IV。ThesubjectsofJustinianweredissatisfiedwiththetimes，andwiththegovernment。EuropewasoverrunbytheBarbarians，andAsiabythemonks:thepovertyoftheWestdiscouragedthetradeandmanufacturesoftheEast:theproduceoflaborwasconsumedbytheunprofitableservantsofthechurch，thestate，andthearmy；andarapiddecreasewasfeltinthefixedandcirculatingcapitalswhichconstitutethenationalwealth。ThepublicdistresshadbeenalleviatedbytheeconomyofAnastasius，andthatprudentemperoraccumulatedanimmensetreasure，whilehedeliveredhispeoplefromthemostodiousoroppressivetaxes。Theirgratitudeuniversallyapplaudedtheabolitionofthegoldofaffliction，apersonaltributeontheindustryofthepoor，^78butmoreintolerable，asitshouldseem，intheformthaninthesubstance，sincetheflourishingcityofEdessapaidonlyonehundredandfortypoundsofgold，whichwascollectedinfouryearsfromtenthousandartificers。
^79Yetsuchwastheparsimonywhichsupportedthisliberaldisposition，that，inareignoftwenty—sevenyears，Anastasiussaved，fromhisannualrevenue，theenormoussumofthirteenmillionssterling，orthreehundredandtwentythousandpoundsofgold。^80Hisexamplewasneglected，andhistreasurewasabused，bythenephewofJustin。TherichesofJustinianwerespeedilyexhaustedbyalmsandbuildings，byambitiouswars，andignominioustreaties。Hisrevenueswerefoundinadequatetohisexpenses。EveryartwastriedtoextortfromthepeoplethegoldandsilverwhichhescatteredwithalavishhandfromPersiatoFrance:^81hisreignwasmarkedbythevicissitudesorratherbythecombat，ofrapaciousnessandavarice，ofsplendorandpoverty；helivedwiththereputationofhiddentreasures，^82
andbequeathedtohissuccessorthepaymentofhisdebts。^83
Suchacharacterhasbeenjustlyaccusedbythevoiceofthepeopleandofposterity:butpublicdiscontentiscredulous；
privatemaliceisbold；andaloveroftruthwillperusewithasuspiciouseyetheinstructiveanecdotesofProcopius。ThesecrethistorianrepresentsonlythevicesofJustinian，andthosevicesaredarkenedbyhismalevolentpencil。Ambiguousactionsareimputedtotheworstmotives；errorisconfoundedwithguilt，accidentwithdesign，andlawswithabuses；thepartialinjusticeofamomentisdexterouslyappliedasthegeneralmaximofareignofthirty—twoyears；theemperoraloneismaderesponsibleforthefaultsofhisofficers，thedisordersofthetimes，andthecorruptionofhissubjects；andeventhecalamitiesofnature，plagues，earthquakes，andinundations，areimputedtotheprinceofthedaemons，whohadmischievouslyassumedtheformofJustinian。^84