s personally acquainted, who, being suspected of possessing money, was
hung up by the hands till he was dead. Lydus de Magist. lib. iii. c. 57,
p. 254.--M.]

[Footnote 93: A forcible expression.]

[Footnote 931: Joannes Lydus is diffuse on this subject, lib. iii. c.
65, p. 268. But the indignant virtue of Lydus seems greatly stimulated
by the loss of his official fees, which he ascribes to the innovations
of the minister.--M.]

[Footnote 932: According to Lydus, Theodora disclosed the crimes and
unpopularity of the minister to Justinian, but the emperor had not the
courage to remove, and was unable to replace, a servant, under whom his
finances seemed to prosper. He attributes the sedition and conflagration
to the popular resentment against the tyranny of John, lib. iii. c 70,
p. 278. Unfortunately there is a large gap in his work just at this
period.--M.]

[Footnote 94: The chronology of Procopius is loose and obscure; but
with the aid of Pagi I can discern that John was appointed Praetorian
praefect of the East in the year 530--that he was removed in January,
532--restored before June, 533--banished in 541--and recalled between
June, 548, and April 1, 549. Aleman. (p. 96, 97) gives the list of his
ten successors--a rapid series in a part of a single reign. * Note:
Lydus gives a high character of Phocas, his successor tom. iii. c. 78 p.
288.--M.]

V. The edifices of Justinian were cemented with the blood and treasure
of his people; but those stately structures appeared to announce the
prosperity of the empire, and actually displayed the skill of their
architects. Both the theory and practice of the arts which depend on
mathematical science and mechanical power, were cultivated under the
patronage of the emperors; the fame of Archimedes was rivalled by
Proclus and Anthemius; and if their miracles had been related by
intelligent spectators, they might now enlarge the speculations, instead
of exciting the distrust, of philosophers. A tradition has prevailed,
that the Roman fleet was reduced to ashes in the port of Syracuse,
by the burning-glasses of Archimedes; [95] and it is asserted, that a
similar expedient was employed by Proclus to destroy the Gothic
vessels in the harbor of Constantinople, and to protect his benefactor
Anastasius against the bold enterprise of Vitalian. [96] A machine
was fixed on the walls of the city, consisting of a hexagon mirror of
polished brass, with many smaller and movable polygons to