The Letters of Cassiodorus
'You will now perhaps expect me to praise our young King, but in
extolling the author of his being, I have abundantly extolled him, her
offspring. You will remember that excellent saying of the eloquent
Symmachus, "I hesitate to praise the beginning of his career because I
am confidently hoping for his advance in virtue[727]." Come to my
help, Conscript Fathers, and render to your Lords and mine your united
thanks for my promotion.'
[Footnote 727: 'Specto feliciter virtutis ejus augmenta, qui differo
laudare principia.' The annotator says that these words are not to be
found in the extant writings of Symmachus [the orator]. It was
probably the younger Symmachus, the father-in-law of Boethius, who
uttered them. At this time Athalaric was killing himself by his
debaucheries.]
2. SENATOR, PRAETORIAN PRAEFECT, TO POPE JOHN[728].
[Footnote 728: Pope John II (a Roman, son of Projectus, and originally
named Mercurius) succeeded Boniface II Jan. 1, 533. His pontificate
lasted till May 26, 535. His successor was Agapetus. This letter
appears to have been written at a time of scarcity in Rome.]
[Sidenote: Salutations to the Pope.]
'Your prayers are assuredly the cause of our promotion. Your fastings
have procured plenty for the citizens. Saluting you therefore with all
due reverence, we pray you to continue your prayers for long life to
our rulers, for peace and plenty to the State, and for an increase of
heavenly wisdom to me. Let the Judge in public life be such as the
Catholic Church has trained her son to be. I am indeed a Judge of the
Palace, but I shall not cease to be your disciple[729]. Cast not off
upon me the whole care of this City, which you watch over with a
father's love, but take thought both for its bodily and spiritual
wants, and admonish me whenever you think I am erring. Your See is an
object of admiration through all lands, and your charity is
world-wide; but yet you have also an especial, local love for the
sheep of your own flock.
[Footnote 729: 'Sum quidem Judex Palatinus, sed vester non desinam
esse discipulus.']
'Rome has in her own borders those shrines of martyrdom[730] of the
Apostles [Peter and Paul] which the whole world longs to behold. With
such patrons, if only your prayers ascend, we need fear no evil.'
[Footnote 730: 'Confessiones.']
3. SENATOR, PRAETORIAN PRAEFECT, TO DIVERS BISHOPS.
[Sidenote: Salutations to the Bishops.]
'Fathers after the flesh delight in the advancement of their sons.
Even so do ye, my spiritual fathers, diligently pray to the Holy
Trinity that He may make my candle to give light to all that are in
the house; yea, and that He may so purge and enlighten mine own
conscience that I may not, while an accurate Judge over other men, be
a deceiver of mine own self.
'I beg of you to declare a fast, and supplicate the Lord that He will
prolong the life of our Sovereigns[731], for the happiness of the
realm; that He will defend our State from the assaults of its enemies,
will give us all tranquillity in our time, and will deign to make me
worthy of your love.
[Footnote 731: This was written, no doubt, when Athalaric was on his
deathbed.]
'Watch narrowly the acts of the subordinates whom I send among you,
and inform me of anything which they do amiss. I cannot be held
responsible for deeds of which I know nothing. And if they take bribes
they at least cannot justify themselves by saying that they have first
had to pay money for their offices.
'Continue to afford your wonted solace to the widow and orphan; yet
beware that your pity does not lead you to seek to set aside the laws
even for these. Oh, most holy men, banish to the home of all other
unclean spirits violence, avarice, hatred, rapine; and root out from
among your people luxury, which is the depopulator of the human race.
Let the Bishop teach, that the Judge may have a maiden assize[732]. If
only your preaching he continued, the penal course of law must
necessarily come to an end.
[Footnote 732: 'Episcopus doceat, ne judex possit invenire quod
puniat.']
'I therefore commend my dignity to your prayers, and end my letter
with a salutation of love and honour to your Holinesses.'
4. SENATOR, PRAETORIAN PRAEFECT, TO HIS DEPUTY[733] AMBROSIUS, AN
ILLUSTRIS.
[Footnote 733: 'Agenti vices.' Bethmann Hollweg (Gerichtsverfassung
des sinkenden roemischen Reichs, pp. 49-50) remarks: 'The relation of
the _Vices Magistratuum agentes_ does not belong to the _Jurisdictio
mandata_. They are lieutenants (Stellvertreter) who are substituted
provisionally in the room of an ordinary official of the Empire or of
a Province, on account of his being temporarily disqualified or
suspended from office by the Emperor or Praetorian Praefect. The
municipal magistrates were also represented by _vices agentes_. But
the extant authorities give us no very clear information as to their
position.' Unfortunately this letter, relating to a _vices agens_ of
the Praetorian Praefect himself, does not add much to our
information.]
[Sidenote: Functions of the Praefect's Deputy.]
'We have formed a high opinion of you from long observation of your
career as an Advocate, and feel sure that you will justify that
opinion by your conduct in the office to which we are now calling you.
The Forum has long resounded to your eloquence: now your turn is come
to sit upon the magistrate's bench. Hitherto you have assisted the
officers of the court: now you are yourself called upon to play the
part of a Judge. Even when you are absent from me, you will be deemed
to be sitting by my side; but whatever credit you may earn when
hearing a case by yourself will be reckoned to you alone.
'We therefore ordain that the official staff which waits upon our
orders shall be at your disposal, to carry your decisions into effect,
and to see that none treat them with contempt.
'If you shall think it necessary to hand over any [insolvent] persons
to those who have become security for them, assume that right with
confidence, because that will most effectually relieve my mind when I
shall learn that this matter has been finally disposed of by you[734].
For if I were present you might give me words only; but now in my
absence you owe me, rather, deeds.
[Footnote 734: I suggest this with hesitation as the translation of a
difficult sentence: 'Si quos etiam fidejussoribus committere
necessarium aestimaveris, confidenter assume: quia illud magis
relevare potest animum nostrum, si aliquid per vos cognoscimus
impletum.' Cassiodorus seems to be urging his deputy not to shrink
from the exercise of even the most stringent rights inherent in his
office, in order that causes may be terminated without reference to
him. But is there authority for such a translation of the words
'fidejussoribus committere?']
'Think, then, of all that is involved in your high office. Let your
toil procure me rest from all men. Avoid the rocks on either side of
you. These warnings come rather from my over-particularity[735] than
from any distrust of you, for I believe that with God's help you will
order all things as shall be best for our fame and for the Republic.'
[Footnote 735: 'Curiositas.']
5. THE SAME TO THE SAME.
[On the occasion of a scarcity in Rome, either existing or dreaded.
See the letter to Pope John II (xi. 2).]
[Sidenote: Grain distributions for Rome.]
'I am sure that you will rejoice with me if the needs of the Roman
people can be satisfied by our means, and thus we can testify our
gratitude for the hospitality which we have both received from that
City. To this end have we endured the discomforts of travel, for this
purpose have we racked our brains with anxious thought, that that
people, which tasted such delights of old in the happy days of its
former rulers, may now see its necessities relieved and again enjoy
its former prosperity.
'Their poverty and hunger we make our own. Therefore, with all speed,
let stores of grain in good condition be at once collected, so that
the bread cooked therefrom may be a delight and not a horror. Let just
weight be given. Flee all thought of unholy profit from this source.
My own soul is wounded if anyone dares to transgress in this matter of
the food-supply of the people. Not favour nor popular applause is my
aim; but to be permitted, by God's help, to accomplish my own heart's
desire.
'I love all my fellow-countrymen, but the Roman citizens deserve more
than ordinary love from me. Theirs is a City adorned with so many
illustrious Senators, blest with such a noble commonalty, a City so
well fitted to celebrate the victories of our glorious rulers. When
the question of my promotion hung in suspense, it was the good wishes
of these citizens which turned the scale in my favour with the lords
of the world[736], who complied with the universal desire of the Roman
people. Come, then; so act that this goodwill of theirs to me may
continue. Let us all beseech the mercy of the Most High to bless us
with an abundant harvest; and let us resolve that, if we are thus
favoured, no negligence of ours shall diminish, no venality divert
from its proper recipients, the bounty of Heaven[737].'
[Footnote 736: Athalaric and Amalasuentha.]
[Footnote 737: In the last sentence but one, 'Fidem meam promitto: sed
cum ipsis Divinitatis dona sustineo, cautelam offero,' I would suggest
_ipsius_ for 'ipsis,' making _cum_ = 'when,' not 'with.' There does
not seem to be any antecedent plural to which 'ipsis' can refer.]
6. SENATOR, PRAETORIAN PRAEFECT, TO JOANNES, CANCELLARIUS.
[An interesting letter, as showing the lowly original of the office
from whence have sprung the mediaeval and modern Chancellors.]
[Sidenote: Functions of the Cancellarius.]
'Your rare merit causes you to enjoy a position beyond that which of
right belongs to you in the official hierarchy[738]. Those who are
above you cheerfully manifest to you a deference which you might be
required to show to them; and thus you, while keeping your inferiors
in their proper place, take without presumption precedence of many of
your superiors.
[Footnote 738: 'Transgressio matriculae actio tua est.']
'This laudable prejudice has assigned to you, from the twelfth
Indiction[739], the dignity of Cancellarius[740].
[Footnote 739: September 1, 533.]
[Footnote 740: 'Hoc igitur laudabili praejudicium a duodecima
Indictione cancellorum tibi decus attribuit.']
'Guard then the secrets of our Consistory with incorruptible fidelity.
Through your intervention the petitioner for justice has to approach
me. On your acts depends in great measure the opinion which men shall
form of me; for as a house is judged by its front towards the street,
and men by the trimness or shabbiness of their raiment, so are we high
officials judged by the demeanour of our subordinates who represent us
to the crowd. Therefore, if such officials do anything which redounds
to their master's dishonour, they put themselves altogether outside
the pale of his clemency.
'Remember your title, _Cancellarius_. Ensconced behind the
lattice-work (cancelli) of your compartment, keeping guard behind
those windowed doors, however studiously you may conceal yourself, it
is inevitable that you be the observed of all observers[741]. If you
step forth, _my_ glances range all over you: if you return to your
shelter, the eyes of the litigants are upon you. This is where
Antiquity ruled that you should be placed, in order that your actions
should be visible to all.
[Footnote 741: 'Respice quo nomine nuncuperis. Latere non potest quod
inter cancellos egeris. Tenes quippe lucidas fores, claustra patentia,
fenestratas januas; et quamvis studiose claudas, necesse est ut te
cunctis aperias.']
'Attend now to this advice which I have given you, and let it not