From: Senator [Cassiodorus], Praetorian Prefect
To: Maximus, Chancellor of Lucania and Bruttium
Date: ~533-537 AD
Context: Cassiodorus's most personal letter — a love letter to his hometown of Squillace, where he would later found his famous monastery of Vivarium. This is the man writing about home.
Scyllaceum [Squillace, on the coast of Calabria], the first city of the Bruttii — which Troy's destroyer Ulysses is said to have founded — is reported to be irrationally harassed by the excessive demands of presumptuous officials. This should not have been tolerated under my administration, since I am compelled to feel its injuries more keenly — my homeland touching me with a native's affection.
This city, set above a bay of the Adriatic [here meaning the Ionian Sea], hangs on its hills like a cluster of grapes — not because the ascent is difficult, but so that it can gaze with pleasure on the green plains and the blue back of the sea. It watches the sun being born from its very cradle, where the coming day does not first send forth a dawn, but as soon as it begins to rise, its blazing light immediately shows its lamp. It looks upon a joyful Phoebus; the place gleams with its own special brilliance of light, so that it might be thought the true homeland of the sun — surpassing even Rhodes in reputation.
It enjoys transparent light. Blessed too with a temperate climate, it experiences warm winters and cool summers. Life passes there without any sorrow, since hostile seasons are never feared. Here, a person's mind is also freer, because the temperate air moderates everything. A hot homeland makes people lively and sharp; a cold one makes them slow and devious. Only a temperate region composes human character by its own quality. This is why the ancients said Athens was the seat of wisdom — anointed with pure air, it prepared the most lucid minds for contemplative life with fortunate generosity. Is it the same for the body to drink muddy water as to draw from a crystal-clear spring? So the soul's vigor is weighed down when compressed by a heavier atmosphere. We are necessarily subject to such conditions — growing sad when it is overcast and naturally rejoicing when the sky clears — because the celestial substance of the soul is troubled by impurity and delights in everything pure.
The city also enjoys abundant marine delicacies, since it possesses nearby the enclosures for fish that I myself built — what I call our "Neptunian pens." At the foot of Mount Moscius, I had channels carved into the rocky cliffs and the waters of the sea gracefully channeled in, where a school of fish plays in free captivity, delighting the spirit with pleasure and soothing the eye with wonder. They rush eagerly to human hands, seeking food even before they become food themselves. A man feeds his own delicacies, and since he has at his disposal whatever he might catch, it often happens that, satisfied, he leaves everything behind.
Nor is the spectacle of beautiful labor denied to those sitting in the city. Abundant vintages are plainly seen; the rich threshing of the floors is visible; the face of green olive groves opens to view. No one needs the countryside's charm when it is possible to see everything from the city. Because it currently lacks walls, you would think it a rural city; you could judge it an urban villa — poised between both, it is known to be enriched with copious praise.
But because travelers constantly wish to visit it and desire to escape the tedium of the road, the city's own citizens are exhausted by the expense of providing requisitioned horses and rations, thanks to the city's very charm. Therefore, so that its beauty does not become its bane, and the cause of its fame does not become the cause of its ruin, I decree that the provision of horses and rations — according to the transport warrants issued — shall be charged to the public account.
I also entirely abolish the judge's travel tax [pulveratica, literally "dust-money"] and decree that governors shall receive only three days' rations in accordance with ancient regulations, with any additional transportation at their own expense. The laws intended administrators to be a remedy, not a burden. Therefore, in view of equity, our city [shall be relieved].
This is a judicial decision that I report to you, not a personal favor granted. Live, with God's help, in the justice of the age and in the singular joy of security. Let others speak of their islands — I would rather call your dwellings the Fortunate Isles.
XV.
MAXIMO V. C. CANCELLARIO LUCANIAE ET BRUTTIORUM SENATOR PPO.
[1] Scyllaceum prima urbium Bruttiorum, quam Troiae destructor Ulixes legitur condidisse, inrationabiliter dicitur praesumentium nimietate vexari, quod nobis praesidentibus non oportuisset assumi: quia laesiones eius cogimur plus dolere, dum patriotica nos probatur affectione contingere. civitas supra sinum Hadriaticum constituta in modum botryonis pendet in collibus, non quod difficili ascensione turgescat, sed ut voluptuose campos virentes et caerula maris terga respiciat. [2] Haec nascentem solem ab ipsis cunabulis intuetur, ubi ventura dies non praemittit auroram, sed mox ut oriri coeperit, lampadem suam vibrans fulgor ostendit. gaudentem respicit Phoebum: propria illic luminis claritate resplendet, ut ipsa magis solis putetur esse patria Rhodi opinione superata. fruitur luce perspicua: aeris quoque temperatione donata apricas hiemes, refrigeratas sentit aestates et sine aliquo maerore transigitur, ubi infesta tempora non timentur. hinc et homo sensu liberior est, quia temperies cuncta moderatur. [3] Patria siquidem fervens leves efficit et acutos, frigida tardos et subdolos: sola temperata est, quae mores hominum sua qualitate componit. hinc est quod antiqui Athenas sedem sapientium esse dixerunt, quae aeris puritate peruncta lucidissimos sensus ad contemplativam partem felici largitate praeparavit. numquid enim tale est corpori aquas caenosas sorbere, quale perspicuitatem dulcissimi fontis haurire? sic animae vigor oneratur, dum spiritu graviore comprimitur. subiacemus enim necessario talibus rebus, quando nubilo tristes efficimur et iterum naturaliter ad serena gaudemus, quia caelestis animae substantia ad infecta *** et purissima quaeque laetatur. [4] Fruitur marinis quoque copiosa deliciis, dum possidet vicina quae nos fecimus claustra Neptunia: ad pedem siquidem Moscii montis saxorum visceribus excavatis fluenta Nerei gurgitis decenter immisimus, ubi agmen piscium sub libera captivitate ludentium et delectatione reficit animos et ammiratione mulcet optutus. currunt avidi ad manus hominum et antequam cibi fiant, escas expetunt. pascit homo delicias suas et dum habet in potestate quod capiat, frequenter evenit, ut repletus omnia derelinquat. [5] Spectaculum quoque pulchre laborantium non adimitur in civitate sedentibus. cernuntur affatim copiosae vindemiae, arearum pinguis tritura conspicitur, olivarum quoque virentium vultus aperitur. non eget aliquis agrorum amoenitate, cui datum est de urbe cuncta conspicere. hoc quia modo non habet muros, civitatem credis ruralem, villam iudicare possis urbanam et inter utrumque posita, copiosa noscitur laude ditata. [6] Hanc dum frequenter invisere desiderant commeantes, dum taedia laboris refugere cupiunt, amoenitate civitatis in paraveredorum et annonarum praebitione proprii cives fatigantur expensis. quapropter ne laedat urbem amoenitas sua aut res praeconii fiat causa dispendii, paraveredorum et annonarum praebitionem secundum evectiones concessas in assem publicum constituimus imputari. [7] Pulveratica quoque iudicis funditus amputantes trium tantum etiam dierum praesulibus annonas praeberi secundum vetera constituta decernimus, suis expensis facta tarditate vecturis. leges enim administrantes remedio, non oneri esse voluerunt. qua de re aequitatis intuitu civitas nostra *** relevare iudiciarium est, quod tibi referimus, non remissum. vive iuvante deo iustitia saeculi et securitatis gaudio singulari. alii dicant insulas, ego habitationes tuas appellem potius Fortunatas.
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From:Senator [Cassiodorus], Praetorian Prefect
To:Maximus, Chancellor of Lucania and Bruttium
Date:~533-537 AD
Context:Cassiodorus's most personal letter — a love letter to his hometown of Squillace, where he would later found his famous monastery of Vivarium. This is the man writing about home.
Scyllaceum [Squillace, on the coast of Calabria], the first city of the Bruttii — which Troy's destroyer Ulysses is said to have founded — is reported to be irrationally harassed by the excessive demands of presumptuous officials. This should not have been tolerated under my administration, since I am compelled to feel its injuries more keenly — my homeland touching me with a native's affection.
This city, set above a bay of the Adriatic [here meaning the Ionian Sea], hangs on its hills like a cluster of grapes — not because the ascent is difficult, but so that it can gaze with pleasure on the green plains and the blue back of the sea. It watches the sun being born from its very cradle, where the coming day does not first send forth a dawn, but as soon as it begins to rise, its blazing light immediately shows its lamp. It looks upon a joyful Phoebus; the place gleams with its own special brilliance of light, so that it might be thought the true homeland of the sun — surpassing even Rhodes in reputation.
It enjoys transparent light. Blessed too with a temperate climate, it experiences warm winters and cool summers. Life passes there without any sorrow, since hostile seasons are never feared. Here, a person's mind is also freer, because the temperate air moderates everything. A hot homeland makes people lively and sharp; a cold one makes them slow and devious. Only a temperate region composes human character by its own quality. This is why the ancients said Athens was the seat of wisdom — anointed with pure air, it prepared the most lucid minds for contemplative life with fortunate generosity. Is it the same for the body to drink muddy water as to draw from a crystal-clear spring? So the soul's vigor is weighed down when compressed by a heavier atmosphere. We are necessarily subject to such conditions — growing sad when it is overcast and naturally rejoicing when the sky clears — because the celestial substance of the soul is troubled by impurity and delights in everything pure.
The city also enjoys abundant marine delicacies, since it possesses nearby the enclosures for fish that I myself built — what I call our "Neptunian pens." At the foot of Mount Moscius, I had channels carved into the rocky cliffs and the waters of the sea gracefully channeled in, where a school of fish plays in free captivity, delighting the spirit with pleasure and soothing the eye with wonder. They rush eagerly to human hands, seeking food even before they become food themselves. A man feeds his own delicacies, and since he has at his disposal whatever he might catch, it often happens that, satisfied, he leaves everything behind.
Nor is the spectacle of beautiful labor denied to those sitting in the city. Abundant vintages are plainly seen; the rich threshing of the floors is visible; the face of green olive groves opens to view. No one needs the countryside's charm when it is possible to see everything from the city. Because it currently lacks walls, you would think it a rural city; you could judge it an urban villa — poised between both, it is known to be enriched with copious praise.
But because travelers constantly wish to visit it and desire to escape the tedium of the road, the city's own citizens are exhausted by the expense of providing requisitioned horses and rations, thanks to the city's very charm. Therefore, so that its beauty does not become its bane, and the cause of its fame does not become the cause of its ruin, I decree that the provision of horses and rations — according to the transport warrants issued — shall be charged to the public account.
I also entirely abolish the judge's travel tax [pulveratica, literally "dust-money"] and decree that governors shall receive only three days' rations in accordance with ancient regulations, with any additional transportation at their own expense. The laws intended administrators to be a remedy, not a burden. Therefore, in view of equity, our city [shall be relieved].
This is a judicial decision that I report to you, not a personal favor granted. Live, with God's help, in the justice of the age and in the singular joy of security. Let others speak of their islands — I would rather call your dwellings the Fortunate Isles.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.