Emperor of [the] Romans. This man behaved like a private citizen; for he pretended not to want anything that he did want and did not wish to say anything that he said, and, making arguments completely contrary to his preference, he denied everything he desired and spoke for everything he hated. The officials who excessively excited [the people] he chastised, when he said: "I want to shear my sheep, not shave them."[1] And he was so fair that once, when he wanted to free a certain dancer, he did not recommend this, until the man's master had decided also to accept compensation. For he acted the part of a private citizen with his friends and contended along with them, without bringing along an armed guard. And he ordered that no one wear silken clothes. But suddenly he made a change to a worse attitude, with the result that he was thought to have lost his wits. And he said this old saying: "when I am dead let the earth be consumed by fire!"[2] And he called Priam blessed because he had perished along with his country and kingdom.[3]