Letter 10006: King Theodahad to Patricius, Vir Illustris [Most Illustrious], Quaestor.

VI. King Theodahad to Patricius, Vir Illustris [a man of illustrious rank], Quaestor. [1] It is shown to be necessary for the commonwealth to choose persons suited to high offices, so that the one to whom justice is entrusted may not be burdened by bad morals. Otherwise it is ineffectual to demand from a man what he is recognized not to have; whereas one confidently seeks what is felt to be present in him. [2] And therefore it pleased us first to examine your morals, without which any excellent qualities whatever can give displeasure. For the ornament of all good men is sincere kindness, which does not stand alone, since it is known to have been begotten from the virtues. Keep to the order of our judgment, so that, just as we sought these things first, so we may perceive that you guard justice above all things. [3] Our second concern was to investigate the streams of your eloquence, which, although we love it in a singular way, we nevertheless justly rank after morals. For in the latter one's life is recognized, but in this the tongue alone is praised. Yet in you it is exceedingly becoming, since you are known to possess both joined together. For you shine equally by the merit of your conduct and by the eloquence of your speech, so that it can justly be understood that the will of the prince is dispatched through you. For among the other arts we so love the oratorical one that we confess it to be the ornament of all letters. [4] For whatever is conceived in any discipline whatever is brought forth by this art under a fair appearance. Let the philosopher discover things however great: what will it profit to perceive, if he cannot cultivate it in a praiseworthy manner? It is natural to discover, but it belongs to the eloquent man to assert it fittingly. For what sort of thing is it to speak to all who desire it, and to state matters held in common so skillfully that even the prudent may wonder that they have heard them? In this art we have found you preeminent, so that you can both persuade agreeably and not know how to mix anything malicious into your suggestions. [5] And therefore we grant to you the fasces of the quaestorship throughout the thirteenth indiction, by favorable divinity, so that you may satisfy the wish of the general public by following the judgment of those learned in law. Hand yourself wholly over to the laws, wholly to the responses of the prudent. Thus you serve us best, if you serve the constitutions of the men of old. Consider that princely praise is set in your words: it is our reputation that you speak, and without doubt our conscience that you think. [6] Understand how great it is, what is demanded of you, to whom our repute is entrusted. This embraces our subjects; this ranges abroad among foreign peoples; through this we are recognized where we are not seen. Our decrees deliver our discourses to cities and provinces; even those who comply with our commands are able to judge concerning us. With the utmost zeal, therefore, it is established that what can pass judgment concerning us must be guarded.

VI. PATRICIO V. I. QUAESTORI THEODAHADUS REX. [1] Necessarium probatur esse rei publicae personas dignitatibus aptas eligere, ut cui iustitia committitur, malis moribus non gravetur. alioquin inefficax est ab homine exigere quod agnoscitur non habere: contra confidenter quaeritur, quod inesse sentitur. [2] Et ideo primum nobis placuit tuos mores inspicere, sine quibus possunt quaelibet optima displicere. ornamentum enim bonorum omnium est sincera benignitas, quae non est sola, quia de virtutibus cognoscitur esse generata. ordinem serva nostri iudicii, ut, sicut haec prima quaesivimus, ita te custodire iustitiam prae omnibus sentiamus. [3] Secunda nobis cura fuit eloquentiae tuae fluenta perquirere, quam licet singulariter diligamus, moribus tamen iuste postponimus. in illis enim vita cognoscitur, hic tantum lingua laudatur. sed in te valde decorum, quia utrumque nosceris habere sociatum. aequaliter enim splendes actionis merito et dictionis eloquio, ut iuste possit intellegi per te voluntas principis expediri. nam inter ceteras artes oratoriam sic diligimus, ut eam ornamentum litterarum omnium esse fateamur. [4] Quicquid enim in qualibet disciplina concipitur, ab ista sub decore profertur. reperiat quamvis magna philosophus: quid proderit sentire, si laudabiliter non possit excolere? naturale est invenire, sed facundi decenter adserere. quale est enim cunctis desiderantibus loqui et res communes ita diserte dicere, quas etiam prudentes se mirentur audisse? in hac te cognovimus arte praevalidum, ut et suadere possis suaviter et suggestionibus tuis nescias maligna miscere. [5] Atque ideo quaesturae tibi fasces per tertiam decimam indictionem propitia divinitate concedimus, ut saties generalitatis votum iuridicorum sequendo iudicium. totum te legibus, totum responsis trade prudentium. sic nobis optime famularis, si priscorum servias constitutis. considera in verbis tuis laudem positam principalem: fama nostra est quod loqueris, conscientia sine dubitatione quod sentis. [6] Intellege quantum sit, quod a te exigatur, cui opinio nostra committitur. haec subiectos nostros amplectitur: haec per gentes exteras pervagatur: per hanc ubi non videmur, agnoscimur. decreta nostra tradunt civitatibus provinciisque sermones: iudicare de nobis possunt etiam qui nostris iussionibus obsequuntur. summo ergo studio constat esse servandum, quod de nobis potest ferre iudicium.