Letter 11021: I do not allow the merits of faithful servants to be deferred, so that the ambitions of all may be encouraged toward...

From: Senator [Cassiodorus], Praetorian Prefect To: [Announcement] Date: ~533-537 AD Context: A brief appointment document promoting Andreas to chief clerk — the everyday machinery of late Roman bureaucracy continuing under Gothic rule. I do not allow the merits of faithful servants to be deferred, so that the ambitions of all may be encouraged toward good conduct. Let us therefore give to labor what is justly owed, so that the advancement of predecessors may inspire the hearts of those who follow. Accordingly, let Andreas — who is known to have served the praetorian authority blamelessly — happily ascend to the rank of primiscrinius [chief clerk]. Let him rejoice that the position which cunning never knew how to obtain, he has found through upright character.

XXI. DE PRIMISCRINIO QUI ACCEDIT. [1] Differri non patimur merita fidelium, ut ad studia bonorum actuum provocemus vota cunctorum. demus igitur quae sunt iusta laboribus, ut provectu priorum invitemus corda sequentium. atque ideo Andreas, qui praetorianis fascibus inculpabiliter noscitur obsecutus, gradum feliciter primiscriniatus ascendat, ut locum, quem versutia nescivit exquirere, se gaudeat probis moribus invenisse.