She clung to him all the closer. Her kisses became more passionate, she truly loving him, he in no way desiring her (for she was past the age for love), but thinking in his heart of the glory that power would bring him. For this he was prepared to dare anything, and bear it with patience. As for those who lived in the palace, they at first only suspected or conjectured what was going or., but afterwards, when the affair broke all bounds of modesty, everyone knew of it.
There was nobody who did not perceive how it was going, for their embraces had already ended in carnal union, and they were discovered by several people sleeping together on the same couch. He blushed with shame and was filled with apprehension for the outcome of this, but she did not conceal it. In the eyes of all, she clung to him and offered her kisses, boasting that she had more than once had joy of him.
23. That she should adorn him, as if he were some statue, cover him with gold, make him resplendent with rings and garments of woven gold cloth, I do not regard as anything remarkable, for what would an empress not provide for her beloved? But she, unknown to the world, sometimes went so far as to seat him, turn by turn with herself, on the imperial throne, to put in his hand a sceptre; and on one occasion even deemed him worthy of a crown.
This extraordinary sight
Thereupon she would throw her arms about him all over again, calling him her “idol’, “the delight of her eyes’, “the flower of beauty’, “the comfort of her soul’. As she repeated this again and again, she was observed by one of those who have eyes for everything.
This fellow was a eunuch who had been put in supreme charge of the imperial court, a man respected for his dignified bearing, as well as for his exalted position, and a family retainer of the empress. When he saw this extraordinary sight, he almost expired, so amazed was he. She, however, called him to her side– he was by now at his last gasp– and she reassured him, for he was utterly confounded, and bade him attach himself to Michael, as he was already emperor and soon would be emperor without dispute.
Although nobody else whatever had been deluded in all this, it did not come to the knowledge of the emperor. Romanus was so completely blind. However, when the flash of the lightning and the roar of the thunder did eventually play round his eyes and deafen his ears, when he himself saw some things going on and heard of others, even then, as if he preferred to be blind and deaf, he closed his eyes again and refused to listen. Worse than that, many a time when he was sleeping with the empress and she, clothed in some garment of purple, was waiting for him to lie down on their couch, he would call for Michael, bidding him come alone, and order him to touch and massage his feet.
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