for the Emperor, and even larger sums, which he kept privately for
himself; and this practice, begun by him, continued. The grand
treasurer is at this moment avowedly the only silk merchant and sole
controller of the market. All those who formerly carried on this
business, either in Byzantium or any other city, workers on sea or
land, felt the loss severely. Nearly the whole population of the
cities which existed by such manufactories were reduced to begging.
Artisans and mechanics were forced to struggle against hunger, and
many of them, quitting their country, fled to Persia. None but the
chief treasurer was allowed to have anything to do with that branch of
industry, and, while he handed over part of his gains to the Emperor,
he kept the greater part for himself, and thus grew wealthy at the
expense of the unfortunate public.




CHAPTER XXVI


I must now relate how he robbed Byzantium and other cities of their
ornaments. In the first place he resolved to humiliate the lawyers. He
deprived them of all the fees, which, after they had finished their
case, were considerable, and enriched them and increased their
distinction. He ordered that litigants should come to an agreement
upon oath, which brought the lawyers into contempt and insignificance.
After he had seized the estates of the Senators and other families
reputed wealthy, in Byzantium and throughout the Empire, the
profession had little to do, for the citizens no longer possessed
property worth disputing about. Thus, of the numerous and famous