Letter 8010: VARIAE, BOOK 8, LETTER 10

X. KING ATHALARIC TO THE SENATE OF THE CITY OF ROME. [1] You have, conscript fathers, grounds on which you ought to render thanks to your glorious prince, since we have conferred the dignity of your order upon the most exalted man Tuluin, who shines also by our kinship. For the genius of peace has been increased by the ornament of radiant iron, nor does the toga lie ungirded, having now been made ready for the field. Before this we conferred honors upon you, but now we have raised up the very dignity itself. Through all men is poured back, beyond doubt, that splendor which a present patrician can possess: since such is the nature of purest light, that it shines back even upon those nearest to it. [2] But although the candidate is most well known to you, who clung with such illustrious and long-continued services to our lord grandfather [Theodoric], yet it is pleasing to recount again those things which clearly pertain to the glory of him who shaped him. [3] First, what is most distinguished among the nations, he glories in the most noble stock of the Goths. As soon as he left his infancy among his parents, he straightway carried his untried years into the secrets of the sacred bedchamber, conducting himself not as his age, but rather as his post, required. For although all services to kings must be performed under caution, there all the more fear is acquired, the more nearly one is held. It is exceedingly arduous to have deserved the secret confidence of a prince, where, if anything is known to be betrayed, it is feared even from another. These storms their governor passed through without offense, dear to the chief men, always acceptable to his colleagues, so that even then it seemed to be a presage of great good fortune to have deserved the favor of all. [4] When his age began to grow into youth and his tender years to be hardened into the robust boldness of his people, he was directed to the Sirmian expedition: so that what he had learned in words from that martial man, he might display in the open freedom of the fields. He won a triumph over the Huns among others, and, beginning his well-earned praise in his first encounters, he put to death the Bulgars, who are terrible throughout the whole world. Such warriors do our cradles send forth: thus are hands made ready, where the spirit is exercised. Reared in leisured service, he subdued the toilsome, and what he had not learned by exercise, valor, inclined to it, supplied. [5] He returned suddenly to the prince a veteran, having gone out in his first youth, so that he might be believed always to have devoted himself not to peaceful services, but to arms. That searcher of deeds and rewarder of good men, beholding this, entrusted to him the vigor of the royal house through contemplation of his valor, so that he whom wars had proved ingenious might be mingled in the counsels of the most valiant king: subtle in devising, robust in carrying out, most cautious in concealing. He held the post deservedly of the public secret: with the king himself he disposed battles, with the king himself the even-handed conduct of affairs, and he had joined himself to such a likeness of his thinking that, the cases having been reviewed, what the king could wish, this man performed of his own accord. He aided the defender of all by his deliberations, and by ministering counsel he himself governed the governor. [6] The Gallic expedition also reminds us, where, now directed among the leaders, he most readily brought both his prudence to wars and himself to dangers. Arles is a city set above the waters of the Rhone, which carries a planked bridge facing toward the east across the back of the river so named. To take this both was necessary for the enemy and to defend it for our people. Wherefore the most violent struggles of Goths and Franks were stirred up at that time. [7] There, amid uncertain affairs, was present the boldness of the candidate, where he fought with such contention against the masses of the enemy that he both drove the foe back from their desires and received wounds as the marks of his deeds: wounds, I say, an inseparable repute, a proclamation without an advocate, valor's own tongue, which, though they bring present danger, yet adorn the remaining time of life. For the unharmed body needs witnesses; it seeks others to spread abroad what they have seen: of proven fortitude there is no doubt, which is attested by such testimony. The conflict of brave men hurls back mutual weapons, nor was he ever safe who contended with a numerous foe. The blow of one man perhaps is cleverly evaded: he who resists many takes a wound from the quarter he did not expect: which things are now glorious in the same measure as they then held dangers. It is pleasing therefore to relate the peaceful example of the bravest man's good fortune, because it is not perfect praise in a leader always to allege anxious labors. [8] He is sent therefore, while Frank and Burgundian were contending, again to guard the Gallic provinces, lest the hostile band should presume upon anything which our army had at the cost of labors vindicated. He acquired for the Roman commonwealth, while others contended, a province without any fatigue, and there came about a peaceful advantage of ours, where we had no peril through warlike contention: a triumph without a fight, a palm without labor, a victory without slaughter. So much therefore do we owe to his glory as we received of advantage: whom that arbiter of affairs also judged worthy to be honored with a grant of revenues, so that he should there become lord of possessions, where he procured increase for the public benefit. [9] The Aquileian storm too we rightly recall among his prosperities, because dangers, while they end happily, leave behind the sense of a most sweet memory. When, with the winds raging, the foam of the waves bore witness to the raging sea, the swelling flood swallowed up the long-tossed ship, leaving the brave man no solace except only the oars of his arms. Then, while the sailors were perishing, this man alone escaped with a dear pledge [his child]. [10] There the love of the most dutiful king, there the merit of the man in peril was proven, when that ruler, scarcely set upon the shore, in order to prevail in snatching him from destruction, desired to enter the waves again. Then he dreaded that man's dangers, who knew not to fear for his own safety. [11] Does he not seem to you, conscript fathers, to have been divinely rescued from harsh chances, for whom the present outcome was being prepared? This man therefore, exercised in wars, illustrious in good fortune, approved in prudence, we have raised up—be it said under God's auspice—to the summit of the present patriciate. Favor now the auspices of the candidate, and open to our men the halls of Liberty. It befits the Romulean race to have martial men as colleagues.

X. SENATUI URBIS ROMAE ATHALARICUS REX. [1] Habetis, patres conscripti, unde glorioso principi gratiam referre debeatis, quando praecelso viro Toluin et nostra affinitate fulgenti vestri ordinis contulimus dignitatem. auctus est enim pacis genius de ferri radiantis ornatu nec discincta iacet toga iam procinctualis effecta. ante vobis contulimus honores, sed nunc ipsam ereximus dignitatem. per omnes est nimirum splendor refusus, quem praesens potest habere patricius: quando illa est natura purissimi luminis, quae relucet et proximis. [2] Sed quamvis sit vobis notissimus candidatus, qui domni avi nostri tam claris ac diuturnis adhaesit obsequiis, tamen iuvat illa repetere, quae constat ad institutoris eius gloriam pertinere. [3] Primum, quod inter nationes eximium est, Gothorum nobilissima stirpe gloriatur. qui mox inter parentes infantiam reliquit, statim rudes annos ad sacri cubiculi secreta portavit, agens non ut aetas, sed ut locus potius expetebat. nam licet omnia regum obsequia sub cautela peragenda sint, illic tanto amplius timoris adquiritur, quanto proximus plus habetur. arduum nimis est meruisse principis secretum, ubi si quid cognoscitur prodi, vel ab alio formidatur. has procellas moderator sui sine offensione transmisit, carus summatibus, collegis semper acceptus, ut iam tunc magnae felicitatis videretur esse praesagium gratiam meruisse cunctorum. [4] Cuius ut coepit aetas adulescere tenerique anni in robustam gentis audaciam condurari, ad expeditionem directus est Sirmensem: ut quod ab illo Martio viro verbis didicerat, in camporum libertate monstraret. egit de Hunnis inter alios triumphum et emeritam laudem primis congressibus auspicatus neci dedit Bulgares toto orbe terribiles. tales mittunt nostra cunabula bellatores: sic paratae sunt manus, ubi exercetur animus. nutritus in otioso servitio laboriosos subegit et quod exercitatione non didicit, virtus prona complevit. [5] Rediit subito ad principem veteranus egressus primaevus, ut non pacatis obsequiis, sed armis semper studuisse crederetur. hoc rimator ille actuum et bonorum remunerator inspiciens vigorem illi regiae domus virtutis contemplatione commisit, ut quem ingeniosum bella probaverant, fortissimi regis consiliis misceretur, ad invenienda subtilis, ad implenda robustus, ad celanda cautissimus. egit locum merito publici secreti: cum ipso proelia, cum ipso negotiorum aequabilia disponebat et in tantam se similitudinem eius cogitationis adiunxerat, ut causis recognitis, quod ille velle poterat, iste sua sponte peragebat. defensorem omnium suis tractatibus adiuvabat et ministrando consilium regebat ipse rectorem. [6] Ammonet etiam expeditio Gallicana, ubi iam inter duces directus et prudentiam suam bellis et pericula promptissimus ingerebat. Arelatus est civitas supra undas Rhodani constituta, quae in orientis prospectum tabulatum pontem per nuncupati fluminis dorsa transmittit. hunc et hostibus capere et nostris defendere necessarium fuit. quapropter excitata sunt Gothorum Francorumque validissima ea tempestate certamina. [7] Affuit illic dubiis rebus audacia candidati, ubi tanta cum globis hostium concertatione pugnavit, ut et inimicos a suis desideriis amoveret et vulnera factorum suorum signa susciperet: vulnera inquam, opinio inseparabilis, sine assertore praeconium, propria lingua virtutis, quae licet ad praesens periculum ingerant, reliquum tamen vitae tempus exornant. eget enim astipulatoribus corpus illaesum, quaerit alios, qui visa divulgent: de fortitudine probata non ambigitur, quae tali testimonio comprobatur. conflictus virorum fortium mutua tela refluit nec semper tutus fuit, qui cum numeroso hoste contendit. unius forsitan ictus sollerter eluditur: qui multis resistit, a parte qua non credidit vulnus excipit: quae in tantum nunc sunt gloriosa, quantum tunc habuere pericula. iuvat igitur fortissimi viri narrare quietum felicitatis exemplum, quia non est in duce perfecta laus asserere semper anxios labores. [8] Mittitur igitur, Franco et Burgundio decertantibus, rursus ad Gallias tuendas, ne quid adversa manus praesumeret, quod noster exercitus impensis laboribus vindicasset. adquisivit rei publicae Romanae aliis contendentibus absque ulla fatigatione provinciam et factum est quietum commodum nostrum, ubi non habuimus bellica contentione periculum: triumphus sine pugna, sine labore palma, sine caede victoria. tantum ergo eius gloriae debemus, quantum utilitatis accepimus: quem et ille arbiter rerum largitione redituum iudicavit esse prosequendum, ut ibi fieret dominus possessionum, ubi utilitati publicae procuravit augmentum. [9] Aquileiensem quoque tempestatem inter eius prospera iure memoramus, quia discrimina, dum feliciter cedunt, suavissimae memoriae sensum relinquunt. cum ventis saevientibus furentem pelagum spuma testaretur undarum, diu iactatum navigium tumens fluctus absorbuit, nullum relinquens forti viro solacium nisi tantum remigia brachiorum. tunc iste nautis pereuntibus cum caro pignore solus evasit. [10] Ibi amor piissimi regis, ibi meritum probatum est periclitantis, quando regnator ille vix litori constitutus, ut eum exitio praevaleret eripere, undas iterum desiderabat intrare. tunc eius pericula formidavit, qui saluti propriae timere nescivit. [11] Nonno vobis, patres conscripti, asperis casibus divinitus videtur exemptus, cui praesens parabatur eventus? hunc itaque virum bellis exercitatum, felicitate clarum, prudentia comprobatum, quod deo auspice dictum sit, ad patriciatus praesentalis culmen eveximus. favete nunc auspiciis candidati et viris nostris Libertatis atria reserate. convenit gentem Romuleam Martios viros habere collegas.