The Letters of Cassiodorus
Basilii. retrieves the
fortune of the
Ostrogoths.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
543 " Composition
of the
'Institutiones
Divinarum et
Humanarum
Litterarum.'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
544 " Belisarius
returns to
Italy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
545 " Rome taken by
Totila.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
546 " Continues
and
completes
his
Commentary
on the
Psalms.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
547 " " Rome
re-occupied by
Belisarius.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
548 " " Death of
Empress
Theodora.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
549 " " Rome again
taken by
Totila.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
550 " " Death of
Germanus.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
551 " Narses
Commander of
Italian
Expedition.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
552 " Writes the Narses TEIAS.
(Ind.) 'Complexi- defeats
ones in Totila
Epistolas near
Apostolo- Tadinum.
rum,' and
compiles
the
'Historia
Tripartita'
(the
precise
date of
these
works
unknown).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
553 " " Teias NARSES,
defeated and Governor of
slain near Italy under
Mons the Emperor.
Lactarius.
The Ostrogoths
leave Italy.
Invasion of
the Alamannic
brethren.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
554 " "
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
555 " " PELAGIUS.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
556 " "
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
557 " "
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
558 " "
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
559 " " Belisarius
defeats the
Huns under
Zabergan.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
560 " " JOHN III.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
561 "
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
562 " Disgrace of
Belisarius.
Belisarius
restored to
favour.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
563 "
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
564 "
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
565 Post JUSTIN II.
Consulatum
Basilii
XXIV.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
566 Flavius Death of
JUSTINUS Belisarius
Augustus. and of
Justinian.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
567 Years Narses LONGINUS,
(Ind.) reckoned recalled by Exarch.
Post Justin.
Consulatum Alleged
Justini. invitation to
the Lombards.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
568 " The Lombards ALBOIN,
under Alboin King of the
enter Italy. Lombards.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
569 " Milan taken
by the
Lombards.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
570 "
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
571 " Ticinum
taken
by the
Lombards.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
572 "
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
573 " Composition Assassination CLEPH, Death of
of treatise of Alboin. King of the John III.
'De Lombards.
Orthographia'
in 93rd
year of
Cassiodorus.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
574 " Death of BENEDICT I.
Cleph.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
575 " Cassiodorus
dies in
his 95th
year (?).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE
LETTERS OF CASSIODORUS.
PREFACE[192].
[Footnote 192: Translated in full.]
[Sidenote: Reason for publication: entreaties of friends.]
Learned men, who had become my friends through conversations which we
had had together, or benefits which I had bestowed upon them, sought
to persuade me to draw together into one work the various utterances
which it had been my duty to make, during my tenure of office, for the
explanation of different affairs. They desired me to do this, in order
that future generations might recognise the painful labours which I
had undergone for the public good, and the workings of my own unbribed
conscience. I then replied that their very kindness for me might turn
out to my disadvantage, since the letters which their good-will found
acceptable might to future readers seem insipid. I reminded them also
of the words of Horace, warning us of the dangers of hasty
publication.
[Sidenote: Difficulty of writing.]
'You see,' said I, 'that all require from me a speedy reply to their
petitions; and do you think that I couch those replies in words which
leave me nothing to regret hereafter? Our diction must be somewhat
rude when there is no sufficient delay to enable the speaker to choose
words which shall rightly express the precise shade of his meaning.
Speech is the common gift of all mankind: it is embellishment
(ornatus) alone which distinguishes between the learned and unlearned.
The author is told to keep his writings by him for nine years for
reflection; but I have not as many hours, hardly as many moments. As
soon as I begin the petitioner worries me with his clamours, and
hurries me too much to prevent my finishing cautiously, even if I have
so begun my task. One vexes me past endurance by his interruptions and
innuendoes; another torments me with the doleful tale of his miseries;
others surround me with the mad shouts of their seditious
contentions[193]. In such circumstances how can you expect elegance of
language, when we have scarcely opportunity to put words together in
any fashion? Even at night indescribable cares are flitting round our
couch[194], while we are harassed with fear lest the cities should
lack their supplies of food--food which the common people insist upon
more than anything else, caring more for their bellies than for the
gratification of their ears by eloquence. This thought obliges us to
wander in imagination through all the Provinces, and ever to enquire
after the execution of our orders, since it is not enough to tell our
staff what has to be done, but the diligent administrator must see
that it is done[195]. Therefore, I pray you, spare us your harmful
love. I must decline this persuasion of yours, which will bring me
more of danger than of glory.'
[Footnote 193: 'Alii furiosa contentionum seditione circumdant.' This
is probably meant to describe turbulent Goths.]
[Footnote 194: [Greek: ou chre pannuchion eudein boulephoron andra]
(Il. ii. 24).]
[Footnote 195: Quia non sufficit agenda militibus imperare, nisi haec
Judicis assiduitas videatur exigere.]
So I pleaded; but they plied me all the more with such arguments as
these:
[Sidenote: The Praefecture.]
'All men have known you as Praefect of the Praetorian throne, a
dignity which all other public employments wait upon like lacqueys.
For from this high office, ways and means for the army are demanded;
from this, without any regard for the difficulty of the times, the
food of the people is required; on this, a weight of judicial
responsibility is thrown, which would be by itself a heavy burden. Now
the law, which has thrown this immense load on the Praefect's office,
has, on the other hand, honoured him by putting almost all things
under his control. In truth, what interval of leisure could you snatch
from your public labours, when into your single breast flowed every
claim which could be made on behalf of the common good of all?
[Sidenote: The Quaestorship.]
'We must add, moreover, that when you were on frequent occasions
charged with the office of the Quaestorship, the leisure which you
might have enjoyed was taken from you by your own constant
thoughtfulness for the public good; and when you were thus bearing the
weight of an honour which was not the highest, your Sovereigns used to
lay upon you those duties, properly belonging to other offices, which