From: The Senate of Rome
To: Emperor Justinian in Constantinople
Date: ~536 AD
Context: The Roman Senate — through Cassiodorus's pen — pleads with Justinian for peace with the Gothic king, in a letter that ventriloquizes the voice of Rome herself.
It seems an entirely honorable and necessary undertaking to petition a pious Emperor for the security of the Roman state, since it is fitting to seek from you what can benefit our liberty. For among all the blessings God has uniquely granted you, nothing is more glorious than the knowledge that you have the power to give generously everywhere. We beg you, most merciful Emperor — from the heart of the Senate House we stretch out our suppliant hands — to grant your firmest peace to our king. Do not allow us to become objects of hatred, we who have always seemed acceptable when our rulers were in harmony with you.
You commend the Roman name itself when you grant benevolent terms to our rulers. Your favor raises and protects us, and we know that our worth is measured by what is felt in your mind. Let your treaties compose the peace of Italy, for we can only be loved when the desired affection is joined through you. If our prayers alone do not seem sufficient for this cause, imagine our homeland herself bursting forth in these words of supplication:
"If I was ever dear to you, love my defenders, most pious of Emperors. Those who rule me must be at peace with you, lest they begin to do things to me that they know would conflict with your wishes. Do not become the cause of my cruel destruction — you who have always provided the joys of life. Look: I have doubled my children under your peace. Look: I have shone, adorned with citizens. If you allow me to be harmed, where then do you display the name of your piety? What more could you strive to do for me, when my religion — which is also yours — is known to flourish so? My Senate grows in honors, increases ceaselessly in wealth.
"Do not through discord scatter what you ought to defend through war. I have had many kings, but never one so learned. I have had wise men, but none so distinguished in both learning and devotion. I love this son of the Amal line [Witigis], nursed at my breast — a brave man shaped by my way of life, dear to the Romans for his wisdom, respected by the nations for his valor. Join your purposes together; share counsel — so that it may benefit your glory if some prosperity comes my way. Do not seek me in a way that ensures you cannot find me. I am yours no less in affection, if you let no one tear my body apart.
"For if Libya [North Africa] deserved to recover its freedom through you, it would be cruel for me to lose what I have always seemed to possess. Command your angry impulses, magnificent conqueror. What is asked for by a universal voice carries more weight than if your spirit were overcome by any individual's ingratitude."
This is what Rome says as she pleads through her senators. If this is still not enough, consider the most sacred petition of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul — for those who are proven to have often defended Rome's security from her enemies, what is there that their merits could not obtain from your reign? But so that everything may appear consistent with the reverence owed to you, I have thought it right to convey our prayers through the venerable [name], ambassador of our most pious king dispatched to Your Clemency — so that all these appeals combined may accomplish what any one of them alone ought to have achieved with pious hearts.
XIII.
IUSTINIANO AUGUSTO SENATUS URBIS ROMAE.
[1] Honestum nimis et necessarium videtur esse negotium pro securitate Romanae rei publicae pio principi supplicare, quia convenit a vobis expeti quod nostrae possit proficere libertati. nam inter cetera bona, quae vobis singulariter divina tribuerunt, nihil gloriosius probatur accedere, quam quod vos cognoscitis ubique posse praestare. rogamus ergo, clementissime imperator, et de gremio curiae supplices tendimus manus, ut pacem vestram nostro regi firmissimam praebeatis nec nos patiamini abominabiles fieri, qui semper de vestra concordia videbamur accepti. [2] Romanum si quidem nomen vos commendatis, si nostris dominis benigna conceditis. gratia vestra nos erigit ac tuetur et hoc mereri cognoscimus, quod de vestra mente sentitur. quietem ergo Italiae foedera vestra componant, quia tunc amari possumus, si per vos dilectio votiva copuletur. cui rei si nostrae preces adhuc non videntur posse sufficere, aestimate patriam nostram in haec precatoria verba prorumpere: [3] 'Si tibi aliquando grata fui, ama, piissime principum, defensores meos. qui mihi dominantur, tibi debent esse concordes, ne incipiant talia in me facere, quae a votis tuis cognoverint discrepare. non mihi sis causa crudelis exitii, qui semper vitae gaudia praestitisti. ecce alumnos meos sub tua pace geminavi, ecce civibus ornata resplendui. si me laedi pateris, ubi iam nomen tuae pietatis ostendis? quid enim pro me nitaris amplius agere, cuius religio, quae tua est, cognoscitur sic florere? senatus meus honoribus crescit, facultatibus indesinenter augetur. [4] Noli per discordiam dissipare quod deberes per bella defendere. habui multos reges, sed neminem huiusmodi litteratum: habui prudentes viros, sed nullum sic doctrina et pietate pollentem. diligo Hamalum meis uberibus enutritum, virum fortem mea conversatione compositum, Romanis prudentia carum, gentibus virtute reverendum. iunge quin immo vota, participare consilia, ut tuae gloriae proficiat, si mihi aliquid prosperitatis accedat. noli me sic quaerere, ut non valeas invenire. tua sum nihilominus caritate, si nullum facias mea membra lacerare. [5] Nam si Libya meruit per te recipere libertatem, crudele est me amittere quam semper visa sum possidere. impera motibus iracundiae, triumphator egregie. plus est quod generali voce petitur quam si vester animus cuiuslibet ingratitudinis offensione vincatur.' [6] Haec Roma loquitur, dum vobis per suos supplicat senatores. quod si adhuc minus est, beatorum apostolorum Petri atque Pauli petitio sanctissima cogitetur. nam qui securitatem Romanam saepe defendisse probantur ab hostibus, quid erit quod eorum meritis vester non tribuat principatus? sed ut omnia reverentiae vestrae congruere videantur, per illum virum venerabilem legatum piissimi regis nostri ad vestram clementiam destinatum preces nostras credidimus porrigendas: ut tam multa debeant efficere, quae vel singula potuerunt apud pios animos optinere.
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From:The Senate of Rome
To:Emperor Justinian in Constantinople
Date:~536 AD
Context:The Roman Senate — through Cassiodorus's pen — pleads with Justinian for peace with the Gothic king, in a letter that ventriloquizes the voice of Rome herself.
It seems an entirely honorable and necessary undertaking to petition a pious Emperor for the security of the Roman state, since it is fitting to seek from you what can benefit our liberty. For among all the blessings God has uniquely granted you, nothing is more glorious than the knowledge that you have the power to give generously everywhere. We beg you, most merciful Emperor — from the heart of the Senate House we stretch out our suppliant hands — to grant your firmest peace to our king. Do not allow us to become objects of hatred, we who have always seemed acceptable when our rulers were in harmony with you.
You commend the Roman name itself when you grant benevolent terms to our rulers. Your favor raises and protects us, and we know that our worth is measured by what is felt in your mind. Let your treaties compose the peace of Italy, for we can only be loved when the desired affection is joined through you. If our prayers alone do not seem sufficient for this cause, imagine our homeland herself bursting forth in these words of supplication:
"If I was ever dear to you, love my defenders, most pious of Emperors. Those who rule me must be at peace with you, lest they begin to do things to me that they know would conflict with your wishes. Do not become the cause of my cruel destruction — you who have always provided the joys of life. Look: I have doubled my children under your peace. Look: I have shone, adorned with citizens. If you allow me to be harmed, where then do you display the name of your piety? What more could you strive to do for me, when my religion — which is also yours — is known to flourish so? My Senate grows in honors, increases ceaselessly in wealth.
"Do not through discord scatter what you ought to defend through war. I have had many kings, but never one so learned. I have had wise men, but none so distinguished in both learning and devotion. I love this son of the Amal line [Witigis], nursed at my breast — a brave man shaped by my way of life, dear to the Romans for his wisdom, respected by the nations for his valor. Join your purposes together; share counsel — so that it may benefit your glory if some prosperity comes my way. Do not seek me in a way that ensures you cannot find me. I am yours no less in affection, if you let no one tear my body apart.
"For if Libya [North Africa] deserved to recover its freedom through you, it would be cruel for me to lose what I have always seemed to possess. Command your angry impulses, magnificent conqueror. What is asked for by a universal voice carries more weight than if your spirit were overcome by any individual's ingratitude."
This is what Rome says as she pleads through her senators. If this is still not enough, consider the most sacred petition of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul — for those who are proven to have often defended Rome's security from her enemies, what is there that their merits could not obtain from your reign? But so that everything may appear consistent with the reverence owed to you, I have thought it right to convey our prayers through the venerable [name], ambassador of our most pious king dispatched to Your Clemency — so that all these appeals combined may accomplish what any one of them alone ought to have achieved with pious hearts.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.