Letter 5008: King Theodoric to Anastasius, Governor [Consularis].

CassiodorusAnastasius|c. 522 AD|Cassiodorus
imperial politics

King Theodoric to Anastasius, Governor [Consularis].

It is fitting that Your Sublimity show steadfast obedience to our commands, so that what is arranged by sound planning may be carried through to effect. A wise man knows how to fulfill his duties with moderation and to manage delegated tasks with practical skill, without the stain of earning anyone's displeasure.

We therefore order you to dispatch a civil enforcement officer to the city of Faenza [Faventia, in modern Emilia-Romagna], so that squared stone blocks may be transported to the city of Ravenna under our orders, without any harassment or loss to the inhabitants. In this way we may rejoice in our purpose fulfilled, while removing any occasion for complaint.

AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.

Latin / Greek Original

VIII.
ANASTASIO CONSULARI THEODERICUS REX.

[1] Convenit sublimitatem tuam nostris iussionibus oboedientiae tribuere sedulam firmitatem, quatenus ad effectum trahatur quod salubri ordinatione disponitur. moderate siquidem novit iniuncta sibi complere prudentia et sine ingratitudinis naevo delegata explicabili procurare consilio. [2] Atque ideo ad Faventinam civitatem civilem exsecutionem te praecipimus destinare, ut sine cuiusquam concussione vel damno quadrati ad Ravennatem urbem ex nostra iussione devehantur, quatenus et nostro desiderio gratulemur impleto et querulis vociferandi amputetur occasio.

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