SeveraloftheRomanprinceshadbeenblessedwithanheir；butthispeculiarsurnamewasfirstappliedtoConstantinetheSeventh。Hislifeandtitularreignwereofequalduration；butoffifty—fouryears，sixhadelapsedbeforehisfather\'sdeath；
andthesonofLeowaseverthevoluntaryorreluctantsubjectofthosewhooppressedhisweaknessorabusedhisconfidence。HisuncleAlexander，whohadlongbeeninvestedwiththetitleofAugustus，wasthefirstcolleagueandgovernoroftheyoungprince:butinarapidcareerofviceandfolly，thebrotherofLeoalreadyemulatedthereputationofMichael；andwhenhewasextinguishedbyatimelydeath，heentertainedaprojectofcastratinghisnephew，andleavingtheempiretoaworthlessfavorite。ThesucceedingyearsoftheminorityofConstantinewereoccupiedbyhismotherZoe，andasuccessionorcouncilofsevenregents，whopursuedtheirinterest，gratifiedtheirpassions，abandonedtherepublic，supplantedeachother，andfinallyvanishedinthepresenceofasoldier。Fromanobscureorigin，RomanusLecapenushadraisedhimselftothecommandofthenavalarmies；andintheanarchyofthetimes，haddeserved，oratleasthadobtained，thenationalesteem。Withavictoriousandaffectionatefleet，hesailedfromthemouthoftheDanubeintotheharborofConstantinople，andwashailedasthedelivererofthepeople，andtheguardianoftheprince。Hissupremeofficewasatfirstdefinedbythenewappellationoffatheroftheemperor；butRomanussoondisdainedthesubordinatepowersofaminister，andassumedwiththetitlesofCaesarandAugustus，thefullindependenceofroyalty，whichheheldnearfive—and—twentyyears。Histhreesons，Christopher，Stephen，andConstantineweresuccessivelyadornedwiththesamehonors，andthelawfulemperorwasdegradedfromthefirsttothefifthrankinthiscollegeofprinces。Yet，inthepreservationofhislifeandcrown，hemightstillapplaudhisownfortuneandtheclemencyoftheusurper。TheexamplesofancientandmodernhistorywouldhaveexcusedtheambitionofRomanus:thepowersandthelawsoftheempirewereinhishand；thespuriousbirthofConstantinewouldhavejustifiedhisexclusion；andthegraveorthemonasterywasopentoreceivethesonoftheconcubine。
ButLecapenusdoesnotappeartohavepossessedeitherthevirtuesorthevicesofatyrant。Thespiritandactivityofhisprivatelifedissolvedawayinthesunshineofthethrone；andinhislicentiouspleasures，heforgotthesafetybothoftherepublicandofhisfamily。Ofamildandreligiouscharacter，herespectedthesanctityofoaths，theinnocenceoftheyouth，thememoryofhisparents，andtheattachmentofthepeople。ThestudioustemperandretirementofConstantinedisarmedthejealousyofpower:hisbooksandmusic，hispenandhispencil，wereaconstantsourceofamusement；andifhecouldimproveascantyallowancebythesaleofhispictures，iftheirpricewasnotenhancedbythenameoftheartist，hewasendowedwithapersonaltalent，whichfewprincescouldemployinthehourofadversity。
ThefallofRomanuswasoccasionedbyhisownvicesandthoseofhischildren。AfterthedeceaseofChristopher，hiseldestson，thetwosurvivingbrothersquarrelledwitheachother，andconspiredagainsttheirfather。Atthehourofnoon，whenallstrangerswereregularlyexcludedfromthepalace，theyenteredhisapartmentwithanarmedforce，andconveyedhim，inthehabitofamonk，toasmallislandinthePropontis，whichwaspeopledbyareligiouscommunity。Therumorofthisdomesticrevolutionexcitedatumultinthecity；butPorphyrogenitusalone，thetrueandlawfulemperor，wastheobjectofthepubliccare；andthesonsofLecapenusweretaught，bytardyexperience，thattheyhadachievedaguiltyandperilousenterpriseforthebenefitoftheirrival。TheirsisterHelena，thewifeofConstantine，revealed，orsupposed，theirtreacherousdesignofassassinatingherhusbandattheroyalbanquet。Hisloyaladherentswerealarmed，andthetwousurperswereprevented，seized，degradedfromthepurple，andembarkedforthesameislandandmonasterywheretheirfatherhadbeensolatelyconfined。OldRomanusmetthemonthebeachwithasarcasticsmile，and，afterajustreproachoftheirfollyandingratitude，presentedhisImperialcolleagueswithanequalshareofhiswaterandvegetablediet。Inthefortiethyearofhisreign，ConstantinetheSeventhobtainedthepossessionoftheEasternworld，whichheruledorseemedtorule，nearfifteenyears。Buthewasdevoidofthatenergyofcharacterwhichcouldemergeintoalifeofactionandglory；andthestudies，whichhadamusedanddignifiedhisleisure，wereincompatiblewiththeseriousdutiesofasovereign。TheemperorneglectedthepracticetoinstructhissonRomanusinthetheoryofgovernment；whileheindulgedthehabitsofintemperanceandsloth，hedroppedthereinsoftheadministrationintothehandsofHelenahiswife；and，intheshiftingsceneofherfavorandcaprice，eachministerwasregrettedinthepromotionofamoreworthlesssuccessor。YetthebirthandmisfortunesofConstantinehadendearedhimtotheGreeks；theyexcusedhisfailings；theyrespectedhislearning，hisinnocence，andcharity，hisloveofjustice；andtheceremonyofhisfuneralwasmournedwiththeunfeignedtearsofhissubjects。Thebody，accordingtoancientcustom，layinstateinthevestibuleofthepalace；andthecivilandmilitaryofficers，thepatricians，thesenate，andtheclergyapproachedindueordertoadoreandkisstheinanimatecorpseoftheirsovereign。
BeforetheprocessionmovedtowardstheImperialsepulchre，aheraldproclaimedthisawfuladmonition:\"Arise，Okingoftheworld，andobeythesummonsoftheKingofkings!\"