The Letters of Cassiodorus
that those who have grievances against the present functionaries may
learn their rights.'
16. KING THEODORIC TO ABUNDANTIUS, PRAETORIAN PRAEFECT.
[Sidenote: Formation of a navy.]
'By Divine inspiration we have determined to raise a navy which may
both ensure the arrival of the cargoes of public corn and may, if
need be, combat the ships of an enemy. For, that Italy, a country
abounding in timber, should not have a navy of her own hath often
stricken us with regret.
'Let your Greatness therefore give directions for the construction of
1,000 _dromones_ (swift cutters). Wherever cypresses and pines are
found near to the sea-shore, let them be bought at a suitable price.
'Then as to the levy of sailors: any fitting man, if a slave, must be
hired of his master, or bought at a reasonable price. If free, he is
to receive 5 solidi (L3) as donative, and will have his rations during
the term of service.
'Even those who were slaves are to be treated in the same way, "since
it is a kind of freedom to serve the Ruler of the State[389];" and are
to receive, according to their condition, two or three solidi (L1 4s.
or L1 16s.) of bounty money[390].
[Footnote 389: 'Quando libertatis genus est servire Rectori.']
[Footnote 390: 'Arrharum nomine.']
'Fishermen, however, are not to be enlisted in this force, since we
lose with regret one whose vocation it is to provide us with luxuries;
and moreover one kind of training is required for him who has to face
the stormy wind, and another for him who need only fish close to
shore.'
17. KING THEODORIC TO ABUNDANTIUS, PRAETORIAN PRAEFECT.
[Sidenote: On the same subject.]
'We praise you for your prompt fulfilment of the orders contained in
the previous letter. You have built a fleet almost as quickly as
ordinary men would sail one. The model of the triremes, revealing the
number of the rowers but concealing their faces, was first furnished
by the Argonauts. So too the sail, that flying sheet[391] which wafts
idle men to their destination quicker than swiftest birds can fly,
was first invented by the lorn Isis, when she set off on her
wanderings through the world to find her lost son Apochran.
[Footnote 391: 'Linum volatile.']
'Now that we have our fleet, there is no need for the Greek to fasten
a quarrel upon us, or for the African [the Vandal] to insult us[392].
With envy they see that we have now stolen from them the secret of
their strength.
[Footnote 392: 'Non habet quod nobis Graecus imputet aut Afer
insultet.']
'Let all the fleet be assembled at Ravenna on the next Ides of June.
Let our own Padus send his home-born navy to the sea, his
river-nurtured firs to battle with the winds of Ocean.
'But there is one suggestion of yours of great importance, and which
must be diligently acted upon, namely the removal of the nets whereby
the fishermen at present impede the channels of the following rivers:
Mincius, Ollius (Oglio), Anser (Serchio), Arno, Tiber. Let the river
lie open for the transit of ships; let it suffice for the appetite of
man to seek for delicacies in the ordinary way, not by rustic artifice
to hinder the freedom of the stream.'
18. KING THEODORIC TO UVILIAS [WILLIAS?], VIR ILLUSTRIS AND COUNT OF
THE PATRIMONY.
19. KING THEODORIC TO GUDINAND, A SAJO.
20. KING THEODORIC TO AVILF, A SAJO.
[Sidenote: On the same subject.]
These three letters all relate to the same subject as the two
preceding ones--the formation of a navy, and the _rendezvous_ of ships
and sailors at Ravenna on the Ides of June.
The Count of the Patrimony is courteously requested to see if there is
any timber suitable for the purposes of the navy, growing in the royal
estates along the banks of the Po.
The Sajones are ordered in more brusque and peremptory fashion:
Gudinand to collect the sailors at Ravenna on the appointed day; and
Avilf to collect timber along the banks of the Po, with as little
injury to the Possessors as possible (not, however, apparently paying
them anything for it), to keep his hands clean from extortion and
fraud, and to pull up the stake-nets in the channels of the five
rivers mentioned in Letter 17; 'for we all know that men ought to fish
with nets, not with hedges, and the opposite practice shows detestable
greediness.'
21. KING THEODORIC TO CAPUANUS, SENATOR.
22. KING THEODORIC TO THE SENATE OF THE CITY OF ROME.
[Sidenote: Capuanus appointed Rector Decuriarum.]
[On the appointment of Capuanus to the office of Rector of the Guilds
(Rector Decuriarum). The Guilds (Decuriae) of the City of Rome--not to
be confounded with the Provincial _Curiae_, membership in which was at
this time a burden rather than an advantage--enjoyed several special
privileges. We find from the Theodosian Code, Lib. xiv. Tit. 1, that
there were Decuriae of the _Librarii_, _Fiscales_, _Censuales_. The
_Decuria Scribarum_ is perhaps the same as the _Decuria Librariorum_.
I use the word Guilds, which seems best to describe a body of this
kind; but it will be seen from their names that these Guilds are not
of a commercial character, but are rather concerned with the
administration of justice. Some of them must have discharged the
duties of attorneys, others of Inland Revenue officers, others acted
as clerks to register the proceedings of the Senate, others performed
the mere mechanical work of copying, which is now undertaken by a law
stationer.
It was ordained by a law of Constantius and Julian (357) that no one
should enter the first class in these Decuriae[393] unless he were a
trained and practised literary man.
[Footnote 393: 'Locum primi ordinis.']
The office which in the Theodosian Code is called _Judex Decuriarum_
seems here to be called _Rector_.]
The young Capuanus has distinguished himself as a advocate both before
the Senate and other tribunals. There has been a certain diffidence
and hesitation in his manner, especially when he was dealing with
common subjects; but he always warmed with his peroration, and the
same man who even stammered in discussing some trifling detail became
fluent, nay eloquent, when the graver interests of his client were at
stake. When he saw that the Judge was against him he did not lose
heart, but, by praising his justice and impartiality, gradually coaxed
him into a more favourable mood. On one memorable occasion, when a
certain document was produced which appeared hostile, he boldly
challenged the accuracy of the copy [made probably by one of the
_Decuria Librariorum_] and insisted on seeing the original. This young
advocate is now appointed _Rector Decuriarum_, and thus accorded the
privilege of seniority over many men who are much older than himself.
He is exhorted to treat them with all courtesy, to remember the
importance of accuracy and fidelity in the execution of his duties and
those of the _Decuriales_ under him, on whose correct transcription of
documents the property, the liberty, nay even the life of their
fellow-subjects may depend. Especially he is exhorted to remember his
own challenge of the accuracy of a copied document, that he may not
ever find that memorable oration of his brought up against himself.
The Senate is exhorted to give the young official a kindly welcome. It
will now devolve upon him to report with praiseworthy accuracy the
proceedings of that body, the most celebrated in the whole world. He
who has often pleaded before them the cause of the humble and weak,
will now have to introduce Consulars to their assembly. It is expected
that his eloquence will grow and his stammer will disappear, now that
he is clothed with a more dignified office. 'Freedom nourishes words,
but fear frequently interrupts their plenteous flow.'
23. KING THEODORIC TO ABUNDANTIUS, PRAETORIAN PRAEFECT.
[Sidenote: Archery drill.]
'Tata the Sajo is ordered to proceed to the Illustrious Count Julian,
with the young archers whom he has drilled, that they may practise on
the field the lessons which they have learned in the gymnasium. Let
your Greatness provide them with rations and ships according to
custom.' [The place to which this expedition was directed does not
seem to be stated.]
24. KING THEODORIC TO THE SENATOR EPIPHANIUS, CONSULARIS OF DALMATIA.
[Sidenote: Property of a widow dying intestate and without heirs to be
claimed for the State.]
'We are informed that Joanna, the wife of Andreas, having succeeded to
her husband's estate, has died intestate without heirs. Her property
ought therefore to lapse to our Treasury[394], but it is being
appropriated, so we are informed, by divers persons who have no claim
to it.
[Footnote 394: 'Quia caduca bona fisco nostro competere legum cauta
decreverunt.']
'Enquire into this matter; and if it be as we are informed, reclaim
for our Treasury so legitimate a possession. We should consider
ourselves guilty of negligence if we omitted to take possession of
that which, without harming anyone, so obviously comes in to lighten
the public burdens.
'But if you find the facts different to these, by all means leave the
present owners in quiet possession. The secure enjoyment by our
subjects of that which is lawfully theirs we hold to be our truest
patrimony.'
25. KING THEODORIC TO BACAUDA[395], VIR SUBLIMIS.
[Footnote 395: The name is a peculiar one, reminding us of the
Bacaudae, who for more than a century waged a sort of servile war in
Gaul against the officers of the Empire. It is not probable, however,
that there is any real connection between them and the receiver of
this letter.]
[Sidenote: Bacauda receives the office of Tribunus Voluptatum for
life.]
'By way of support for your declining years we appoint you, for life,
_Tribunus Voluptatum_ [Minister of Public Amusement] at Milan.
'It is a new principle in the public service[396] to give any man a
life-tenure of his office; but you will now not have to fear the
interference of any successor, and your mind being at ease about your
own future, you will be able to minister to the pleasures of the
people with a smiling face.'
[Footnote 396: 'Quod est in Reipublicae _militia_ novum.' Observe the
use of militia for civil service.]
26. KING THEODORIC TO ALL THE GOTHS SETTLED IN PICENUM AND SAMNIUM.
[Sidenote: The Goths summoned to the royal presence.]
'The presence of the Sovereign doubles the sweetness of his gifts, and
that man is like one dead whose face is not known to his lord[397].
Come therefore by God's assistance, come all into our presence on the
eighth day before the Ides of June (June 6th), there solemnly to
receive our royal largesse. But let there be no excesses by the way,
no plundering the harvest of the cultivators nor trampling down their
meadows, since for this cause do we gladly defray the expense of our
armies that _civilitas_ may be kept intact by armed men.'
[Footnote 397: 'Nam pene similis est mortuo qui a suo Dominante
nescitur.' A motto more suited to the presence-chamber of Byzantium
than the camp-fires of a Gothic King.]
27. KING THEODORIC TO GUDUIM, SAJO.
[Sidenote: The same.]
'Order all the captains of thousands[398] of Picenum and Samnium to
come to our Court, that we may bestow the wonted largesse on our
Goths. We enquire diligently into the deeds of each of our soldiers,
that none may lose the credit of any exploit which he has performed in
the field. On the other hand, let the coward tremble at the thought of
coming into our presence. Even this fear may hereafter make him brave
against the enemy.'
[Footnote 398: 'Millenarii.' Cf. the [Greek: chiliarchoi], who, as
Procopius tells us, were appointed by Gaiseric over the Vandals; also
the _thusundifaths_ of Ulfilas.]
28. KING THEODORIC TO CARINUS, VIR ILLUSTRIS.
[Sidenote: Invitation to Court.]