Letter 10020: I received Your Piety's letter with the gratitude that always accompanies something long desired, and I was honored...
Cassiodorus→Theodora|c. 522 AD|Cassiodorus
imperial politics
From: King Theodahad of Italy
To: Empress Theodora in Constantinople
Date: ~536 AD
Context: Theodahad writes to Empress Theodora seeking her personal intercession with Justinian — a remarkable acknowledgment of her political influence.
I received Your Piety's letter with the gratitude that always accompanies something long desired, and I was honored beyond any gift to receive the words of your own mouth. Everything you said gives me confidence, since I found in your generous conversation all that I could have hoped for.
You encourage me to bring whatever requests I have for the triumphant Emperor, your husband, to your attention first. Who could doubt that a matter will succeed when such a power deigns to advocate for it? I had already presumed on the justice of our cause, but now I am even more encouraged by your promise. Our hopes cannot be delayed when someone who deserves to be heard is championing them. Fulfill what you have promised — make reality of the thing for which you have given us the surest hope.
My joy was further increased by the quality of the man your Serenity sent — exactly the kind of person such glory ought to dispatch and such service ought to retain. There is no doubt that a person chooses good character in those who serve her constantly, since a mind trained by good instruction is naturally refined. This is why, prompted by your reverence, I have arranged that both the most blessed Pope and the distinguished Senate should respond without delay to whatever you have judged should be requested of them. Your glory must not be thought any less worthy of reverence because of bureaucratic foot-dragging — rather, the speed of action should increase the gratitude owed to you.
As for that person about whom some whispered word reached us — know that I have arranged what I believed would suit your wishes. My desire is that, through the mediation of your favor, you should command in our kingdom no less than in your own empire. I should mention that I had the aforementioned person removed from our presence by the venerable Pope before your ambassador, the bearer of this letter, could even leave Rome — so that nothing should occur that might displease you.
Therefore, with the reverence due to your great merits, I have taken special care to send to Your Clemency the venerable [name], a man distinguished in both character and learning and worthy of respect for his sacred office, on a personal embassy. I believe you will find welcome those persons whom we judge acceptable in the service of God.
XX.
THEODORAE AUGUSTAE THEODAHADUS REX.
[1] Litteras pietatis vestrae gratia, qua desiderata semper sumuntur, accepi et colloquia oris vestri muneribus omnibus celsiora reverentissima gratulatione promerui, cuncta mihi de tam sereno animo promittens, quando quicquid optare potui, in tam benigna collocutione suscepi. [2] Hortamini enim ut quicquid expetendum a triumphali principe domno iugali vestro credimus, vestris ante sensibus ingeramus. quis iam dubitet ad effectum pervenire, quod talis potestas dignabitur allegare? ante quidem de causarum nostrarum aequitate praesumpsimus, sed nunc amplius de vestra promissione laetamur. non enim poterunt vota nostra differri, quando interest, quae meretur audiri. nunc implete promissa, ut rem tenere faciatis, cui spem certissimam contulistis. [3] Additum est etiam gaudio meo, quod talem virum vestra serenitas destinavit, qualem et tanta gloria debuit mittere et vestra decet obsequia retinere. dubium enim non est illam mores deligere, cui observatur assidue, dum constat defaecari animum bonis praeceptionibus institutum. hinc est quod vestra reverentia commoniti duximus ordinandum, ut sive beatissimus papa sive senatus amplissimus sine aliqua dilatione respondeant, quod ab eis expetendum esse iudicastis, ne gloria vestra minus reverenda putetur, cui studium dilationis opponitur, sed potius de celeritate facti votiva gratia possit augeri. [4] Nam et de illa persona, de qua ad nos aliquid verbo titillante pervenit, hoc ordinatum esse cognoscite, quod vestris credidimus animis convenire. desiderium enim nostrum tale est, ut interveniente gratia non minus in regno nostro quam in vestro iubeatis imperio. significamus itaque supra dictum ante nos a venerabili viro papa egredi fecisse, quam vester legatus harum portitor de urbe Roma potuisset exire, ne aliquid accederet quod vestris animis obviaret. [5] Quapropter salutans veneratione, quae tantis debet meritis exhiberi, virum venerabilem illum et moribus et doctrina pollentem sanctitatis etiam honore reverendum ad vestram clementiam legationis officio peculiariter curavimus destinandum, quia gratas vobis illas credimus esse personas, quas divinis mysteriis iudicamus acceptas.
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From:King Theodahad of Italy
To:Empress Theodora in Constantinople
Date:~536 AD
Context:Theodahad writes to Empress Theodora seeking her personal intercession with Justinian — a remarkable acknowledgment of her political influence.
I received Your Piety's letter with the gratitude that always accompanies something long desired, and I was honored beyond any gift to receive the words of your own mouth. Everything you said gives me confidence, since I found in your generous conversation all that I could have hoped for.
You encourage me to bring whatever requests I have for the triumphant Emperor, your husband, to your attention first. Who could doubt that a matter will succeed when such a power deigns to advocate for it? I had already presumed on the justice of our cause, but now I am even more encouraged by your promise. Our hopes cannot be delayed when someone who deserves to be heard is championing them. Fulfill what you have promised — make reality of the thing for which you have given us the surest hope.
My joy was further increased by the quality of the man your Serenity sent — exactly the kind of person such glory ought to dispatch and such service ought to retain. There is no doubt that a person chooses good character in those who serve her constantly, since a mind trained by good instruction is naturally refined. This is why, prompted by your reverence, I have arranged that both the most blessed Pope and the distinguished Senate should respond without delay to whatever you have judged should be requested of them. Your glory must not be thought any less worthy of reverence because of bureaucratic foot-dragging — rather, the speed of action should increase the gratitude owed to you.
As for that person about whom some whispered word reached us — know that I have arranged what I believed would suit your wishes. My desire is that, through the mediation of your favor, you should command in our kingdom no less than in your own empire. I should mention that I had the aforementioned person removed from our presence by the venerable Pope before your ambassador, the bearer of this letter, could even leave Rome — so that nothing should occur that might displease you.
Therefore, with the reverence due to your great merits, I have taken special care to send to Your Clemency the venerable [name], a man distinguished in both character and learning and worthy of respect for his sacred office, on a personal embassy. I believe you will find welcome those persons whom we judge acceptable in the service of God.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.