Letter 4043: King Theodoric to the Senate of the City of Rome.
Cassiodorus→the Senate of the City of Rome|c. 522 AD|Cassiodorus
imperial politics
King Theodoric to the Senate of the City of Rome.
The celebrated reputation of the city of Rome must be upheld by its own standards, and a city that has always prided itself on the integrity of its character should not adopt the vices of foreigners. The frivolity of rioting and the desire to see one's own city burn -- these are not Roman things. Therefore the full severity of the law must be applied to those responsible, lest the hateful spectacle of arson infect the hearts of the mob with a desire to imitate it.
From the report of the illustrious Count Arigernus, we have learned that a complaint was brought by the Jews: in a case where slaves had erupted into violence against their masters, and where those responsible had already been punished through public discipline, the populace immediately flared up in an inflammatory riot and set fire to the synagogue -- punishing the crimes of individuals by destroying a building. If any Jews were found to have committed offenses, the offenders themselves should have been made to answer, not their house of worship. It was not right to rush to rioting or to hasten to set buildings ablaze.
Since it is, by God's favor, our care to correct what has been wrongly done so that all may live together in orderly peace, we decree by this present authority: you are to investigate the above case through lawful inquiry. Where you can identify the few who instigated this arson, punish them with due severity. We do not wish anything disgraceful to occur for which the dignity of Rome must be held to account.
By the same reasoning we further decree: if anyone believes he has a legitimate complaint against the Jews, let him come before your tribunal for a hearing. Let guilt be condemned by proper judgment. Know that this has deeply displeased us -- that the empty passions of mobs should have gone so far as to destroy buildings, when we wish everything in Rome to be well ordered and at peace.
XLIII. SENATUI URBIS ROMAE THEODERICUS REX.
[1] Urbis Romanae celebris opinio suo conservanda est nihilominus instituto, nec vitia peregrina capit, quae se semper de morum probitate iactavit. levitates quippe seditionum et ambire propriae civitatis incendium non est velle Romanum. ideoque in auctoribus facti legum est servanda districtio, ne detestabilis aspectus incendii ad imitationem nefandam vulgi pectora comprehendat. [2] Viri illustris itaque comitis Arigerni suggestione comperimus Iudaeorum querela se fuisse pulsatum, quod in dominorum caede proruperit servilis audacia: in quibus cum fuisset pro districtione publica resecatum, statim plebis inflammata contentio synagogam temerario duxerunt incendio concremandam, culpas hominum fabricarum excidio vindicantes, dum, si quis Iudaeorum probaretur excedere, ipse debuisset iniuriae subiacere, non autem iustum fuit ad seditionum foeda concurri aut ad fabricarum incendia festinari. [3] Sed nos, quibus deo propitiante cordi est perperam commissa dirigere, ut cunctis possit placatis moribus convenire, praesenti auctoritate decernimus, ut causam supra memoratam legitima discussione noscatis et in auctoribus paucis quos potueritis huius incendii reperire, habita districtione resecetis: quia nolumus aliquid detestabile fieri, unde Romana gravitas debeat accusari. [4] Illud pari ratione censentes, ut, si aliquid sibi contra Iudaeos rationabiliter quispiam crediderit suffragari, ad vestrum iudicium veniat audiendus, ut quem reatus involverit, censura condemnet. hoc enim nobis vehementer displicuisse cognosce, ut intentiones vanissimae populorum usque ad eversiones pervenerint fabricarum, ubi totum pulchre volumus esse compositum.
◆
King Theodoric to the Senate of the City of Rome.
The celebrated reputation of the city of Rome must be upheld by its own standards, and a city that has always prided itself on the integrity of its character should not adopt the vices of foreigners. The frivolity of rioting and the desire to see one's own city burn -- these are not Roman things. Therefore the full severity of the law must be applied to those responsible, lest the hateful spectacle of arson infect the hearts of the mob with a desire to imitate it.
From the report of the illustrious Count Arigernus, we have learned that a complaint was brought by the Jews: in a case where slaves had erupted into violence against their masters, and where those responsible had already been punished through public discipline, the populace immediately flared up in an inflammatory riot and set fire to the synagogue -- punishing the crimes of individuals by destroying a building. If any Jews were found to have committed offenses, the offenders themselves should have been made to answer, not their house of worship. It was not right to rush to rioting or to hasten to set buildings ablaze.
Since it is, by God's favor, our care to correct what has been wrongly done so that all may live together in orderly peace, we decree by this present authority: you are to investigate the above case through lawful inquiry. Where you can identify the few who instigated this arson, punish them with due severity. We do not wish anything disgraceful to occur for which the dignity of Rome must be held to account.
By the same reasoning we further decree: if anyone believes he has a legitimate complaint against the Jews, let him come before your tribunal for a hearing. Let guilt be condemned by proper judgment. Know that this has deeply displeased us -- that the empty passions of mobs should have gone so far as to destroy buildings, when we wish everything in Rome to be well ordered and at peace.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.