Elpidios was a monk who was writing a history of the world sometime in the 730s CE. Having the benefit of eyesight, he read the Emperor Justinian's autobiography to the old blind soldier Myakes, who had known the dead emperor since he was a boy. Being a virtuous sort, he recoiled from the detailed descriptions of Justinian's sex life, and murderous reign. After he had finished reading the autobiography, Elpidios took it upon himself to hide the book away in the monastery, being unable to separate the numerous sins of the emperor from whatever virtues he may have had.