suddenly take to praising him, having changed his mind on no grounds
whatever; for what he really thought was always the opposite of what
he said, and wished to appear to think. How he was affected by
emotions of love or hate I think I have sufficiently indicated by what
I have said concerning his actions. As an enemy, he was obstinate and
relentless; as a friend, inconstant; for he made away with many of his
strongest partisans, but never became the friend of anyone whom he had
once disliked. Those whom he appeared to consider his nearest and
dearest friends he would in a short time deliver up to ruin to please
his wife or anyone else, although he knew well that they died only
because of devotion for him; for he was untrustworthy in all things
save cruelty and avarice, from which nothing could restrain him.
Whenever his wife could not persuade him to do a thing, she used to
suggest that great gain was likely to result from it, and this enabled
her to lead him into any course of action against his will. He did not
blush to make laws and afterwards repeal them, that he might make some
infamous profit thereby. Nor did he give judgment according to the
laws which he himself had made, but in favour of the side which
promised him the biggest and most splendid bribe. He thought it no
disgrace to steal away the property of his subjects, little by little,
in cases where he had no grounds for taking it away all at one swoop,
either by some unexpected charge or a forged will. While he was
Emperor of the Romans neither faith in God nor religion was secure, no
law continued in force, no action, no contract was binding. When he
intrusted any business to his officials, if they put to death numbers
of those who fell into their hands and carried off great wealth as
plunder, they were looked upon as faithful servants of the Emperor,
and were spoken of as men who had accurately carried out his
instructions; but, if they came back after having shown any mercy, he
took a dislike to them and was their enemy for life, and never again