TheyweresternlyinformedthattheymustchoosewithoutdelaybetweenthedispleasureofJupiterorJustinian，andthattheiraversiontothegospelcouldnolongerbedistinguishedunderthescandalousmaskofindifferenceorimpiety。ThepatricianPhotius，perhaps，alonewasresolvedtoliveandtodielikehisancestors:heenfranchisedhimselfwiththestrokeofadagger，andlefthistyrantthepoorconsolationofexposingwithignominythelifelesscorpseofthefugitive。Hisweakerbrethrensubmittedtotheirearthlymonarch，underwenttheceremonyofbaptism，andlabored，bytheirextraordinaryzeal，toerasethesuspicion，ortoexpiatetheguilt，ofidolatry。ThenativecountryofHomer，andthetheatreoftheTrojanwar，stillretainedthelastsparksofhismythology:bythecareofthesamebishop，seventythousandPagansweredetectedandconvertedinAsia，Phrygia，Lydia，andCaria；ninety—sixchurcheswerebuiltforthenewproselytes；andlinenvestments，Bibles，andliturgies，andvasesofgoldandsilver，weresuppliedbythepiousmunificenceofJustinian。^86TheJews，whohadbeengraduallystrippedoftheirimmunities，wereoppressedbyavexatiouslaw，whichcompelledthemtoobservethefestivalofEasterthesamedayonwhichitwascelebratedbytheChristians。
^87Andtheymightcomplainwiththemorereason，sincetheCatholicsthemselvesdidnotagreewiththeastronomicalcalculationsoftheirsovereign:thepeopleofConstantinopledelayedthebeginningoftheirLentawholeweekafterithadbeenordainedbyauthority；andtheyhadthepleasureoffastingsevendays，whilemeatwasexposedforsalebythecommandoftheemperor。TheSamaritansofPalestine^88wereamotleyrace，anambiguoussect，rejectedasJewsbythePagans，bytheJewsasschismatics，andbytheChristiansasidolaters。TheabominationofthecrosshadalreadybeenplantedontheirholymountofGarizim，^89butthepersecutionofJustinianofferedonlythealternativeofbaptismorrebellion。Theychosethelatter:
underthestandardofadesperateleader，theyroseinarms，andretaliatedtheirwrongsonthelives，theproperty，andthetemples，ofadefencelesspeople。TheSamaritanswerefinallysubduedbytheregularforcesoftheEast:twentythousandwereslain，twentythousandweresoldbytheArabstotheinfidelsofPersiaandIndia，andtheremainsofthatunhappynationatonedforthecrimeoftreasonbythesinofhypocrisy。IthasbeencomputedthatonehundredthousandRomansubjectswereextirpatedintheSamaritanwar，^90whichconvertedtheoncefruitfulprovinceintoadesolateandsmokingwilderness。ButinthecreedofJustinian，theguiltofmurdercouldnotbeappliedtotheslaughterofunbelievers；andhepiouslylaboredtoestablishwithfireandswordtheunityoftheChristianfaith。^91
[Footnote84:Thisalternative，apreciouscircumstance，ispreservedbyJohnMalala，tom。ii。p。63，edit。Venet。1733，
whodeservesmorecreditashedrawstowardshisend。Afternumberingtheheretics，Nestorians，Eutychians，&c。，neexpectent，saysJustinian，utdigniveniajudicentur:jubemus，enimut……convictietapertihaereticijustaeetidoneaeanimadversionisubjiciantur。BaroniuscopiesandapplaudsthisedictoftheCode，A。D。527，No。39，40。]