-Caveat Lector- "JUSTINIAN & THEODORA" STARS BILL & HILLARY =========================================== (CNNS, 02/10/99) -- In these dark days, with Bill & Hillary's power about to become UNTOUCHABLE, a plan for light entertainment is contemplated, as a way to take our minds off inevitable decline. The play would be called "Justinian & Theodora." The cast of characters: JUSTINIAN (played by Bill Clinton): Justinian is emperor of Byzantium, 518 A.D. through 565 A.D. From the book, "The Secret History," by Procopius, we ascertain the character of Justinian: For without the slightest hesitation he used to embark on the inexcusable murdering of his fellow-men [e.g. the Sudan Aspirin factory] and the plundering of other people's property [e.g. asset forfeiture]; and it did not matter to him how many thousands lost their lives, although they had given him no provocation whatever. Well, then, this emperor [Justinian, played by Bill Clinton] was dissembling, crafty, hypocritical, secretive by temperament, two-faced; a clever fellow with marvellous ability to conceal his real opinion, and able to shed tears, not from any joy or sorrow, but employing them artfully when required in accordance with the immediate need, lying all the time... [Procopius further opines that], when a man cares nothing for the infamy of his actions, and does not hesitate to be known to all and sundry as a revolting character, no path of lawlessness is closed to him, but armed with the shamelessness visible at every moment in his face, he advances cheerfully and without any misgivings to the most loathsome deeds. THEODORA (played by Hillary Clinton): Theodora is wife of Justinian. She is the real power in Byzantium. She rules as emperess ca. 518 A.D. until her death ca. 547/548 A.D. From the historian Procopius, we see some of the character of Theodora: Now we must sketch the outlines of what she and her husband did in unison, for neither did anything apart from the other to the end of their joint lives. For a long time it was universally believed that they were exact opposites... but later it was recognized that this false impression had been deliberately fostered to make sure that their subjects did not put their own differences aside and rebel against them, but were all divided in their feelings about them [i.e. Justinian & Theodora, played by Bill & Hillary.] BYZANTIUM (played by Washington, DC): According to Procopius (who Gibbon, in his book, "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," although he "criticizes the =tone= of 'The Secret History,' had no hesitation in reproducing its statements as objectively true..." [1]), the character of Byzantium is summarized as follows: ...like any other disease the infection that began in the capital rapidly spread all over the Roman Empire. [Byzantium] gathered into [its] own hands the private property of all the Romans in every land, either accusing them of some crime they had never committed, or coaxing them into the belief that they had made a free gift. THE SENATE (played by the U.S. Senate): Says Procopius: Sad to say, not even one member of the Senate, seeing the State straddling itself with this disgrace, saw fit to protest... ---------------------------<< Notes >>--------------------------- [1] From Introduction to "The Secret History," Penguin Classic edition (1966) by G.A. Williamson. Brian Redman | [EMAIL PROTECTED] | www.shout.net/~bigred/cn.html Editor-in-Chief | ---------------Phone: 217-356-4418---------------- Conspiracy Nation | "The perfect slave thinks he's free." DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
