Letter 8004: King Athalaric to the Romans of Italy and Dalmatia.
Cassiodorus→Romans of|c. 522 AD|Cassiodorus
barbarian invasion
King Athalaric to the Romans of Italy and Dalmatia.
We consider it honorable to communicate what you could have learned from public report. For whoever receives a royal address has a right to form a good opinion of the estimation in which he is held, since it is a mark of distinction for a subject to have earned the speech of a sovereign — especially in a matter about which everyone's heart is so anxious that if they do not hear good news, they always fear the worst. The man who hears of a change of power inevitably dreads the new regime. And indeed, a ruler who delays in making generous promises at the outset is thought to be contemplating something grim.
We therefore cut off all room for dark thoughts and refuse to allow anyone to believe anything about us other than what could be expected from our forebears. And so — may it be spoken with God's favor — by the happy arrangement of our grandfather of glorious memory [Theodoric], we have received the oaths of allegiance from both Goths and Romans present, for the defense of our inherited kingdom. We judge that you too will do the same most willingly — that you who were faithful to our forebears will obey us with the same devotion.
For an heir is loved all the more tenderly by those who remember the author of their blessings. And so that the fullness of our goodwill may be known to you even now, we have caused a solemn oath to be sworn to you — one that will declare our purpose and secure the hope of all.
IIII.
DIVERSIS ROMANIS PER ITALIAM ET DALMATIAS CONSTITUTIS ATHALARICUS REX.
[1] Honorabile credimus indicare quod fama potuistis teste cognoscere. iure siquidem de se bene arbitrabitur aestimatum, qui regium meretur alloquium, quia dignitas est subiecti affatus meruisse dominantis, in ea praesertim causa, in qua omnium corda sic videntur esse sollicita, ut, si non cognoscant prosperum, credant semper adversum. nam qui audit mutatum, novum nihilominus formidat imperium. et re vera nescio quid triste creditur cogitare, qui tardat inter initia benigna promittere. [2] Quapropter locum sinistris cogitationibus amputantes aliter de nobis non patimur credi, quam quod de nostris parentibus potuit aestimari. et ideo, quod divinitate propitia dictum sit, glorioso domno avo nostro feliciter ordinante, tam Gothorum quam Romanorum praesentium pro munimine, indepti regni sacramenta suscepimus. quod vos quoque facturos esse libentissime iudicamus, ut, qui fideles parentibus nostris extitistis, nobis quoque simili devotione pareatis. [3] Suavius enim diligit heredem, qui beneficiorum recordatur auctorem. sed ut vobis benivolentiae nostrae iam nunc integritas innotescat, iuris iurandi vobis fecimus relligione promitti, quod et nostrum possit declarare propositum et spem debeat munire cunctorum.
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King Athalaric to the Romans of Italy and Dalmatia.
We consider it honorable to communicate what you could have learned from public report. For whoever receives a royal address has a right to form a good opinion of the estimation in which he is held, since it is a mark of distinction for a subject to have earned the speech of a sovereign — especially in a matter about which everyone's heart is so anxious that if they do not hear good news, they always fear the worst. The man who hears of a change of power inevitably dreads the new regime. And indeed, a ruler who delays in making generous promises at the outset is thought to be contemplating something grim.
We therefore cut off all room for dark thoughts and refuse to allow anyone to believe anything about us other than what could be expected from our forebears. And so — may it be spoken with God's favor — by the happy arrangement of our grandfather of glorious memory [Theodoric], we have received the oaths of allegiance from both Goths and Romans present, for the defense of our inherited kingdom. We judge that you too will do the same most willingly — that you who were faithful to our forebears will obey us with the same devotion.
For an heir is loved all the more tenderly by those who remember the author of their blessings. And so that the fullness of our goodwill may be known to you even now, we have caused a solemn oath to be sworn to you — one that will declare our purpose and secure the hope of all.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.