After he had arrived to the Imperial Dignity, he built other fine Palaces about it, and near it built another Church in honour of two illustrious Saints, _Sergius_ and _Bacchus_. These Churches which are both of them equally beautiful, stood on the same Compass of Ground, nor is there any material Difference between them. They shine alike with the most glossy Marble; both are curiously gilded, and adorn’d with the richest Offerings, nor is there any thing wherein they do not resemble each other, but that one is built lengthways, and the other in a semicircular manner. They are both wonderful in their kind, and are a great Ornament not only to the Palace, but to the whole City: _Procopius_ adds a little farther, that _Justinian_ chang’d the House, which was call’d the House of _Hormisda_, into a more magnificent Figure, and join’d it to the Palace. I am of Opinion, that this _Hormisda_, whom he dignifies with the Title of Prince, was the Son of a King of _Persia_, who, as _Marcellinus_ reports, when _Constans_ the Son of _Constantine_ came to _Rome_, and glorying how far he would transcend _Hormisda_ in his immoderate Schemes of Building, being unable to accomplish his Designs, he was content, he said, in an humble manner, only to have such another Horse made as stood in the _Forum_ of _Trajan_. The Story coming afterwards to _Hormisda_’s Ear, he reply’d in a jocular manner, _Let him try first, if he can build a Stable for him_. _Cedrinus_ explains more at large how near the House of _Justinian_ was to the Church of _Bacchus_: _Justinian_, says he, _built the Church of_ Sergius _and_ Bacchus, _which on the Sea-side of it, is near the Palace, and built also another Church by it, on the same piece of Ground, on which had stood his own House: In building these two Churches, and in founding a Monastery, which he fill’d with Men of sound Learning, and exemplary Conversation, he laid out his whole Estate, and all he was worth, till he arrived to the Imperial Dignity_. There is nothing remaining at present of the Church of St. _Peter_ and St. _Paul_, but the Church of _Sergius_ and _Bacchus_ are yet standing. It goes still under its ancient Name, though the _Turks_ have changed it into a Mosque. ’Tis covered at top with a Brick Roof, and bears upon eight Pilasters; between the Pilasters there are two Ranges of Pillars of the _Ionick Order_. In the lowest Range, there are sixteen Pillars which bear upon the Pavement: Six of these Pillars are of Green Marble, and ten of white streak’d with Red Veins. The upper Range consists of eighteen Pillars, eight of which are Green, ten White Marble, and are vein’d as the other. The _Capitals_ of the lower are adorn’d with _Ovolo’s_ at the Bottom of them. The upper part of them is cover’d with a _Foliage_. The _Volutæ_ of the upper Range of Pillars project from the four Angles of the _Capitals_, but the _Ovolo’s_ project from the Sides of them, which are also cover’d with a _Foliage_ of fine Workmanship.