Letter 51

From: Theoderic (through Cassiodorus), King of the Ostrogoths To: Faustus, Praetorian Prefect Date: ~522 AD Context: An extraordinary letter assigning rations to a celebrated chariot driver from Constantinople, containing a long digression on the history and symbolism of the Roman circus -- one of the richest surviving ancient accounts of chariot racing. As rare as constancy and honorable purpose are among entertainers, all the more precious it is when praiseworthy devotion is found in them. It is a pleasing thing to discover something admirable where you least expected it. Some time ago, we granted reasonable rations to the charioteer Thomatus, who came from the East, until we could test his skill and his character. Since he has now proven himself the best in this arena and has chosen to leave his homeland to make the seat of our empire his home, we have decided to support him with a monthly allowance, so that we do not make hesitant a man who has chosen Italian rule. He has frequently flown victorious through the cheers of the crowd, carried more by their favor than by his chariot. He won over a faction of the populace immediately and then labored to make those he had saddened happy again -- now surpassing other drivers by skill, now outrunning them by the speed of his horses. His many palms led people to call him a sorcerer, which among such people is actually the highest compliment. When victory cannot be attributed to the merit of the horses, it must be ascribed to the perversity of magic. The spectacle drives out serious character and invites the lightest rivalries, draining honor and feeding quarrels. Antiquity considered it sacred, but contentious posterity made it a mockery. Oenomaus is said to have first staged it at Elis in Asia, and then Romulus displayed it rudely in rural settings during the rape of the Sabine women, before any permanent structures existed. But the master of the world, extending his power to match his works, stretched out the marvelous fabric of the Circus Maximus into the Murcia valley, so that the immense structure, firmly girded by hills, could contain the symbols of great things. They placed twelve starting gates for the twelve signs of the zodiac. The four racing colors represent the four seasons: green for verdant spring, blue for cloudy winter, red for flaming summer, white for frosty autumn -- so that the full year might be signified as it passes through the twelve signs. The two-horse chariot was invented in imitation of the moon; the four-horse chariot in imitation of the sun. Seven laps are run around the turning posts, representing the recurring week. The posts themselves have three summits, like the zodiacal decans. The white line drawn across the track near the starting gates serves as a rule to begin the race fairly. The moat represents the glassy sea. Obelisks are raised toward the height of the sky, the taller one dedicated to the Sun, the shorter to the Moon. The starting signal -- the dropping of the napkin -- came about by accident. When Nero was prolonging his lunch and the crowd, as usual, demanded speed, he ordered the napkin he was using to wipe his hands thrown from the window, giving the signal for the race. From this, the display of the napkin came to be the certain promise of the races to come. We maintain these things because of the pressing desires of the populace, who wish to gather for such events while casting aside serious thoughts. Reason captures few; a worthy pursuit delights still fewer. The crowd is drawn instead to what was invented as a relief from cares. Whatever they consider pleasurable, they judge essential to the happiness of the times. Therefore let us grant the expenses -- we need not always act from judgment alone. It is sometimes useful to be foolish, so that we may hold the joys the people desire.

LI. FAUSTO PPO THEODERICUS REX. [1] Quantum histrionibus rara constantia honestumque votum, tanto pretiosior est, cum in eis probabilis monstratur affectus. carum est enim homini repperisse, ubi aliquid se laudabile non putaverat invenire. dudum siquidem Thomati aurigae ex Orientis partibus advenienti annonas rationabiles consideratio nostra largita est, donec eius artem probaremus et animum. sed quoniam in hoc agone primatum noscitur obtinere eiusque voluntas patria derelicta nostri sedes fovere delegit imperii, menstrua eum duximus largitate solidandum, ne adhuc ambiguum redderemus, quem Italiae dominatum elegisse cognovimus. [2] Is enim frequenter victor per diversorum ora volitavit, plus vectus favore quam curribus. suscepit partem populi protinus inclinatam et quos ipse fecerat tristes, laboravit iterum reddere laetiores, modo agitatores arte superans, modo equorum velocitate transcendens. frequentia palmarum eum faciebat dici maleficum, inter quos magnum praeconium videtur esse ad talia crimina pervenire. necesse est enim ad perversitatem magicam referri, quando victoria equorum meritis non potest applicari. [3] Spectaculum expellens gravissimos mores, invitans levissimas contentiones, evacuator honestatis, fons irriguus iurgiorum, quod vetustas quidem habuit sacrum, sed contentiosa posteritas fecit ease ludibrium. primus enim hoc apud Elidem Asiae civitatem Oenomaus fertur edidisse: quod post Romulus in raptu Sabinarum necdum fundatis aedificiis ruraliter ostentavit Italiae. [4] Sed mundi dominus ad potentiam suam opus extollens mirandam etiam Romanis fabricam in vallem Murciam tetendit Augustus, ut immensa moles firmiter praecincta montibus contineret, ubi magnarum rerum indicia clauderentur. bis sena quippe ostia ad duodecim signa posuerunt. haec ab hermulis funibus demissis subita aequalitate panduntur, docentes totum illic, ut putabant, consilio geri, ubi imago capitis cognoscitur operari. [5] Colores autem in vicem temporum quadrifaria divisione funduntur: prasinus virenti verno, venetus nubilae hiemi, russeus aestati flammeae, albus pruinoso autumno dicatus est, ut quasi per duodecim signa digrediens annus integer signaretur. sic factum, ut naturae ministeria spectaculorum composita imaginatione luderentur. [6] Biga quasi lunae, quadriga solis imitatione reperta est. equi desultorii, per quos circensium ministri missus denuntiant exituros, luciferi praecursorias velocitates imitantur. sic accidit ut, dum se colere putarent astra, religionem suam ludicra similitudine profanarent. [7] Alba linea non longe ab ostiis in utrumque podium quasi regula directa perducitur, ut quadrigis progredientibus inde certamen oriretur, ne, dum se praepropere conantur elidere, spectandi voluptatem viderentur populis abrogare. septem metis certamen omne peragitur in similitudinem hebdomadis reciprocae. ipsae vero metae secundum zodiacos decanos ternas obtinent summitates, quas ad instar solis quadrigae celeres pervagantur. [8] Eoae Orientis et Occidentis terminos designant. euripus marie vitrei reddit imaginem, unde illuc delphini aequorei aquas influunt. obeliscorum quoque prolixitates ad caeli altitudinem sublevantur, sed potior Soli, inferior Lunae dicatus est, ubi sacra priscorum Chaldaeicis signis quasi litteris indicantur. spina infelicium captivorum sortem designat, ubi duces Romanorum supra dorsa hostium ambulantes laborum suorum gaudia perceperunt. [9] Mappa vero, quae signum videtur dare circensibus, tali casu fluxit in morem. cum Nero prandium protenderet et celeritatem, ut assolet, avidus spectandi populus flagitaret, ille mappam, qua tergendis manibus utebatur, iussit abici per fenestram, ut libertatem daret certaminis postulati. hinc tractum est, ut ostensa mappa certa videatur esse promissio circensium futurorum. [10] Circus a circuitu dicitur, circenses quasi circuenses: propterea quod apud antiquitatem rudem, quae necdum spectacula in ornatum deduxerat fabricarum, inter enses et flumina locis virentibus agerentur. nec vacat quod XXIIII missibus condicio huius certaminis expeditur, profecto ut diei noctisque horae tali numero clauderentur. nec illud putetur irritum quod metarum circuitus ovorum ereptionibus exprimatur, quando actus ipse multis superstitionibus gravidus ovi exemplo geniturum se aliqua profiteretur. et ideo datur intellegi volitantes atque inconstantissimos inde mores nasci, quos avium matribus aptaverunt. [11] Cetera circi Romani longum est sermone decurrere, dum omnia videantur ad causas singulas pertinere. hoc tamen dicimus omnimodis stupendum, quod illic supra cetera spectacula fervor animorum inconsulta gravitate rapiatur. transit prasinus, pars populi maeret: praecedit venetus et ocius turba civitatis affligitur. nihil proficientes ferventer insultant: nihil patientes graviter vulnerantur et ad inanes contentiones sic disceditur, tamquam de statu periclitantis patriae laboretur. [12] Quod merito creditur dicatum numerosae superstitioni, ubi ab honestis moribus sic constat excedi. haec nos fovemus necessitate imminentium populorum, quibus votum est ad talia convenire, dum cogitationes serias delectantur abicere. [13] Paucos enim ratio capit, raros probabilis oblectat intentio: ad illud potius turba ducitur, quod ad remissionem curarum constat inventum. nam quicquid aestimat voluptuosum, hoe et ad beatitudinem temporum iudicat applicandum. quapropter largiamur expensas, non semper ex iudicio demus. expedit interdum desipere, ut populi possimus desiderata gaudia continere.