# VII: Outrages of the Blues explained — The Secret History

> Chapter companion for The Secret History by Procopius.

## What happens

Justinian aligns himself with the Blues faction, inciting them to violence and lawlessness, which plunges the Roman Empire into chaos. The Blues commit murders, robberies, and other atrocities with impunity, while the government, under Justinian's influence, fails to punish them. The chapter details the breakdown of law and order, the corruption of justice, and the despair of the common people, culminating in Justinian openly supporting and rewarding the criminals.

## Themes in this chapter

### Corruption and Tyranny

Justinian uses the Blues faction to destabilize the state, turning the government into a tool for oppression and lawlessness.

### Injustice and Lawlessness

Murders and robberies go unpunished, judges rule out of fear, and the legal system collapses under the weight of factional violence.

### Suffering of the Common People

Citizens live in constant fear, are robbed, killed, or forced into submission, with no hope of justice or redress.

## Character check-ins

### Justinian

Joins the Blues faction, incites violence, and openly supports the criminals, giving them money and high offices.

## Key lines

> The people had since long previous time been divided, as I have explained elsewhere, into two factions, the Blues and the Greens. 19 Justinian, by joining the former party, which had already shown favor to him, was able to bring everything into confusion and turmoil, and by its power to sink the Roman state to its knees before him.

The populace was historically split into the Blues and Greens factions. Justinian allied with the Blues, who had previously supported him, and used them to create chaos and subjugate the Roman state.

_Describes Justinian's strategic alliance with the Blues to consolidate power._

> Then it was that Justinian, fanning the flame and openly inciting the Blues to fight, made the whole Roman Empire shake on its foundation, as if an earthquake or a cataclysm had stricken it, or every city within its confines had been taken by the foe.

Justinian actively encouraged the Blues to fight, causing the entire Roman Empire to tremble as if struck by a natural disaster or conquered by enemies.

_Highlights Justinian's role in escalating violence and destabilizing the empire._

> For when crime finds itself licensed, there are no limits to its abuses; since even when it is punished, it is never quite suppressed, most men being by nature easily turned to error.

When crime is permitted, it knows no bounds; even punishment cannot fully suppress it, as humans are naturally prone to wrongdoing.

_Reflects on the unchecked nature of crime under Justinian's regime._

> And Justinian’s crime was that he was not only unwilling to protect the injured, but saw no reason why he should not be the open head of the guilty faction; he gave great sums of money to these young men, and surrounded himself with them: and some he even went so far as to appoint to high office and other posts of honor.

Justinian's offense was that he refused to defend the victims and instead openly led the criminal faction, funding them, surrounding himself with them, and appointing some to high positions.

_Condemns Justinian for actively supporting and rewarding the Blues' criminal activities._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/vii-outrages-of-the-blues
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_secret_history_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters