The same Augustus to the bishops established throughout all the earth. We have made a sacred constitution, permitting no one to drag an unwilling woman, whether bondmaid or freewoman, onto the stage or into the orchestra; nor, when she wishes to be converted (to leave that life), to allow her sureties to hinder her, as though demanding back on this very account a certain fixed sum promised by agreement; but if any such thing has been done, we have ordained that these things be prohibited both by the most illustrious governors of the provinces and by the most religious bishops of the cities, giving permission to the most religious bishops, together with the most illustrious governor of the province, to draw to themselves, even against their will, those who have compelled them, or who have hindered them from being changed or converted from that occupation;
and that their property indeed be confiscated to the public, but that they themselves be expelled from the city. But if the one who governs the province is himself the one who has compelled them, or has hindered their conversion or repentance from the aforesaid occupation, we give permission for the most religious bishops alone to approach her who suffers such things, or her surety, and for this one (the bishop) to oppose the magistrate who holds office, and not to permit him to act unjustly;
or, if they are less able to carry this out, to report it to our imperial power, that the penalty may be exacted by us upon the one compelled, the sureties being at the same time released and the guarantors being preserved harmless; giving permission to women thus converted, being free and freeborn, to pass into lawful matrimony, even if those who marry them should happen to be adorned with the most honourable dignities, no longer needing imperial rescripts, but celebrating their marriages by their own authority, the nuptial instruments being, of course, made in every way between them. And we ordain the same also concerning the daughters of actresses (scenicae). — § 1.
This aforesaid constitution we have also set down — addressed to the civil magistrates — in the fifth book of all the constitutions of this book that bears the name of our piety. For since it was fitting, through the present enactment, to make these things manifest also to you, the most religious bishops established throughout all the earth, therefore, gathering together the things which pertain to it and decreeing them with a fuller exposition, we have made this same divine constitution also to you, that, preserving sacerdotal reverence and being zealous for continence, you may keep these things, considering both the fear of the great God and the imperial indignation, should you omit any of them. Given on the Kalends of November, at Constantinople, in the consulship of our lord Justinian for the fourth time and of Paulinus, 534.