Letter 3020: Among the glorious concerns of the state that we continually review in our thoughts with God's help, close to our...

From: Cassiodorus, on behalf of King Theoderic To: Triwila, Saio, and Ferrocinctus, Imperial Agent Date: ~522 AD Context: Theoderic orders two officials to investigate the case of Castorius, a man whose property was seized by the powerful prefect Faustus, and to restore it -- a window into the abuses of late Roman power politics. Among the glorious concerns of the state that we continually review in our thoughts with God's help, close to our heart is the relief of the humble -- so that we may raise the shield of our devotion against the arrogance of the powerful, and no brazenness whose purpose is to trample the proud may have any standing with us. Moved by the tearful calamity of Castorius, who has been crushed until now by the ruinous spite of various people, we take this opportunity to issue salutary decrees, so that the help of our devotion may prove stronger than the wicked cunning of the unscrupulous. We therefore decree by the present authority that if the distinguished Prefect Faustus has either burdened the properties Castorius held with legal claims or detained them through private appropriation, the estate together with another of equal worth must immediately be restored to him under your supervision...

XX. TRIVVILAE SAIONI ET FERROCINCTO APPARITORI THEODERICUS REX. [1] Inter gloriosas rei publicae curas, quas perpeti cogitatione deo auxiliante revolvimus, cordi nostri est levamen humilium, ut contra potentiam superborum nostrae pietatis erigamus obstaculum, nec liceat quicquam apud nos audaciae, cuius est propositi superba calcare. [2] Castorii igitur flebili calamitate permoti, quem exitialis hactenus diversorum pressit invidia, occasionem praebuit salutaribus constitutis, ut plus valeret nostrae pietatis auxilium quam iniqua calliditas improborum. atque ideo praesenti vobis auctoritate decernimus, ut, si praefectus vir magnificus Faustus ea quae Castorius possidebat vel titulis ingravavit vel privata usurpatione detinuit, mox ei praedium cum alio eiusdem meriti vobis imminentibus a pervasore reddatur, ut crudelibus damnis afflicto pietatis nostrae remedio consulamus. [3] Si quis autem in hac praesumptione medius invenitur, ut ad ea quae iussa sunt idoneus nequeat reperiri, ad nos deducite vinculis illigatum, ut poena possit satisfieri cuius facultas non sufficit ultioni. tali igitur confusione iam iniquae mentis impetus conquiescat, ne non tam Castorium quam nostrum votum persecutus esse videatur. [4] Quod si posthac qualibet occasione saepe memoratum Castorium notus ille artifex nocere temptaverit, quinquaginta librarum auri multa protinus feriatur sitque maior cruciatibus poena respicere illaesum, quem videre desideravit afflictum. en factum quod cunctas protinus temperet ac corrigat potestates: praetorii praefectus bacchari non est in humilis laesione permissus et cui a nobis assurgitur, officiendi potestas miseris abrogatur. hinc omnes intellegant, quo amore delectemur aequitatis, ut et potentiam iudicum nostrorum velimus imminuere, quatenus bona conscientiae possimus augere.