He twice escaped to the most venerable sanctuaries of Constantinople, the churches of St.Sophia, and of the Virgin: but his tyrants were insensible of religion as of pity; and the helpless youth, amidst the clamors of the clergy and people, was twice dragged from the altar to the dungeon.

His third attempt was more successful.

At the end of three years, the prophet Zachariah, or some mortal friend, indicated the means of an escape: he eluded the spies and guards of the empress, reached the holy sepulchre of Jerusalem, embraced the profession of a monk; and the abbot Photius was employed, after the death of Justinian, to reconcile and regulate the churches of Egypt.

The son of Antonina suffered all that an enemy can inflict: her patient husband imposed on himself the more exquisite misery of violating his promise and deserting his friend.
[Footnote 116: Theophanes (Chronograph.p.

204) styles him Photinus, the son-in-law of Belisarius; and he is copied by the Historia Miscella and Anastasius.] [Footnote 1161: This and much of the private scandal in the "Anecdota" is liable to serious doubt.