or untrodden they had previously been. Everything was out of gear;
offices were degraded, not even their names being preserved. In a
word, the Empire resembled a queen over boys at play. But I must pass
over the rest, as I hinted at the commencement of this work.

I will now say something about the man who first taught the Emperor to
traffic in the administration of justice. His name was Leo; he was a
native of Cilicia, and passionately eager to enrich himself. He was
the most utterly shameless of flatterers, and most apt in ingratiating
himself with the ignorant, and with the Emperor, whose folly he made
use of in order to ruin his subjects. It was this Leo who first
persuaded Justinian to barter justice for money. When this man had
once discovered these means of plunder, he never stopped. The evil
spread and reached such a height that, if anyone desired to come off
victorious in an unjust cause against an honest man, he immediately
repaired to Leo, and, promising to give half of his claim to be
divided between the latter and the Emperor, left the palace, having
already gained his cause, contrary to all principles of right and
justice. In this manner Leo acquired a vast fortune, and a great
quantity of land, and became the chief cause of the ruin of the State.
There was no longer any security in contracts, in law, in oaths, in
written documents, in any penalty agreed upon, or in any other
security, unless money had been previously given to Leo and the
Emperor. Nor was even this method certain, for Justinian would accept
bribes from both parties; and, after having drained the pockets of
both of those who had put confidence in him, he was not ashamed to
cheat one or other of them (no matter which), for, in his eyes, there
was nothing disgraceful in playing a double part, provided only that
it turned out profitable for him.