Chap, xli] OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 359 touched the shores of Africa, this holy kindred degenerated into sensual love ; and, as Antonina soon overleaped the bounds of modesty and caution, the Koman general was alone ignorant of his own dishonour. During their residence at Carthage, he sur- prised the two lovers in a subterraneous chamber, solitary, warm, and almost naked. Anger flashed from his eyes. " With the help of this young man," said the unblushing Antonina, << I was secreting our most precious effects from the knowledge of Jus- tinian." The youth resumed his garments, and the pious husband consented to disbelieve the evidence of his own senses. From this pleasing and perhaps voluntary delusion Belisarius was* awakened at Syracuse by the officious information of Macedonia ; and that female attendant, after requiring an oath for her security, produced two chamberlains, who, like herself, had often beheld the adulteries of Antonina. An hasty flight into Asia saved Theodosius from the justice of an injured husband, who had signified to one of his guards the order of his death ; but the tears of Antonina, and her artful seductions, assured the credulous hero of her innocence ; and he stooped, against his faith and judgment, to abandon those imprudent friends who had presumed to accuse or doubt the chastity of his wife. The revenge of a guilty woman is implacable and bloody : the unfortunate Macedonia, with the two witnesses, were secretly arrested by the minister of her cruelty; their tongues were cut out, their bodies were hacked into small pieces, and their remains were cast into the sea of Syracuse. A rash though judicious saying of Constantine, « I would sooner have punished the adulteress than the boy," was deeply re- membered by Antonina ; and two years afterwards, when de- spair had armed that officer against his general, her sanguinary advice decided and hastened his execution. Even the indigna- tion of Photius was not forgiven by his mother ; the exile of her son prepared the recall of her lover ; and Theodosius con- descended to accept the pressing and humble invitation of the conqueror of Italy. In the absolute direction of his household, and in the important commissions of peace and war, 131 the 131 In November 537, Photius arrested the pope (Liberat. Brev. c. 22. Pagi, torn. ii. p. 562). About the end of 539, Belisarius sent Theodosius — rbu t# oIkiu tj? avrov i^earuTa — on an important and lucrative commission to Ravenna (Goth. 1. ii. c. 18).
