order to keep up an ancient custom, for none of its members were
allowed to utter a single word. But the Emperor and his consort took
upon themselves the consideration of questions that were to be
discussed, and whatever resolutions they came to between themselves
prevailed. If he whose cause had been victorious had any doubt as to
the legality of his success, all he had to do was to make a present of
gold to the Emperor, who immediately promulgated a law contrary to all
those formerly in force. If, again, anyone else desired the revival of
the law that had been repealed, the autocrat did not disdain to revoke
the existing order of things and to reestablish it. There was nothing
stable in his authority, but the balance of justice inclined to one
side or the other, according to the weight of gold in either scale. In
the market-place there were buildings under the management of palace
officials, where traffic was carried on, not only in judicial, but
also in legislative decisions. The officers called "Referendars" (or
mediators) found it difficult to present the requests of petitioners
to the Emperor, and still more difficult to bring before the council
in the usual manner the answer proper to be made to each of them; but,
gathering together from all quarters worthless and false testimony,
they deceived Justinian, who was naturally a fit subject for
deception, by fallacious reports and misleading statements. Then,
immediately going out to the contending parties, without acquainting
them with the conversation that had taken place, they extorted from
them as much money as they required, without anyone venturing to
oppose them.

Even the soldiers of the Praetorian guard, whose duty it was to attend
the judges in the court of the palace, forced from them whatsoever
judgments they pleased. All, so to speak, abandoned their own sphere
of duty, and followed the paths that pleased them, however difficult