Letter 10004: King Theodahad to the Senate of the City of Rome.

King Theodahad to the Senate of the City of Rome. [Theodahad, Amalasuntha's cousin, became co-ruler in 534. This letter, drafted by Cassiodorus, expresses Theodahad's gratitude -- with deep irony, as Theodahad would soon betray and murder Amalasuntha.] Senators, we happily announce that divine blessings have come to you: the queen, glorious throughout the entire world, has in her generous goodness made me her partner in rule, so that she would not lack faithful support and I would fittingly receive the sovereignty of my ancestors. Welcome with joy what the whole nation is known to have desired. Let everyone's hopes now be revealed without fear. You should recognize that the very danger I faced has become my adornment. For you had been whispering on my behalf -- without my knowledge -- what you could not openly proclaim. How much I owe you can be judged from this: you were hastening to bring about by divine means what my own heart did not dare to seek. This is newer to me than it is unknown to you. Great gratitude should attend something that was accomplished more swiftly than it properly should have been revealed. But if I have earned anything from you -- and I am confident that my goodwill carries great weight among you -- then ceaselessly praise the glorious merits of our queen and sister, who chose to strengthen her mighty empire through partnership with me. Just as two lights produce a single vision, so she willed that our united purpose should never be divided. For this is how it is with those whom both grace unites and kinship binds. Those of unequal character may think this difficult. But it is hard for those not to live in harmony who can agree through their shared commitment to good thinking. The imprudent man refuses to follow counsel; but the wise person seeks wisdom in another precisely because true knowledge already resides in him. But among the many gifts that the divine power has granted me along with royal majesty, nothing pleases my heart more than this: that our most wise queen chose me after the most exacting deliberation. I first experienced her justice so that I might later arrive at the grace of her promotion. For as you know, she required me to plead my legal cases alongside ordinary citizens. What nobility of spirit! What admirable justice for the whole world to celebrate! She did not hesitate first to subject a kinsman to the common law, and then shortly after to raise him above the laws themselves. She tested the conscience of the man to whom she would entrust the judgment of the realm -- so that she would be recognized as the true sovereign of all, and I, having been proven, might be deemed worthy to be led to the throne. When can we repay such gifts? When can we discharge the debt of such grace -- that she who ruled alone with a small son now chooses to reign as my partner? In her lies the glory of every kingdom, in her the flower of our lineage. Whatever brightness we possess, we receive from her radiance. She has brought honor not only to her parents but to the entire human race. Who could adequately describe the greatness of her compassion, the weight of her character? Philosophers would learn new things if they could see her, and would confess that their books contained less than what they would find attributed to her. She is sharp in deliberation, yet speaks with the utmost gravity and restraint. This is without doubt the royal virtue: to perceive what is necessary more quickly, yet to be slower to speak. The person who first submits what he is about to say to his own judgment never says anything he will regret. This is why her remarkable learning flows through many languages with great richness, and her intellect is found so ready for any sudden demand that you would think it more than human. In the Book of Kings [1 Kings 10], we read that the Queen of the South came to learn from Solomon's wisdom. Here let princes hear what they may marvel at: infinite meaning is compressed into a few words, and what others cannot frame even after long deliberation, she composes with supreme ease. Blessed is the state that glories in the governance of such a queen. It was not enough that the people should serve under her in freedom. To such great merits was added the submission even of royal authority -- for this is the service by which we most worthily rule. When I obey such wisdom, I obey every virtue. Under such a guide, we are not burdened by the weight of rule, since whatever is unfamiliar due to our inexperience will be made perfectly clear through her instruction. I am not ashamed to confess the truth for the public good. Recognize, leading senators, that whatever pleases you in me belongs to our most wise queen. By consulting her, I always arrive at a better judgment; by imitating her, I make progress. Live now in happiness, live in harmony with God's help, and emulate the goodwill that you see holding our royal partnership together.

IIII. SENATUI URBIS ROMAE THEODAHADUS REX. [1] Divina vobis beneficia, patres conscripti, provenisse feliciter nuntiamus, dominam rerum toto orbe gloriosam consortem me regni sui larga pietate fecisse, ut nec illi deesset fidele solacium et nobis avitum congrue praestaretur imperium. suscipiatur gratissime quod generalitatem constat optasse: reserentur nunc sine metu vota cunctorum: ut unde periculum pertuli, inde me universitas cognoscat ornari. praesumpsistis enim me inconscio susurrare, quod palam non poteratis assumere. quantum vobis debeam, hinc datur intellegi, ut illud mihi festinaretis divinitus evenire, quod meus animus non audebat appetere. [2] Hoc nobis est potius novum quam vobis incognitum. magna ergo gratia completum debet accipi, quod velociter quam oportebat videbatur aperiri. sed si quid de vobis meremur, cum tamen plurimum apud vos valere nostram gratiam confidamus, domnae et sororis nostrae gloriosas laudes iugiter personate: quae magnitudinem imperii sui nostra voluit participatione roborari, ut tamquam in duobus luminibus unus esset aspectus et concordem sensum nemo crederet segregatum. [3] Sic sunt enim, simul quos et gratia iungit et parentela conciliat. arduum sibi hoc forsitan aestiment impares mores. difficile est illos aliter vivere, qui sibi possunt bonarum cogitationum similitudine convenire. consilium quippe imitari detrectat inprovidus: sapientiam vero ille quaerit in altero, penes quem est scientiae magnitudo. [4] Sed inter diversa munera, quae nobis cum regia maiestate divina tribuerunt, illud amplius permulcet animum nostrum, quod nos sapientissima domina trutina magnae disceptationis elegit: cuius prius ideo iustitiam pertuli, ut prius ad eius provectionis gratiam pervenirem. causas enim, ut scitis, iure communi nos fecit dicere cum privatis. o animi nobilitas singularis! en aequitas mirabilis, quam mundus loquatur. non dubitavit parentem prius iuri publico subdere, quem paulo post voluit ipsis quoque legibus anteferre. exploravit conscientiam, cui erat regni traditura censuram, ut et illa domina cognosceretur esse cunctorum et me probatum perducere dignaretur ad regnum. [5] Quando his muneribus, quando solvamus tantae gratiae quae debemus, ut quae cum parvulo filio imperavit sola, nunc mecum delegerit regnare sociata? in ipsa est enim decus regnorum omnium, in ipsa nostrae originis flos bonorum. quicquid fulgemus, ab eius claritate suscipimus, quando non solum parentibus laudem contulit, sed ipsum quoque genus humanitatis ornavit. quis possit sufficienter edicere, quanta pietate, quanto morum pondere decoretur? discerent profecto nova philosophi, si viderent et minora libris suis faterentur condita quam huic cognoscerent attributa. [6] In tractatibus acuta, sed ad loquendum summa moderatione gravissima. haec est regalis procul dubio virtus celerius necessaria sentire et tardius in verba prorumpere. nescit enim paenitenda loqui, qui proferenda prius suo tradit examini. hinc est quod eius doctrina mirabilis per multiplices linguas magna ubertate diffunditur, cuius ingenium ita paratum reperitur ad subitum, ut non putetur esse terrenum. in libris regum regina austri venisse legitur ad discendam sapientiam Salomonis: hic principes audiant quod sub ammiratione cognoscant. paucis verbis sensus clauditur infinitus et summa facilitate componitur, quod ab aliis nec sub longa deliberatione formatur. [7] Beata res publica quae tantae dominae gubernatione gloriatur. minus fuit, ut generalitas sub libertate serviret: additum est tantis meritis, ut ei subderetur et reverentia principalis: hoc enim obsequio dignissime dominamur. nam cum tantae prudentiae pareo, cunctis virtutibus obsecundo. sub tali siquidem monitore regni pondere non gravamur, dum si quid sit pro novitate incognitum, fiet nobis eius instructione certissimum. [8] Ad bonum publicum veritatem non pudet confiteri. agnoscite, principes viri, sapientissimae esse dominae, quod in nobis potuerit plus placere. illam enim aut interrogando melius sentimus aut eius imitatione proficimus. vivite nunc felices, vivite deo auxiliante concordes et aemulamini gratiam, quam regiam cognoscitis tenere concordiam.