Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  [5] But since the time when the Emperor Justinian took over the Empire, he has established a public Customs House on each strait, and sending out regularly two salaried officials, although he did provide the salary agreed upon, yet he directed them to use every means in their power to make a return to him from that source of as much money as possible.

  [6] οἱ δὲ ἄλλο οὐδὲν ἢ εὔνοιάν οἱ τὴν ἐς αὐτὸν ἐνδείκνυσθαι ἐν σπουδῇ ἔχοντες ἁπαξάπαντα πρὸς τῶν πλεόντων τὰ τῶν φορτίων τιμήματα ληϊζόμενοι ἀπηλλάσσοντο.

  [6] And they, being concerned only with demonstrating to him their loyalty towards him, finished by plundering from the shippers the entire value of their cargoes.

  [7] Ἐν μὲν οὖν πορθμῷ ἑκατέρῳ ταῦτα ἐποίει: ἐν δὲ Βυζαντίῳ ἐπενόει τάδε. τῶν τινά οἱ ἐπιτηδείων προὐστήσατο, Σύρον μὲν γένος, ὄνομα δὲ Ἀδδαῖον, ᾧ δὴ ἐπήγγελλεν ἐκ νηῶν τῶν ἐνταῦθα καταιρουσῶν ὄνησίν τινά οἱ πορίζεσθαι.

  [7] Such were the measures he took at each of the two straits. And at Byzantium he hit upon the following plan. He gave a commission to one of his intimates, a Syrian by birth named Addaeus, instructing him to secure for him some profit from the ships which put in at that port.

  [8] ὁ δὲ πλοῖα ἅπαντα τὰ καταίροντα ἐς τὸν Βυζάντιον λιμένα οὐκέτι ἐνθένδε ἠφίει, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ναυκλήρους ἢ τοῖς τιμήμασιν ἐζημίου νηῶν τῶν σφετέρων ἢ ἀναφορεῖν ἔς τε Λιβύην καὶ

  [8] And he from that time on would not allow any boat which put in to the harbour of Byzantium to depart from there unmolested, but he either penalized the ship-masters the value of their ships or else compelled them to put back to Libya and Italy.

  [9] Ἰταλίαν ἠνάγκαζε. καὶ αὐτῶν οἱ μὲν οὔτε ἀντιφορτίζεσθαι οὔτε θαλαττουργεῖν ἔτι ἤθελον, ἀλλὰ καύσαντες τὰ σφέτερα πλοῖα εὐθὺς ἄσμενοι ἀπηλλάσσοντο.

  [9] And some of them were unwilling either to take on a return cargo or to continue any longer in the maritime business, but were glad enough to get off by burning their own boats straightway.

  [10] ὅσοις μέντοι ἐπάναγκες ἦν ἐκ ταύτης δὴ τῆς ἐργασίας τὸν βίον ποιεῖσθαι, οὗτοι δὴ τριπλασίαν πρὸς τῶν ἐμπόρων τὴν μίσθωσιν κεκομισμένοι τὸ λοιπὸν ἐφορτίζοντο τοῖς τε ἐμπόροις περιειστήκει ταύτην σφίσιν αὐτοῖς τὴν ζημίαν πρὸς τῶν τὰ φορτία ὠνουμένων ἰάσασθαι, οὕτω τε λιμοκτονεῖσθαι πάσῃ μηχανῇ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους ξυνέβαινεν.

  [10] All those, however, who were obliged to make their living from just this occupation would first collect treble charges from the importing merchants and thereafter continue to take on cargoes; and as for the merchants, their way out of the difficulty was to make good their own loss at the expense of those who purchased the goods; and thus it came about that the Romans were being starved to death by every device.

  [11] Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν τῇδε κατὰ τὴν πολιτείαν ἐφέρετο. ἃ δὲ καὶ ἐς τὰ κέρματα τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν εἴργασται, οὔ μοι παριτέον οἴομαι εἶναι.

  [11] Such is the way things were going as regards the administration of affairs. But I think that I should not omit to mention also what was done by the imperial pair with reference to the small coinage.

  [12] τῶν γὰρ ἀργυραμοιβῶν πρότερον δέκα καὶ διακοσίους ὀβολοὺς, οὓς φόλλεις καλοῦσιν, ὑπὲρ ἑνὸς στατῆρος χρυσοῦ προΐεσθαι τοῖς ξυμβάλλουσιν εἰωθότων, αὐτοὶ ἐπιτεχνώμενοι κέρδη οἰκεῖα ὀγδοήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν μόνους ὑπὲρ τοῦ στατῆρος δίδοσθαι τοὺς ὀβολοὺς διετάξαντο. ταύτῃ δὲ νομίσματος ἑκάστου χρυσοῦ ἕκτην ἀπέτεμον μοῖραν πάντων ἀνθρώπων.

  [12] For while the money-changers formerly were accustomed to give to those who bargained with them in exchange for one gold stater two hundred and ten obols, which they call pholleis, these persons, contriving private gain for themselves, had it arranged that only one hundred and eighty obols should be given for the stater. In this way they cut off a seventh part of the value of every gold coin . . . of all men.

  [13] Ἐπεὶ δὲ οἱ βασιλεῖς οὗτοι τῶν ὠνίων τὰ πλεῖστα εἰς τὰ καλούμενα περιστήσαντες μονοπώλια, τούς τι ὠνήσασθαι βουλομένους ἀεὶ καθ̓ ἑκάστην ἀπέπνιγον, μόνα δὲ αὐτοῖς ἀνέφαπτα τὰ τῆς ἐσθῆτος ἐλέλειπτο πωλητήρια, μηχανῶνται καὶ ἀμφ̓ αὐτοῖς τάδε.

  [13] But when these sovereigns had brought most of the merchandise under the control of the monopolies, as they are called, and every single day were strangling those who wished to buy anything, and only the shops where clothing is sold were left untouched by them, they devised this scheme for that business also.

  [14] ἱμάτια τὰ ἐκ μετάξης ἐν Βηρυτῷ μὲν καὶ Τύρῳ πόλεσι ταῖς ἐπὶ Φοινίκης ἐργάζεσθαι ἐκ παλαιοῦ εἰώθει.

  [14] Garments made of silk had been wont from ancient times to be produced in the cities of Beirut and Tyre in Phoenicia.

  [15] οἵ τε τούτων ἔμποροί τε καὶ ἐπιδημιουργοὶ καὶ τεχνῖται ἐνταῦθα τὸ ἀνέκαθεν ᾤκουν, ἐνθένδε τε ἐς γῆν ἅπασαν φέρεσθαι τὸ ἐμπόλημα τοῦτο ξυνέβαινεν.

  [15] And the merchants and craftsmen and artisans of these stuffs had lived there from ancient times, and this merchandise was carried thence to the whole world.

  [16] ἐπεὶ δὲ Ἰουστινιανοῦ βασιλεύοντος οἱ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ ἐργασίᾳ ἔν τε Βυζαντίῳ καὶ πόλεσι ταῖς ἄλλαις ὄντες ἀξιωτέραν ἀπεδίδοντο τὴν ἐσθῆτα ταύτην, αἰτιώμενοι μεῖζον μὲν ἢ πρότερον ἐν χρόνῳ τῷ παρόντι ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς καταβάλλεσθαι τὸ τίμημα Πέρσαις, πλείω δὲ νῦν τὰ δεκατευτήρια εἶναι ἐν γῇ τῇ Ῥωμαίων, δόκησιν ἅπασιν ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ παρεχόμενος ὅτι δὴ ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἀγανακτοίη, νόμῳ ἅπασιν ἀπεῖπε μὴ πλέον ἢ ὀκτὼ χρυσῶν τῆς τοιαύτης ἐσθῆτος τὴν λίτραν εἶναι.

  [16] And when, in the reign of Justinian, those engaged in this trade both in Byzantium and in the other cities were selling this fabric at an excessive price, excusing themselves with the statement that at the time in question they were paying the Persians a higher price than formerly, and that the customs-houses were now more numerous in the land of the Romans, the Emperor gave everyone the impression that he was vexed with this, and he made a general provision by law that one pound of this stuff should not cost more than eight gold pieces.

  [17] καὶ προστίμημα ἔκειτο τοῖς παραβησομένοις τὸν νόμον τῶν ὑπαρχόντων στερεῖσθαι χρημάτων. ταῦτα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀμήχανά τε καὶ ἄπορα ἐδόκει παντάπασιν εἶναι. οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε ἦν τοὺς ἐμπ
όρους μείζονος τιμῆς τὰ φορτία ταῦτα ἐωνημένους ἐλάσσονος αὐτὰ τοῖς ξυμβάλλουσιν ἀποδίδοσθαι.

  [17] And the penalty appointed for those who should transgress this law was to be deprived of all the money they had. This seemed to the people altogether impossible and out of the question. For it was not possible for the importing merchants, having bought these cargoes at a higher price, to sell them to the dealers for less.

  [18] διὸ δὴ ταύτην μὲν τὴν ἐμπορίαν ἐργολαβεῖν οὐκέτι ἠξίουν, ἐπικλοπώτερον δὲ φορτίων τῶν σφίσιν ἀπολελειμμένων ἐποιοῦντο κατὰ βραχὺ τὰς πράσεις, δηλονότι τῶν γνωρίμων τισὶν, οἷσπερ τὰ τοιαῦτα καλλωπίζειν τὰ σφέτερα αὐτῶν προϊεμένοις ἐν ἡδονῇ ἦν ἢ τρόπῳ τῳ ἀναγκαῖον ἐγίνετο.

  [18] Therefore they no longer cared to engage in the importation of this stuff, and they gradually disposed of the remainder of their cargoes by rather furtive methods, selling no doubt to certain of the notables who found a satisfaction in making a shew of such finery through the lavish expenditure of their money — or, in a certain sense, they were obliged to do so.

  [19] ὧν δὴ ἡ βασιλὶς ἐπιψιθυριζόντων τινῶν αἰσθομένη, καίπερ οὐ βασανίσασα τὰ θρυλλούμενα, ξύμπαντα εὐθὺς τὰ φορτία τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀφείλετο, καὶ χρυσίον αὐτοὺς ἐς κεντηνάριον ἐπιτιμησαμένη. ἄρχει δὲ ταύτης ἔν γε Ῥωμαίοις τῆς ἐργασίας ὁ τοῖς βασιλικοῖς ἐφεστὼς θησαυροῖς.

  [19] And when the Empress became aware of these transactions through the whisperings of certain persons, though she did not investigate the gossip that was going round, she immediately took the entire cargoes away from the men and, in addition, imposed upon them a fine of a centenarium of gold. . . . But this particular business is under the control, among the Romans at least, of the official in charge of the imperial treasures.

  [20] Πέτρον οὖν τὸν Βαρσύμην ἐπίκλησιν ἐπὶ ταύτης καταστησάμενοι τῆς τιμῆς οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον ἐπεχώρουν αὐτῷ πράσσειν ἀνόσια ἔργα.

  [20] Consequently, having appointed Peter surnamed Barsymes to this position not long afterwards, they indulged him in doing execrable things.

  [21] τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἄλλους ἅπαντας τὸν νόμον ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς ἐδικαίου τηρεῖν, τοὺς δὲ τοῦ ἔργου τούτου τεχνίτας αὑτῷ μόνῳ ἀναγκάζων ἐργάζεσθαι ἀπεδίδοτο, οὐκέτι ἐπικρυπτόμενος, ἀλλ̓ ἐν τῷ δημοσίῳ τῆς ἀγορᾶς βαφῆς μὲν τῆς προστυχούσης τὴν οὐγκίαν οὐχ ἧσσον ἢ κατὰ ἓξ χρυσῶν, βάμματος δὲ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ, ὅπερ καλεῖν ὁλόβηρον νενομίκασι, πλέον ἢ τεσσάρων καὶ εἴκοσι χρυσῶν.

  [21] For while he required all other men strictly to observe the law, the craftsmen of this trade he required to work for himself alone, and he would sell dyes, no longer furtively but in the public square of the market-place, at the rate of no less than six gold pieces the ounce for the ordinary quality, but more than twenty-four pieces for the imperial dye which they are wont to call holoverum.

  [22] καὶ βασιλεῖ μὲν ἐνθένδε μεγάλα χρήματα ἔφερεν, αὐτὸς δὲ περιβαλλόμενος πλείω ἐλάνθανεν,

  [22] And while he produced large sums from that source for the Emperor, he himself gained still more without being observed, and this practice, which began with him, has always continued.

  [23] ὅπερ ἀπ̓ αὐτοῦ ἀρξάμενον ἐς ἀεὶ ἔμεινε. μόνος γὰρ ἐς τόδε τοῦ χρόνου ἔμπορός τε ἀπαρακαλύπτως καὶ κάπηλος τοῦ ἐμπολήματος τοῦδε καθίσταται.

  [23] For he alone, up to the present time, is established, with no attempt at concealment, as both importer and retailer of this merchandise.

  [24] ἔμποροι μὲν οὖν ὅσοι πρότερον τὴν ἐργασίαν ταύτην μετῄεσαν ἔν τε Βυζαντίῳ καὶ πόλει ἑκάστῃ θαλαττουργοί τε καὶ ἔγγειοι ἐφέροντο ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς τὰ ἐκ τῆς ἐργασίας κακά.

  [24] Consequently the importers who in former times had engaged in this trade both at Byzantium and in the other cities, on sea and on land, now had to endure, as was to be expected, the hardships arising from this procedure.

  [25] ἐν δὲ πόλεσιν ὁ δῆμος σχεδόν τι ὅλος ταῖς εἰρημέναις προσαιτητὴς ἐξαπιναίως ἐγένετο. βάναυσοι γὰρ ἄνθρωποι καὶ χειρώνακτες λιμῷ παλαίειν, ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς, ἠναγκάζοντο, πολλοί τε ἀπ̓ αὐτοῦ τὴν πολιτείαν μεταβαλλόμενοι φεύγοντες ᾤχοντο ἐς τὰ Περσῶν ἤθη.

  [25] And in the other cities practically the whole population found itself suddenly reduced to beggary. For the mechanics and the hand-workers were naturally compelled to struggle with hunger, and many in consequence changed their citizenship and went off as fugitives to the land of Persia.

  [26] μόνος δὲ ἀεὶ ὁ τῶν θησαυρῶν ἄρχων ἐνεργολαβῶν τὸ ἐμπόλημα τοῦτο μοῖραν μὲν βασιλεῖ, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, πόρων τῶν ἐνθένδε ἀποφέρειν ἠξίου, αὐτὸς δὲ τὰ πλείω φερόμενος δημοσίαις συμφοραῖς ἐπλούτει. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τῇδε κεχώρηκεν.

  [26] But always the Master of the Treasures stood alone as sole manager of this business, and while he did consent to deliver to the Emperor a portion of its profits, as has been said, he carried off the greater portion for himself and was enriching himself through public calamities. So much then for this.

  XXVI

  Ὅντινα δὲ τρόπον τῶν πόλεων τοὺς κόσμους καὶ τὰ ἐγκαλλωπίσματα πάντα ἔν τε Βυζαντίῳ καὶ πόλει ἑκάστῃ καθελεῖν ἴσχυσεν αὐτίκα ἐροῦμεν.

  We shall now tell how he succeeded in destroying the marks of distinction and all the things which confer honour and beauty both in Byzantium and in every other city.

  [2] πρῶτα μὲν καταλύειν τὸ τῶν ῥητόρων ἀξίωμα ἔγνω. τά τε γὰρ ἔπαθλα αὐτοὺς ἀφείλετο εὐθὺς ἅπαντα, οἷσπερ τρυφᾶν τε τὰ πρότερα καὶ ἐγκαλλωπίζεσθαι τῆς συνηγορίας ἀφειμένοι εἰώθασι, καὶ διωμότους συνίστασθαι τοὺς διαφερομένους ἐκέλευσε, καὶ ἀπ̓ αὐτοῦ περιυβρισμένοι ἐν πολλῇ ἀθυμίᾳ ἐγένοντο.

  [2] First he decided to abolish the rank of rhetor; for he straightway deprived the rhetors of all their competitive prizes in which they had formerly been wont to revel and take great pride when they had discharged their function as advocates, and he ordered those at variance with one another to litigate directly under oath; and being thus scorned, the rhetors fell into great despondency.

  [3] ἐπεὶ δὲ τῶν τε ἀπὸ τῆς συγκλήτου βουλῆς καὶ τῶν ἄλλων εὐδαιμόνων δοκούντων εἶναι ἔν τε Βυζαντίῳ καὶ πάσῃ τῇ Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῇ πάσας, ὥσπερ ἐρρήθη, τὰς οὐσίας ἀφείλετο, ἀργεῖν τὸ λοιπὸν τῷ ἐ�
�ιτηδεύματι τούτῳ ἐλέλειπτο.

  [3] And after, as has been said, he had taken away all the properties of the Senators and of the others who were considered prosperous, both in Byzantium and throughout the whole Roman Empire, there was nothing left for this profession thereafter other than to remain idle.

  [4] οὐ γὰρ εἶχον ἄνθρωποι λόγου ὁτουοῦν οὐδὲν ἄξιον, οὗπερ ἂν καὶ ἀμφισβητοῖεν ἀλλήλοις. αὐτίκα τοίνυν ἐκ πολλῶν μὲν ὀλίγοι, ἐξ ἐνδόξων δὲ λίαν κομιδῆ ἄδοξοι πανταχόθι γεγονότες τῆς γῆς πενίᾳ μὲν, ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς, πολλῇ εἴχοντο, μόνην δὲ ὕβριν τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἔργου φερόμενοι ἀπηλλάσσοντο.

  [4] For men possessed nothing of any value whatsoever, concerning which they might dispute with one another. Immediately, thereafter, having become few in number instead of many and being everywhere held in no esteem at all though they had formerly been most highly esteemed, they were oppressed by extreme poverty, as was to be expected, and in the end gained nothing from their profession except insults alone.

  [5] Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἰατρούς τε καὶ διδασκάλους τῶν ἐλευθερίων τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἀπορεῖσθαι πεποίηκε. τάς τε γὰρ σιτήσεις, ἃς οἱ πρότερον βεβασιλευκότες ἐκ τοῦ δημοσίου χορηγεῖσθαι τούτοις δὴ τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν ἔταξαν, ταύτας δὴ οὗτος ἀφείλετο πάσας.

  [5] Nay more, he also caused physicians and teachers of free-born children to be in want of the necessities of life. For the allowances of free maintenance which the former Emperors had decreed should be given to men of these professions from the public funds he cancelled entirely.