Yes, Brother Elpidios, that Leo, the one who's Emperor now. Up till then, nobody outside of Mesembria had ever heard of him, nor many folk inside Mesembria, either. But he found himself a way to get noticed, that he did. When everybody else was running away from Justinian, he ran toward him.
What? What would he have done if Justinian had lost? Probably gone back to Mesembria and tried like the devil to pretend he never had anything to do with him. He likely would have got away with it, too. Leo was the sort of fellow who could tell you the sun rose in the west, and you'd believe him.
Yes, you're right, Brother. It's just the same way as Leo has moved against the holy icons, as a matter of fact. When he took the throne, he swore he wouldn't fool around with the faith, didn't he? Of course he did. Every Emperor does. But then a few years later he started going on about whether it was proper to make images at all, and- what was it? last year? year before last?- didn't he toss the patriarch out on his ear and put in his own man?
What? Leo's chum Anastasios isn't limber enough to lick his own privates like a dog, so he licks Leo's instead? I'm going to have to watch out for you, Brother Elpidios. Every once in a while, you can still surprise me. Yes, of course I accept your apology. It's the Christian thing to do, after all. If you want me to set you a penance, why don't you read to me for longer than you'd planned?