The Secret History · Chapter
How Theodora, Revenging Her Dear Antonina, Humiliated the Conqueror of Africa and Italy explained
Theodora, believing Belisarius and Buzes plotted against her during Justinian's illness, imprisons Buzes in a dungeon for over two years and strips Belisarius of his command, confiscates his wealth, and forces him into humiliating submissio
What happens
Theodora, believing Belisarius and Buzes plotted against her during Justinian's illness, imprisons Buzes in a dungeon for over two years and strips Belisarius of his command, confiscates his wealth, and forces him into humiliating submission to his wife Antonina, who orchestrates his pardon. Belisarius, broken in spirit, becomes Antonina's slave and is later sent to Italy as Count of the imperial remounts, where his fortunes turn disastrous.
Themes in this chapter
Abuse of Power
Theodora uses her imperial authority to imprison Buzes without trial, strip Belisarius of command, and confiscate his wealth for personal revenge.
Injustice and Lawlessness
Belisarius is condemned without proof, his property seized on false pretexts, and his life spared only through his wife's intervention.
Moral Decadence
Belisarius, a great conqueror, is reduced to licking his wife's feet and declaring himself her slave, illustrating the corruption of personal honor.
Characters to notice
- Belisarius
Stripped of command, humiliated by Theodora, forced to grovel at Antonina's feet, and sent to Italy with no funds.
- Theodora
Revenges Antonina by imprisoning Buzes, deposing Belisarius, confiscating his wealth, and orchestrating his public degradation.
- Antonina
Reconciled with Belisarius after his humiliation; she pretends to intercede for him and becomes his mistress.
- Buzes
Imprisoned by Theodora in an underground dungeon for two years and four months, emerging half-blind and sick.
- Justinian
Falls ill with plague, later recovers; complicit in stripping Belisarius of command and wealth.
- Photius
Mentioned as a friend of Belisarius whose word of honor is forgotten.
- Martinus
Appointed General of the armies of the East in Belisarius's place.
- Anastasius
Theodora's nephew, betrothed to Belisarius's daughter Joannina.
Key passages
“Now underneath the palace was an underground cellar, secure and labyrinthian, comparable to the infernal regions, in which most of those who gave offense to her were eventually entombed.”
Beneath the palace, Theodora kept a dark, maze-like dungeon where she imprisoned those who displeased her.
Describes Theodora's secret prison system.
“Belisarius a private citizen in Constantinople, almost deserted, melancholy and miserable of countenance, and ever expectant of a further conspiracy to accomplish his death.”
Belisarius, now a private citizen, was lonely, depressed, and constantly feared assassination.
Depicts Belisarius's fall from grace.
“With each hand fondling one of her legs, licking with his tongue the sole of first one of her feet and then the other, he cried that she was the cause of his life and of his safety: henceforth he would be her faithful slave, instead of her lord and master.”
Belisarius groveled at Antonina's feet, licking them and declaring himself her slave for saving his life.
Shows Belisarius's complete humiliation.
