Justinian

MYAKES

Do you know, Brother Elpidios, the things you do sometimes end up causing other things you never would have- never could have- expected. When Justinian ended up shipping those Mardaites to Europe- I daresay he'll have more to tell about that soon enough- one of them was a little brat who then would have been.. oh, I don't know how old exactly, but not long past the age of making messes in his clothes.

What? Oh, aye, Brother, there would have been a lot of brats like that. The one I'm thinking of in particular, though, came out of Germanikeia in northern Syria. Does that give you enough of a clue? Why, so it must- I hear how you suck in air in surprise. Yes, the Emperor Leo who rules us now was one of those resettled Mardaites.

Who can guess how things would have turned out if Leo and his family had stayed behind in Germanikeia? Who would be Emperor of the Romans now? Would there be an Emperor of the Romans, or would the Arabs have taken Constantinople in that second siege? It would be a different world, one way or another, that's certain. Would God allow such a thing?

No, don't consult the Scriptures now, Brother Elpidios. It will wait. You have Justinian's book in front of you. Read that instead.