VARIAE, BOOK 6, FORMULA 17
From: The Ostrogothic Chancery (Cassiodorus)
To: [Template for the appointment of Referendaries]
Date: ~522 AD
Context: A model letter for referendarii -- officers who presented petitions to the sovereign and relayed his decisions, serving as the essential intermediary between the public and the crown.
[1] Although every office is only as distinguished as the frequency of our personal attention makes it, and the favor of our gaze upon a man is what truly marks him as chosen, none are closer to our presence than those who are known to be daily concerned with our service. Of this number are the referendaries, who carry the cares of others to us, who present us with the full range of petitioners' requests, and through whom the course of our public deliberation proceeds. They are the channels of our mercy, the instruments of our justice: whatever we decide is first brought to us by their voice. They present what they have been told, and they return what they have heard. They walk a narrow path: they must be bold enough to speak before the royal presence, yet discreet enough not to color the petition with their own interpretation. They carry joy to some and grief to others, yet must maintain their own composure through it all.
XVII.
FORMULA REFERENDARIORUM.
[1] Quamvis tantum sit clara unaquaeque dignitas, quantum eam praesentiae nostrae conspectus illuminat, dum semper honorem suscipit, qui nostra colloquia decenter adquirit, nemo tamen sermones nostros tantum meretur quam qui referendarius esse dinoscitur. per eum nobis causarum ordines exponuntur, per eum interpellantium vota cognoscimus et ipsis responsa reddimus, ut negotia compedita solvamus. [2] Magnum est in hoc agone principali servire prudentiae et ad subitum sic dolores alienos asserere, ut conquerentium videatur vota satiare. quale est enim in tumultuosis processionibus nostris nulla permixtione confundi aut minime tantis clamoribus impediri? necesse habet a turbatis exquirere, quod nobis possit placabiliter intimare et distinctius referre quam potuisset audire. [3] Arduum est trepidantium dicta componere et verum dicere: non tantum interpellator formidat negotii sui casum quantum sustinet iste in relatione periculum. si quid minus dixerit, inimicus asseritur, redemptus clamatur. negotii dominus timoris patrocinio potest sua verba convertere, referenti autem non licet aliquid immutare. sententiae vero nostrae tanta memoriae cautela tenendae sunt, ut nihil minus, nihil additum esse videatur. nobis plerumque audientibus nostra dicturus es et difficili condicione constrictus iudicio nostro subiaces, dum alienas causes explanare contendis. [4] Quapropter referendarium te electio nostra constituit: sed tu puritatem conscientiae et veritatem linguae nostris iussionibus adhibeto. eruditionem vero mirabilem collocutio tibi nostra concedit, quae dum per te alios ordinat, qualitatem tuae mentis exornat. sub nobis enim non licet esse imperitos, quando in vicem cotis ingenia splendida reddimus, quae causarum assiduitate polimus. [5] Quapropter illa cunctis iussisse nos referte, quae aut debuistis aut potuistis accipere. nostra sic probatis, si iusta redicitis. amate quod nos glorificat. sit velle vestrum quale videtis nostrum esse propositum. ad summum tales vos esse cupimus, ut etiam per vos iudices corrigamus. peculiare de vobis aliquod vectigal exigimus, ut sicut vobiscum familiariter miscemus affatus, ita et nostra opinio specialiter a vobis mereatur affectum.
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VARIAE, BOOK 6, FORMULA 17
From: The Ostrogothic Chancery (Cassiodorus) To: [Template for the appointment of Referendaries] Date: ~522 AD Context: A model letter for referendarii -- officers who presented petitions to the sovereign and relayed his decisions, serving as the essential intermediary between the public and the crown.
[1] Although every office is only as distinguished as the frequency of our personal attention makes it, and the favor of our gaze upon a man is what truly marks him as chosen, none are closer to our presence than those who are known to be daily concerned with our service. Of this number are the referendaries, who carry the cares of others to us, who present us with the full range of petitioners' requests, and through whom the course of our public deliberation proceeds. They are the channels of our mercy, the instruments of our justice: whatever we decide is first brought to us by their voice. They present what they have been told, and they return what they have heard. They walk a narrow path: they must be bold enough to speak before the royal presence, yet discreet enough not to color the petition with their own interpretation. They carry joy to some and grief to others, yet must maintain their own composure through it all.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.