Letter 12023: A judge's deliberation must assign proven men to public business, so that what is difficult to obtain in a time of...

Senator, Praetorian Prefect, to Laurentius, a most experienced man. [1] A judge's deliberation ought to employ men of proven worth in public business, so that what seems to be sought amid the barrenness of the times may readily be fulfilled. In an abundance of resources any person whatsoever can manage; but choice soldiers are needed when the press of necessity has come upon us. And therefore we order your experience -- most pleasing to us by such frequent devotion -- to hasten to the province of Histria, that for so many solidi you should procure goods of wine, oil, or wheat out of the tributary solidus, while for the other so many solidi, which you have received from our treasurer, you will make haste to buy both from the merchants and from the landholders, just as the schedule presented to you by the accountants has instructed you. [2] Wherefore now rouse your spirits to obey, you who by impartial lot have proved pleasing in such great watches. Let the example of your earlier conduct admonish you, since it is far too grave a thing for a veteran to fail, when it is established that as a recruit he in no way erred. But how great an abundance of the aforesaid goods shall release itself as hoped, signify to us by a truthful report -- as we believe of you -- so that, the measure being taken, we may be obliged to determine what may neither injure the provincials nor be able to burden the public expenditures.

XXIII. LAURENTIO VIRO EXPERIENTISSIMO SENATOR PPO. [1] Deliberatio iudicis probatos viros debet publicis actionibus adhibere, ut facile possit impleri quod sub sterilitate temporis videtur inquiri. in abundantia rerum quaelibet se potest expedire persona: electis opus est militibus, cum fuerit necessitatis impulsus. atque ideo experientiam tuam frequentibus nobisque tali devotione gratissimam ad Histriam provinciam iubemus excurrere, ut in tot solidos vini, olei vel tritici species de tributario solido debeas procurare, in aliis vero tot solidis, quos a nostro arcario percepisti, tam a negotiatoribus quam a possessoribus emere maturabis, sicut te a numerariis instruxit porrecta notitia. [2] Quapropter erige nunc animos ad parendum, qui tantis excubiis indiscreta sorte placuisti. ammoneat te prioris conversationis exemplum, quia nimis grave est emeritum delinquere, quem tironem nullatenus constat errasse. qualis autem supra dictarum specierum ubertas se optata laxaverit, veraci nobis, ut de te credimus, relatione significa, ut nos habito modo constituere debeamus quod nec provinciales laedat nec publicas gravare possit expensas.