Letter 3030: The care of the city of Rome is always on our mind.

The care of the city of Rome is always on our mind. What could be more worthy of our attention than to demand the restoration of what plainly constitutes the glory of our state? Therefore, your illustrious sublimity should know that we have sent the spectabilis Johannes to attend to the splendid sewers of Rome -- which astonish all who see them and could put the marvels of other cities to shame. You can see rivers flowing through enormous concrete vaults as if enclosed in hollow mountains. You can see boats navigated through rushing waters with no small anxiety, lest the torrents of the descending current inflict the kind of shipwrecks one would expect at sea. From this, Rome, the singular extent of your greatness can be measured. What city would dare compete with your heights, when not even your depths can find a rival? We therefore order you to provide the assistance of your office to the said Johannes, because we want public officials to carry out our orders, keeping private hands at a distance -- hands that plunge all too boldly into forbidden things.

XXX. ARGOLICO V. I. PRAEFECTO URBIS THEODERICUS REX. [1] Romanae civitatis cura nostris sensibus semper invigilat. quid est enim dignius, quod tractare debeamus, quam eius reparationem exigere, quae ornatum constat nostrae rei publicae continere? proinde illustris sublimitas tua spectabilem virum Iohannem nos direxisse cognoscat propter splendidas Romanae cloacas civitatis, quae tantum visentibus conferunt stuporem, ut aliarum civitatum possint miracula superare. [2] Videas illic fluvios quasi montibus concavis clausos per ingentia signina decurrere: videas structis navibus per aquas rapidas non minima sollicitudine navigari, ne praecipitato torrenti marina possint naufragia sustinere. hinc, Roma, singularis quanta in te sit potest colligi magnitudo. quae enim urbium audeat tuis culminibus contendere, quando nec ima tua possunt similitudinem reperire? et ideo supra dicto Iohanni officii vestri solacia vos praebere censemus, quoniam ordinationes nostras publicas volumus implere personas, privatas manus amoventes, quae audacius merguntur illicitis.