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History of the Franks
St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927
Book 4, 40. Of the Emperor Justin
The emperor Justinian dying at Constantinople, Justin obtained the empire.1 He was a man wholly abandoned to avarice, a despiser of the poor, and despoiler of his senators; such was his cupidity that he caused iron coffers to be made, in which he piled gold pieces by the talent. He was said to have fallen into the Pelagian heresy. But no long time afterwards he lost his wits, and associated with himself as Caesar, for the better defence of his provinces, Tiberius, a just man and charitable, discerning equity, successful in war, and rich in that which surpasses all other goods, the truest Christian faith. King Sigibert now sent envoys to the emperor Justin, seeking peace; they were Warinar the Frank, and Firminus of Auvergne. Voyaging by sea, they entered the city of Constantinople, had audience of the emperor, and obtained the object of their mission, returning to Gaul in the following year.
After this Antioch in Egypt and Apamea in Syria, two exceeding great cities, were taken by the Persians and their inhabitants led into captivity.2 It was then that the church of the holy Julian, the martyr of Antioch, was consumed in a great fire. The Persarmenians came to the emperor Justin with a great weight of unwoven silk, seeking his friendship, and declaring their hostility to the emperor of the Persians. For the Persian envoys had come to them with this message: ‘The emperor’s solicitude would know whether ye mean to preserve inviolate the treaty into which ye entered with him.’ But when they answered that they would keep all their promises unbroken, the envoys continued: ‘The proof of your intent to keep his friendship will be made plain if ye also adore the fire which he adoreth.’ The people replied that this they would never do, and the bishop, who was present, spoke thus: ‘What divine quality is there in fire, that it should be worshipped? God created it for the use of men; it is lighted by tinder and quenched by water; if it is kept up, it burns; if it is neglected, it dies out.’ As the bishop continued to utter this and like questions, the envoys, enraged, loaded him with abuse and struck him with their staves. Then the people, at the sight of their bishop covered with blood, rushed upon the envoys, laid hands on them, and killed them; afterwards, as I have said, they sought the friendship of the emperor Justin.
Notes
- A. D. 565.
- A. D. 572 or 573.