Letter 12015: Scyllaceum [Squillace, on the coast of Calabria], the first city of the Bruttii — which Troy's destroyer Ulysses is...

15. Senator, Praetorian Prefect, to Maximus, Most Distinguished Man, Cancellarius [chancellor] of Lucania and Bruttium. [1] Scyllacium, the first of the cities of the Bruttii, which Ulysses the destroyer of Troy is recorded to have founded, is said to be unreasonably harassed by the excess of those who make presumptuous demands upon it - a thing that ought not to have been undertaken while we preside; for we are compelled to grieve the more at its injuries, since we are shown to be bound to it by the affection of a native of that land. The city, set above the Adriatic gulf, hangs upon its hills in the manner of a cluster of grapes, not because it swells up with a difficult ascent, but so that it may pleasurably look out upon the green fields and the blue back of the sea. [2] It gazes upon the rising sun from its very cradle, where the coming day does not send an aurora before it, but as soon as it has begun to rise, the gleam, brandishing its torch, shows itself. It looks upon a rejoicing Phoebus [the sun]: it shines there with a brightness of light all its own, so that it might rather be thought to be the very fatherland of the sun, surpassing the renown of Rhodes. It enjoys a clear light: endowed also with a temperateness of air, it feels sunny winters and cooled summers, and life is passed there without any sorrow, where hostile seasons are not feared. Hence the man too is freer in his understanding, because the temperate climate governs all things. [3] For a fervent native land makes men flighty and sharp, a cold one makes them slow and crafty: only the temperate land is the one that composes the characters of men by its own quality. This is why the ancients said that Athens was the seat of the wise, which, anointed with the purity of its air, prepared the clearest understandings for the contemplative side with a happy generosity. For is it the same thing for the body to swallow muddy waters as to drink in the clearness of a most sweet spring? Thus the vigor of the soul is burdened, while it is pressed down by a heavier air. For we are necessarily subject to such things, since under cloud we are made gloomy and again by nature we rejoice at clear skies, because the heavenly substance of the soul is *** [text uncertain] to things tainted and takes delight in all that is most pure. [4] It enjoys abundant marine delights also, since it possesses, near at hand, the Neptunian enclosures which we ourselves made: for at the foot of Mount Moscius, with the bowels of the rocks hollowed out, we have fittingly let in the streams of Nereus' deep, where a throng of fish playing in free captivity both refreshes the spirits with delight and soothes the gaze with wonder. They run greedily to the hands of men, and before they become food, they themselves seek out food. A man feeds his own delights, and while he has in his power what he may catch, it frequently happens that, being satisfied, he leaves them all behind. [5] The spectacle, too, of men toiling beautifully is not taken away from those sitting in the city. The abundant vintages are seen in plenty, the rich threshing of the threshing-floors is beheld, the face of the green olives also is laid open. No one lacks the pleasantness of the fields, to whom it is granted to behold all things from the city. Because in this way it has no walls, you would believe the city a rural one, you might judge the country house an urban one, and, placed between the two, it is known to be enriched with abundant praise. [6] Since travelers passing through frequently desire to visit it, since they wish to escape the wearinesses of their labor, by the pleasantness of the city its own citizens are worn out with expenses in the providing of post-horses and provisions. Wherefore, lest its own pleasantness injure the city, or the matter of its renown become the cause of its loss, we ordain that the provision of post-horses and provisions, according to the warrants granted, be charged to the public account. [7] Cutting away, too, root and branch the judge's "dust-money" [a fee for travel], we decree that provisions be furnished even to the presiding officials for three days only, according to the ancient enactments, the carriers, if delay is made, bearing it at their own expense. For the laws wished those administering them to be a remedy, not a burden. On which account, in regard for fairness, our city is to be relieved *** [text uncertain] of judicial burden, which we report to you as a thing not remitted. Live, with God's help, in the justice of the age and in the singular joy of security. Let others speak of the Islands; I would rather call your dwellings the Fortunate ones.

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.