Cassiodorus→Maximianus, of Syracuse|c. 522 AD|Cassiodorus
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VARIAE, BOOK 1, LETTER 21
From: King Theoderic, writing through Cassiodorus
To: Maximianus, a Distinguished Man, and Andreas, a Distinguished Man
Date: ~507-511 AD
Context: Theoderic orders an audit of Rome's building funds, comparing the citizens' love of their city to the instinct of birds, beasts, and fish returning to their nests and lairs.
[1] The devoted zeal of our citizens should spur us on to improve their city, since no one can love what he sees the inhabitants themselves do not cherish. Every man holds his homeland dear above all else, always seeking to protect the place where he has lived since the cradle. Let us therefore meet their wishes with equal generosity, so that what we freely give may be received with doubled gratitude. No one should resent being asked to account for the money designated for Rome's public buildings, since a clear conscience welcomes scrutiny -- especially when it reaps the reward of its labors by seeing good news about itself reach us. [2] Therefore by this order we decree that you are to examine the public buildings of the city of Rome, to determine whether the work matches the expenditure -- and if anyone is found to be holding money that was not spent on construction, it must be returned for its designated purpose. Once these accounts have been clearly presented, send us the most faithful report, so that you may prove worthy of the trust placed in you as investigators of the truth. We do not believe that anyone would defraud our generosity, since in such a matter we would judge a man capable of spending even from his own resources. [3] Even birds wandering through the air love their own nests; roaming beasts hurry back to their thickets; pleasure-loving fish, crossing the liquid fields, seek out their own hiding places with eager search -- and every creature wishes that the place where it knows how to take refuge will endure for the longest possible time. What, then, shall we say of Rome, which it is right to love even more than one's own children?
XXI. MAXIMIANO V. I. ET ANDREAE V. S. THEODERICUS REX.
[1] Provocandi sumus affectuosis civium studiis ad augmenta civitatis, quia nemo potest diligere quod habitatores intellegit non amare. unicuique patria sua carior est, dum supra omnia salvum fore quaeritur, ubi ab ipsis cunabulis commoratur. quapropter votis paribus invitemur ad dona, quatenus quod sponte tribuimus, duplicata gratia conferamus. et ideo nulli grave sit Romanis fabricis deputatae pecuniae reddere rationem, cum pura conscientia desideret se probari, quando fructum laboris sui capit, dum ad nos prospera de se pervenire cognoscit. [2] Quocirca praesenti decernimus iussione Romanae civitatis fabricas vos debere discutere, si labor operis concordat expensis: vel, si apud aliquem constet residere pecuniam, quae non sit fabricis expensa, deputatae rei reddat erogandam. quibus rationibus evidenter expressis ad nos instructionem fidelissimam destinate, ut iudicio nostro respondere videamini qui estis ad indaginem veritatis electi. nullum enim de largitate nostra fraudari velle credimus, quando in tali negotio et de propriis facultatibus eum impendere posse iudicamus. [3] Aves ipsae per aera vagantes proprios nidos amant: erratiles ferae ad cubilia dumosa festinant: voluptuosi pisces campos liquidos transeuntes cavernas suas studiosa indagatione perquirunt cunctaque animalia ubi se norunt refugere, longissima cupiunt aetate constare. quid iam de Roma debemus dicere, quam fas est ipsis liberis plus amare?
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VARIAE, BOOK 1, LETTER 21
From: King Theoderic, writing through Cassiodorus To: Maximianus, a Distinguished Man, and Andreas, a Distinguished Man Date: ~507-511 AD Context: Theoderic orders an audit of Rome's building funds, comparing the citizens' love of their city to the instinct of birds, beasts, and fish returning to their nests and lairs.
[1] The devoted zeal of our citizens should spur us on to improve their city, since no one can love what he sees the inhabitants themselves do not cherish. Every man holds his homeland dear above all else, always seeking to protect the place where he has lived since the cradle. Let us therefore meet their wishes with equal generosity, so that what we freely give may be received with doubled gratitude. No one should resent being asked to account for the money designated for Rome's public buildings, since a clear conscience welcomes scrutiny -- especially when it reaps the reward of its labors by seeing good news about itself reach us. [2] Therefore by this order we decree that you are to examine the public buildings of the city of Rome, to determine whether the work matches the expenditure -- and if anyone is found to be holding money that was not spent on construction, it must be returned for its designated purpose. Once these accounts have been clearly presented, send us the most faithful report, so that you may prove worthy of the trust placed in you as investigators of the truth. We do not believe that anyone would defraud our generosity, since in such a matter we would judge a man capable of spending even from his own resources. [3] Even birds wandering through the air love their own nests; roaming beasts hurry back to their thickets; pleasure-loving fish, crossing the liquid fields, seek out their own hiding places with eager search -- and every creature wishes that the place where it knows how to take refuge will endure for the longest possible time. What, then, shall we say of Rome, which it is right to love even more than one's own children?
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.