The Letters of Cassiodorus
[Sidenote: The followers of the new King must live justly.]
'By my accession to the throne I have become lord of the whole nation
and guardian of the general welfare. I therefore command that all who
belong to my private household shall vindicate their rights only in
the courts of law, and shall abstain from all high-handed modes of
obtaining redress. Only that man must henceforward be called mine who
can live quietly subject to the laws. My new dignity has changed my
purpose; and if before I have defended my rights with pertinacity, I
shall now temper all my acts with clemency[641]; since there is
nothing exceptional about a Sovereign's household, but wheresoever,
by the grace of God, our rule extends, there, as we fully confess, is
something which it is our duty to defend. Augment therefore my renown
by your patience, and let me hear praises rather than complaints of
the actions of my servants.'
[Footnote 641: 'Mutavimus cum dignitate propositum, et si ante justa
districte defendimus, nunc clementer omnia mitigamus.' A pretty plain
confession of Theodahad's past wrong-doing, and one which was probably
insisted upon by Amalasuentha in admitting him to a share in the
kingship.]
6. KING THEODAHAD TO PATRICIUS, VIR ILLUSTRIS AND QUAESTOR.
[Sidenote: Patricius appointed Quaestor.]
'In conferring upon you the office of Quaestor we look first to
character, and we find in you that love of justice which is all
important in a representative of the Prince. Then we look at the
qualities of your intellect, and we find in you that flow of eloquence
which among all mental accomplishments we value most highly. What does
it profit to be a philosopher, if one cannot worthily set forth the
results of one's investigations? To discover is natural to man; but to
set forth one's discoveries in noble language, that is indeed a
desirable gift. Therefore we bestow on you for this thirteenth
Indiction[642] the fasces of the Quaestorship, desiring you to
consecrate your time to the study of the laws and the _responsa
prudentum_, and to spread abroad our fame by the eloquent manner in
which you shall communicate our decrees to the Cities and Provinces
under our sway, and speak in our name to the representatives of
foreign nations.'
[Footnote 642: 534-535. As Athalaric died Oct. 2, 534, the appointment
of Patricius cannot have taken place on the usual day, Sept. 1.]
7. KING THEODAHAD TO THE SENATE OF THE CITY OF ROME.
[Sidenote: The same subject.]
'After announcing to you our own accession, one of our first cares was
to choose a Judge whose style of speaking might dignify the State.
Such a Judge have we found in Patricius (Patrician by his name
already), whom we hereby appoint to the office of Quaestor. He
studied eloquence at Rome. Where could he have studied better? For
while other parts of the world have their wine, their balm, their
frankincense, which they can export, the peculiar product of Rome is
eloquence.
'Having thus learned his art, he practised it at the bar with singular
moderation. No heat of strife hurried him into abuse of his
competitors. Seeking only to win his client's cause, he calmly and
courteously set forth that client's rights without sacrificing his own
dignity of demeanour.
'Thinking that this man has pleaded long enough, we now appoint that
he shall sit as Judge, having made diligent enquiry as to his
character. In this, and in all other matters, we wish to follow the
example of the Emperors who have gone before us, in so far as they
followed the paths of justice[643].'
[Footnote 643: 'Velle nostrum antiquorum principum est voluntas, quos
in tantum desideramus imitari quantum illi justitiam sunt secuti.']
8. QUEEN AMALASUENTHA TO JUSTINIAN, AUGUSTUS.
[Sidenote: Present of marbles from Justinian to Amalasuentha.]
'Delighting to receive from your Piety some of those treasures of
which the heavenly bounty has made you partaker, we send the bearer of
the present letter to receive those marbles and other necessaries
which we formerly ordered Calogenitus to collect on our behalf. All
our adornments, furnished by you, redound to your glory. For it is
fitting that by your assistance should shine resplendent that Roman
world which the love of your Serenity renders illustrious.'
9. KING THEODAHAD TO JUSTINIAN, AUGUSTUS.
[Sidenote: The same subject.]
[On the same subject as the previous letter, and in nearly the same
words. Calogenitus apparently is dead.]
'We have directed the bearer of this letter to exhibit (?) those
things for which Calogenitus was previously destined; so that,
although that person is withdrawn from this life, your benefits, by
God's help, may still be brought unto us.'
10. QUEEN AMALASUENTHA TO THEODORA, AUGUSTA[644].
[Footnote 644: There is something in the tone of this letter which
suggests that Theodora was known to be pregnant when it was written.]
[Sidenote: Salutation to Theodora.]
'We approach you with the language of veneration, because it is agreed
on all hands that your virtues increase more and more. Friendship
exists not for those only who are in one another's presence, but also
for the absent. Rendering you therefore the salutation of august
reverence, I hope that our ambassadors, whom we have directed to the
most clement and most glorious Emperor, will bring me news of your
welfare. Your prosperity is as dear to me as my own; and as I
constantly pray for your safety, I cannot hear without pleasure that
my prayers have been answered.'
11. KING THEODAHAD TO MAXIMUS[645], VIR ILLUSTRIS AND DOMESTICUS.
[Footnote 645: This Maximus does not appear to be mentioned by
Procopius. He may be the same Maximus who took refuge in one of the
churches after Totila's capture of Rome in 546 (De Bello Gotthico iii.
20), and who was slain by order of Teias in 552 (Ibid. iv. 34); but
that person was grandson of an Emperor, and it seems hardly probable
that Cassiodorus would have spared us such a detail in the pedigree of
Theodahad's kinsman. We seem also to be entirely without information
as to the Amal princess who was the bride of Maximus.]
[Sidenote: Maximus appointed to office of Primicerius (Domesticorum?)]
'It is the glory of a good Sovereign to confer office on the deserving
descendants of illustrious families. Such are the Anicii, an ancient
family, almost on an equality with princes[646], from whom you are
descended. Gladly would we decorate the descendants of the Marii and
Corvini if time had permitted their progeny to survive to our own day.
But it were inconsistent to regret the impossibility of enjoying this
privilege if we neglected the opportunity which we do possess in your
case.
[Footnote 646: 'Anicios quidem pene principibus pares aetas prisca
genuit.']
'Therefore we bestow upon you from this fourteenth Indiction[647] the
office of Primicerius, which is also called Domesticatus. This office
may appear somewhat less than you are entitled to by your pedigree,
but you have received an honour which is greater than all the _fasces_
in being permitted to marry a wife of our royal race, a distinction
which you could not have hoped for even when you sat in the curule
chair. Comport yourself now with mildness, patience, and moderation,
that you may show yourself worthy of your affinity with us. Your
ancestors have hitherto been praised, but they were never dignified
with such an alliance. Your nobility has now reached a point beyond
which it can climb no further. All that you do henceforward of a
praiseworthy kind will but have the effect of rendering you more
worthy of the matrimonial alliance which you have already
achieved[648].'
[Footnote 647: 535 to 536.]
[Footnote 648: 'Laudati sunt hactenus parentes tui, sed tanta non sunt
conjunctione decorati. Nobilitas tua non est ultra quod crescat.
Quicquid praeconialiter egeris, proprio matrimonio dignissimus
aestimaris.']
12. KING THEODAHAD TO THE SENATE OF THE CITY OF ROME.
[Sidenote: The same subject.]
'We do not think that the fact of a man's having received the
Consulship early in life should shut him out from holding office of
lower rank in his maturer years[649]. As the Tiber receives the water
of smaller rivers which merge their names in his, so a man of Consular
rank can serve the State in less conspicuous ways, yet still be
Consular. Therefore we have thought fit to bestow on the Illustrious
and Magnificent Patrician Maximus, the Primiceriatus which is also
called Domesticatus, from this fourteenth Indiction, that the
lowliness of the honour may be raised by the merit of the wearer. He
is an Anicius, sprung from a family renowned throughout the whole
world. He is also honoured with the affinity of our own illustrious
race. Receive him, welcome him, rejoice at these nuptials, which bind
me closer to you, now that you have in your ranks one whom I can truly
call a relation.'
[Footnote 649: Flavius Anicius Maximus was Consul in 523.]
13. KING THEODAHAD TO THE SENATE OF THE CITY OF ROME.
[This letter may probably be referred to the Spring or Summer of 535.
Theodahad, soon after the deposition or death of Amalasuentha, has
apparently invited the Senate to Ravenna, an invitation which they
have respectfully declined. He chides their suspicions of him.]
[Sidenote: Summons to Ravenna. Suspicions of the Senators.]
'After we had dismissed the venerable Bishops who brought your
message, without taking exception to your requests, though there were
some things blameworthy among them, we received tidings that the City
of Rome was agitated by certain foolish anxieties, from which real
evil would grow unless the suspicion which caused them could be laid
to rest.
'I fear that I cannot complain of "popular levity" if your illustrious
body, which should set an example to all others, should give way to
such fond imaginings. If Rome, which should govern the Provinces, be
so foolish, what can we expect of _them_?
'Divine grace, however, prompts us both to pardon your faults and to
grant your requests. We owe you nothing, and yet we pay you[650]; but
we trust to be rewarded by hearing not our own praises but yours. Put
away these unworthy, these childish suspicions, and behave as becomes
the fathers of the people.
[Footnote 650: 'Nihil debemus et solvimus.' Have we here an echo of
St. Augustine's thought, 'Reddis debita nulli debens?']
'In desiring your presence at our Court, we sought not your vexation
but your advantage. It is certainly a great privilege to see the face
of the Sovereign, and we thought to bestow on you, for the advantage
of the State, that which used to be counted as a reward. However, not
to deal harshly with you, we shall be satisfied with the attendance of
certain individuals from your body, as occasion may require, so that
on the one hand Rome may not be denuded of her citizens, and on the
other that we may not lack prudent counsellors in our chamber. Now
return to your old devotion, and serve us, not as a matter of fear,
but of love. The rest shall the bearer of this letter explain unto
you.'
14. KING THEODAHAD TO THE ROMAN PEOPLE.
[The occasion of writing this letter, which we may perhaps refer to
the early part of 535, is apparently that some Gothic troops have been
sent to Rome, and the people have broken out into clamours against
them, or petitioned for their removal.]
[Sidenote: Dissensions between citizens of Rome and Gothic troops.]
'Your predecessors have always been distinguished by the loyal love
which they bore to the Chief of the State; and it is only right that
he [the Sovereign] who is defended with so much toil, he, for whom, as
the representative of public order, daily precautions are taken[651],
should in return love that people above all others whose loyalty gives