Malalas and the Representationof Justinian’s Reign: a Few Remarks

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text in a more complete version than what is found in the Baroccianus one)47. We have
no other hint about this event in sixth century Greek sources. On the other hand, we
possess one of the actor’s own versions, that is to say, pope Vigilius’ one.48 If there is
a slight difference concerning the neighbouring and associated Constantinopolitan
churches (saint Sergius and Bacchus/Saints Peter and Paul), both built by Justinian
and consecrated with conspicuous relics, all texts concord on what is of the utmost
importance here. In mid-August 551, pope Vigilius flees to the church. What happens
then is recorded in the following way by Fragmenta Tusculana:
Our pious lord sent the praetor, the comes known as Diapoundaristes and a serious
disturbance occurred. Pope Vigilius went to the holy sanctuary and the comes
grasped him by the beard to remove him from there. The bishop held on to the
column of the holy altar and the holy altar fell to the ground.49
The Latin letter written by Vigilius adds that the altar was fortunately supported by
clerics and that at the end, the praetor fled ashamed.50 The Fragmentum Tusculanum
continues by saying that later, the pope went to the city of Chalcedon, an episode also
otherwise known to have taken place during the night of 23 December 551. Then there
is a lacunary text which was first filled by Mai' in a convincing way,51 suggested by
lead to new observations and results. Parallel efforts in Tübingen have already produced a partial new
edition of the second fragment, see Schulz in this volume.
47 It is to be remembered that the Baroccianus 182 presents a strongly abbreviated text (see Meier, “Natural
Disaster”, p. 248), even if W. Treadgold, Early Byzantine Historians, p. 241 discusses the proportional
importance of what has been left out.
48 See his JK 931 Contestatio, incipit Dum in Sanctae Eufimiae, 5 February 552, ep. 1, Vigilius, letters, p. 4,
13-19. See also the letter of clerics from Milan to Francs envoyees, ibid. pp. 22, 3-20. See also our re-
marks, “Ordre religieux et ordre public”, pp. 250-51. On the twin churches, see Croke, “Justinian, Theo-
dora and the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus”, Dumbarton Oaks Papers, t. 60, 2006, pp. 27-28.
49 καί έπεμψεν ό ευσεβής ήμών δεσπότης κόμιταν τον πραίτωρα τον έπίκλην
Διαπουνδαριστήν καί γέγονεν στάσις μεγάλη- καί άπλήθεν ό Βιγίλιος πάπας εις τό
άγιον θυσιαστήριον, καί έκράτησεν αυτόν ό κόμιτας του πωγώνος, ώστε έκβαλε ιν εκ του
άγιου θυσιαστηρίου- καί έκράτησεν ό έπίσκοπος τό κιόνιον τής άγιας τραπέζης, καί
έπεσεν ή άγια τράπεζα εις τό έδαφος- reprinted in Thurn (ed.), p. 412, +35-413, +42. English ver-
sion here cited is to be found as usual in Chronicle of Malalas, transl. E. Jeffreys et alii, p. 291.
50 “Nam cum ad beati Petri basilicam in Ormisda fundatam Augusto mense nuper praeterito fugissemus,
nullum latere confidimus quia <dum>in eadem ecclesia a comitatu praetoris cum multitudine armato-
rum militum veniente tamquam ad bellum instructa acie a sancto eius altari tracti pedibus traheremur,
tenuimus et super nos etiam ipsa altaris mensa ceciderat, nisi a clericorum nostrorum fuisset manibus
sustentata” (Vigilius, letters p. 4,13-19)· “For when we took refuge in the basilica of the blessed Peter,
built in Hormisdas, in the month of August lately past, we trust that no one is unaware that in this very
church the suite of the praetor came with a mass of armed soldiers in serried array as if for war and tried
to drag us by our feet from its sacred altar : we gripped onto it, and the very table of the altar would have
fallen on top of us, had it not been held up by the hands of our clergy” (transl. Price, Acts of the council
of Constantinople, p. 173)
51 Then, followed by Thurn, p. 413, +42-+45: “καί ύστερον άπλήθεν ό αύτός πάπας έν Χαλκηδόνι
πόλει [εις τήν έκκλησίαν τής άγιας Ευφημίας- Τέλος δε έδέχθη ύπο μεταμεληθέντος
(e Bar. ad annum DLIsq.)] εύσεβεστάτου ήμών δεσπότου ό αύτός πάπας Βιγίλιος”; the Eng-
lish translation is not so expanded, clearly indicating the lacunas: “Later the pope went to the city of