Letter 4013: King Theodoric to Senarius, Vir Illustris [Most Illustrious], Count of the Private Estates.

King Theodoric to Senarius, Vir Illustris [Most Illustrious], Count of the Private Estates. Those who labor should not lack their compensation, so that the path to good endeavor remains open and the just complaints of those who toil are answered with fair reward. Accordingly, let it be known that our foresight -- which surveys every part of the state under heaven's favor -- has ordered that provisions be supplied, according to ancient custom, to the illustrious Colosseus, who has been dispatched to Sirmian Pannonia [the former Gothic capital region, near modern Sremska Mitrovica in Serbia] for his labors and merits. By ensuring that the necessary supplies are prepared for him, we remove any excuse for unauthorized seizures. An army that goes hungry cannot maintain discipline, since a soldier who lacks what he needs will always take what he can. Let him have what he can buy, so that he is not forced to think about what he might steal. Necessity has no love of moderation, and you cannot command many men to observe what even the few find impossible to maintain.

XIII. SENARIO V. I. COMITI PRIVATARUM THEODERICUS REX. [1] Emolumenta deesse laborantibus non oportet, ut et bonae spei aditus aperiatur et desudantium querela iusta compensatione claudatur. atque ideo providentiam nostram, quae omnes rei publicae partes sub caelesti favore circumspicit, ordinasse cognosce, ut Colosseo illustri viro pro laboribus et meritis ad Sirmiensem Pannoniam destinato iuxta consuetudinem veterem victualia praebeantur, quatenus, dum memorato viro necessaria fuerint praeparata, locus iniustis praesumptionibus abrogetur. [2] Disciplinam siquidem non potest servare ieiunus exercitus, dum quod deest semper praesumit armatus. habeat quod emat, ne cogatur cogitare quod auferat. necessitas moderata non diligit, nec potest imperari multis quod nequeunt custodire paucissimi.