Letter 2016: It is our policy, conscript fathers, to grant rewards to upright character and to kindle men of good promise toward...
Cassiodorus→Roman Senate|c. 522 AD|Cassiodorus
barbarian invasionfriendshipimperial politics
From: Cassiodorus, on behalf of King Theoderic
To: The Roman Senate
Date: ~522 AD
Context: Theoderic announces the promotion of Venantius and delivers an extraordinary tribute to his father, the patrician Liberius -- praising his loyalty to the defeated King Odoacer and his seamless transfer of that loyalty to Theoderic.
It is our policy, conscript fathers, to grant rewards to upright character and to kindle men of good promise toward still better conduct by the fruit of our generosity. The examples set by rewards nourish virtue, and no one fails to strive for the highest standards of character when what conscience approves does not go unrewarded.
This is why we have elevated the distinguished Venantius -- shining by his own merits as well as his father's -- to the dignity of the honorary Count of the Domestics, so that the innate splendor of his birth might be made more brilliant by the bestowal of honors. You remember, conscript fathers, the patrician Liberius [one of the most remarkable figures of the transition from Roman to Gothic rule in Italy] -- how praiseworthy he was even in our adversity. He served Odoacer [the barbarian king who deposed the last Western Roman emperor in 476] with the most scrupulous loyalty, yet afterward proved himself most worthy of our affection -- against whom he had appeared to act as an enemy. He did not cross over to us in the contemptible manner of a deserter, nor did he feign hatred for his own master in order to win another's favor. He awaited the divine judgment with his integrity intact and did not allow himself to seek a new king until his first lord had fallen.
The result was that we gladly gave him a reward, because he had faithfully served our enemy. By an ironic twist of fortune, he became all the more acceptable to us the more he had been recognized as devoted to the other side. Even when his master's cause was nearly lost, no threats could make him waver. He stood immovable through the ruin of his prince. The novelty of the situation could not unsettle a man whom even the ferocity of barbarian peoples had respected. He wisely shared his master's fate, so that by steadfastly enduring the divine judgment, he would find all the more favor with men.
We tested the man's loyalty: he came over to our authority with a heavy heart -- one who, when his side was defeated, changed his allegiance but never engineered the defeat. As soon as we entrusted him with the dignity of the Praetorian Prefecture, he managed everything assigned to him with such integrity that one would marvel at how simply devoted was a man known to have been so shrewdly opposed. With tireless effort -- the rarest kind of virtue -- he managed public affairs under the guise of universal goodwill...
XVI. SENATUI URBIS ROMAE THEODERICUS REX.
[1] Studii nostri est, patres conscripti, remunerationem recto conferre proposito et bonae indolis viros ad instituta meliora fructu impensae benignitatis accendere. nutriunt enim praemiorum exempla virtutes nec quisquam est, qui non ad morum summa nitatur ascendere, quando inremuneratum non relinquitur quod conscientia teste laudatur. [2] Hinc est quod illustrem Venantium, tam suis quam paternis meritis elucentem, comitivae domesticorum vacantis dignitate subveximus, ut natalium splendor insitus ornatior collatis redderetur honoribus. retinetis enim, patres conscripti, patricium Liberium et in adversitate nostra fuisse laudabilem, qui sic Odovacris integerrimis parebat obsequiis, ut nostra post fuerit dilectione dignissimus, contra quos multa fecisse videbatur inimicus. non enim ad nos vilissima transfugae condicione migravit nec proprii domini finxit odium, ut alterius sibi procuraret affectum: expectavit integer divina iudicia nec passus est sibi regem quaerere, nisi rectorem primitus perdidisset. [3] Unde sic factum est, ut ei libenter daremus praemium, quia nostrum fideliter iuvit inimicum. qui casu patrocinante contrario tantum nobis reddebatur acceptus, quantum tunc cognosci poterat indevotus. flexo iam paene domino nullis est terroribus inclinatus: sustinuit immobilis ruinam principis sui: nec novitas illum turbare potuit, quam etiam ferocitas gentilis expavit. prudenter secutus est communes casus, ut, cum divina iudicia fixe sustinet, humanam gratiam commendatior inveniret. [4] Probavimus hominis fidem: tristis ad nostra iura transivit, qui superatus animum convertit, non autem, ut vinceretur, effecit. cui mox ut praefecturae praetorianae concessimus dignitatem, credita sibi tanta integritate disposuit, ut miraretur aliquis sic simpliciter devotum, quem tam callide noverat fuisse contrarium. is igitur infatigabili cura, quod difficillinum virtutis genus est, sub generalitatis gratia publica videtur procurasse compendia, censum non addendo, sed conservando protendens, dum illa, quae consueverant male dispergi, bene industria providente collegit. sensimus auctas illationes, vos addita tributa nescitis. ita utrumque sub ammiratione perfectum est, ut et fiscus crcsceret et privata utilitas damna nulla perferret. [5] Iuvat nos referre quemadmodum in tertiarum deputatione Gothorum Romanorumque et possessiones iunxit et animos. nam cum se homines soleant de vicinitate collidere, istis praediorum communio causam videtur praestitisse concordiae: sic enim contigit, ut utraque natio, dum communiter vivit, ad unum velle convenerit. en factum novum et omnino laudabile: gratia dominorum de cespitis divisione coniuncta est; amicitiae populis per damna creverunt et parte agri defensor adquisitus est, ut substantiae securitas integra servaretur. una lex illos et aequabilis disciplina complectitur. necesse est enim, ut inter eos suavis crescat affectus, qui servant iugiter terminos constitutos. debet ergo Romana res publica et memorato Liberio tranquillitatem suam, qui nationibus tam praeclaris tradidit studia caritatis. [6] Perpendite, patres conscripti, si hanc subolem inremuneratam relinquere debuimus, cuius auctorem tot eximia fecisse retinemus. faveant superna dispositis, ut, sicut nos virtutes collatis beneficiis invitamus, ita crevisse meritis honoratas conscientias approbemus.
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From:Cassiodorus, on behalf of King Theoderic
To:The Roman Senate
Date:~522 AD
Context:Theoderic announces the promotion of Venantius and delivers an extraordinary tribute to his father, the patrician Liberius -- praising his loyalty to the defeated King Odoacer and his seamless transfer of that loyalty to Theoderic.
It is our policy, conscript fathers, to grant rewards to upright character and to kindle men of good promise toward still better conduct by the fruit of our generosity. The examples set by rewards nourish virtue, and no one fails to strive for the highest standards of character when what conscience approves does not go unrewarded.
This is why we have elevated the distinguished Venantius -- shining by his own merits as well as his father's -- to the dignity of the honorary Count of the Domestics, so that the innate splendor of his birth might be made more brilliant by the bestowal of honors. You remember, conscript fathers, the patrician Liberius [one of the most remarkable figures of the transition from Roman to Gothic rule in Italy] -- how praiseworthy he was even in our adversity. He served Odoacer [the barbarian king who deposed the last Western Roman emperor in 476] with the most scrupulous loyalty, yet afterward proved himself most worthy of our affection -- against whom he had appeared to act as an enemy. He did not cross over to us in the contemptible manner of a deserter, nor did he feign hatred for his own master in order to win another's favor. He awaited the divine judgment with his integrity intact and did not allow himself to seek a new king until his first lord had fallen.
The result was that we gladly gave him a reward, because he had faithfully served our enemy. By an ironic twist of fortune, he became all the more acceptable to us the more he had been recognized as devoted to the other side. Even when his master's cause was nearly lost, no threats could make him waver. He stood immovable through the ruin of his prince. The novelty of the situation could not unsettle a man whom even the ferocity of barbarian peoples had respected. He wisely shared his master's fate, so that by steadfastly enduring the divine judgment, he would find all the more favor with men.
We tested the man's loyalty: he came over to our authority with a heavy heart -- one who, when his side was defeated, changed his allegiance but never engineered the defeat. As soon as we entrusted him with the dignity of the Praetorian Prefecture, he managed everything assigned to him with such integrity that one would marvel at how simply devoted was a man known to have been so shrewdly opposed. With tireless effort -- the rarest kind of virtue -- he managed public affairs under the guise of universal goodwill...
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.