄνθρωποι ὁμῶς τοῖς συκοφάνταις ἐκκείμενοι καὶ πάντων μάλιστα οἱ τῶν Ἐμεσηνῶν λογιμώτατοι.
[12] And all men were filled with great sorrow, and above all the most notable among the men of Emesa, as being all equally exposed to the denouncers.
[13] τοῦ δὲ κακοῦ ἐς τοὺς πλείστους ἤδη τῶν πολιτῶν ἐπιρρέοντος προμήθειάν τινα τοῦ θεοῦ ξυνηνέχθη γενέσθαι τοιάνδε.
[13] And since the evil was by now spreading out over the majority of the citizens, it so happened that a providence of God, one may say, occurred as follows.
[14] Πρίσκον ὁ Λογγῖνος τὸν τοῦτο δὴ τὸ σκαιώρημα ἐργασάμενον ἅπαντα ὁμοῦ κομίζειν οἱ τὰ γράμματα ἐκέλευσεν, ἀναδυόμενόν τε τὴν πρᾶξιν ἐρράπισε δυνάμει τῇ πάσῃ.
[14] Longinus commanded Priscus, the author of this mischief, to bring together before him all the documents, and when he declined to do so, he struck him with great violence.
[15] ὁ δὲ ἀνδρὸς ἰσχυροῦ λίαν τὴν πληγὴν οὐδαμῆ ἐνεγκὼν ἔπεσεν ὕπτιος, τρέμων δὲ ἤδη καὶ περιδεὴς γεγονὼς, ὅλως τε Λογγῖνον ᾐσθῆσθαι τὰ πεπραγμένα ὑπονοῶν ὡμολόγει, οὕτω τε τῆς σκαιωρίας ἁπάσης ἐς φῶς ἐνεχθείσης τὴν συκοφαντίαν πεπαῦσθαι ξυνέβη.
Delphi Complete Works of Procopius Page 574