VARIAE, BOOK 8, LETTER 13
From: King Athalaric, writing through Cassiodorus
To: Ambrosius, Distinguished Quaestor
Date: ~526-534 AD
Context: The appointment of Ambrosius as quaestor — Cassiodorus traces his career from legal advocacy to imperial service, and invokes the famous declaration of Emperor Trajan to his quaestor Pliny: "Take up the pen — if I rule well, for the state and for me; if badly, for the state and against me."
[1] A man who has proven himself in lesser things ascends to the heights with confidence, and advances with sure footing when he achieves his desire step by step. Whatever is sudden seems unearned, and what arrives without testing cannot escape the suspicion of the untried. By contrast, everything that is deliberate is strong, and a man promoted after demonstrating his worth through praiseworthy service is believed to have earned his place entirely through good conduct.
[2] Long ago, among the exercises of letters, you were singled out by that discerning judge of merit who could foresee the future in his own judgments. You were placed in charge of the private largesses — an honor that would have been modest except that you made it grow. Through your handling, the goodwill of the sovereign increased, so that you were frequently entrusted with tasks beyond what your office required. If it is praiseworthy to be merely equal to modest honors, how much more remarkable to have surpassed through character the dignity of the court itself.
[3] You were brought in to draft official documents when another was dismissed for his failures, and your talent sustained an office left in suspense — you would not allow the palace to lack a judge whose position we had temporarily revoked. Our times are not inferior to the past: we have followers and rivals of the ancients.
[4] And so, once again, eminence of talent has brought you to the quaestorship. Restore Pliny and take up Trajan [Pliny the Younger served as a trusted advisor and correspondent of Emperor Trajan]. You have great things to say, if you too shine with similar eloquence. The reputation of an era is born from lawful and eloquent commands. All good things are multiplied by a skilled tongue, and what we decree is adorned by the grace of the drafter. Be ready to suggest good things to us and stand firm against the presumption of the wicked. Speak to our ears even what is entirely in our interest. A good ruler is one who permits justice to be spoken to him, and it is the mark of tyrannical savagery to refuse to hear the established decrees of ancient law.
[5] We certainly renew that most famous saying of Trajan: "Take up the pen — if I am a good ruler, for the state and for me; if a bad one, for the state and against me." But see what we ask of you, when we do not permit even ourselves to do anything unjust. Let our decrees echo the statutes of the ancients, which gain as much sweetness of praise as they take on the flavor of antiquity.
[6] We do not love in others the prejudice that we ourselves abhor. We bind you to the entire community by commanding that the laws be observed without exception. We say this now so that you may be seen to have consulted wisely for all. It is proper to give warning in advance, so that you are not later compelled to correct the failings of others.
XIII.
AMBROSIO V. I. QUAESTORI ATHALARICUS REX.
[1] Securus celsa conscendit, qui se in paulo minoribus approbavit et certo procedit vestigio, qui gradatim desiderio potitur accepto. sine merito siquidem remuneratum putatur omne quod subitum est nec inexplorati suspicionem refugit, quod repente provenerit. contra omnia deliberata robusta sunt et totum bonis actibus optinuisse creditur, qui post documenta laudatae militiae promovetur. [2] Dudum inter gymnasia litterarum adscitus ab illo inspectore meritorum, qui iudiciis suis etiam futura praedicebat, privatarum largitionum fascibus praefuisti: honor, nisi ex te crevisset, exiguus, quem tu suscipiens patrocinium meritorum ita gratia dominantis auxisti, ut tibi saepe committeretur quod dignitas non habebat. quod si laudabile est vel mediocribus esse honoribus parem, quanto praestantius vicisse moribus aulicam dignitatem. haec cum tu sub tanto iudice laudata perageres, gratiam quoque loci alterius invenisti. [3] Dictationibus enim probaris adhibitus, cum sit offensionibus alter expulsus, et ita suspensum honorem tuum sustinebat ingenium, ut palatio deesse non sineres iudicem, cuius ad tempus abrogatam cognovimus dignitatem. non sunt imparia tempora nostra transactis: habemus sequaces aemulosque priscorum. [4] Ecce iterum ad quaesturam eminens evenit ingenio. redde nunc Plinium et sume Traianum. habes magna quae dicas, si et tu simili oratione resplendeas. fama temporum de legitima atque eloquenti iussione generatur. omnia si quidem bona cumulat lingua diserta et quod a nobis praecipitur, gratia dictantis ornatur. esto nobis ad bona suggerenda promptissimus et adversum improbitatem male praesumentium constanter erectus. dic etiam auribus nostris quod est omnino pro nobis. bonus princeps ille est, cui licet pro iustitia loqui, et contra tyrannicae feritatis indicium audire nolle constituta veterum sanctionum. [5] Renovamus certe dictum illud celeberrimum Traiani: sume dictationem, si bonus fuero, pro re publica et me, si malus, pro re publica in me. sed vide quid a te quaeramus, quando nec nobis aliquid iniustum licere permittimus. decreta ergo nostra priscorum resonent constituta, quae tantam suavitatem laudis inveniunt, quantum saporem vetustatis assumunt. [6] Praeiudicia, quae nos horremus, in aliis non amamus. obligamus te certe generalitati, dum absolute praecipimus iura servari. quod ideo nunc dicimus, ut opportune omnibus in te consuluisse videamur. decet enim praemonere, ne te iam tardius post aliena pericula videamur velle corrigere. bonorum exempla sequere et nobilitatis tuae memor incede. illi digne ad vitia generis sui redeunt, qui contemptibili stirpe nascuntur. [7] His igitur in bonum publicum praedictis per quintam feliciter indictionem quaesturae tibi insignia deo praestante concedimus, honorem prudentium, fontem omnium dignitatum, quando exinde procedit, quod indulgentiae nostrae largitate manaverit. age ut, qui ad consilium nostrum adscisceris, prudentia cunctis et gravitate praeminere noscaris. nam quid tibi conveniat, vides. vox legum diceris, dum nos iura condamus. incumbe nunc probitati vel fidei, ut, sicut te prior honor dignum fecit alteri, ita secundus tertiae faciat dignitati.
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VARIAE, BOOK 8, LETTER 13
From: King Athalaric, writing through Cassiodorus To: Ambrosius, Distinguished Quaestor Date: ~526-534 AD Context: The appointment of Ambrosius as quaestor — Cassiodorus traces his career from legal advocacy to imperial service, and invokes the famous declaration of Emperor Trajan to his quaestor Pliny: "Take up the pen — if I rule well, for the state and for me; if badly, for the state and against me."
[1] A man who has proven himself in lesser things ascends to the heights with confidence, and advances with sure footing when he achieves his desire step by step. Whatever is sudden seems unearned, and what arrives without testing cannot escape the suspicion of the untried. By contrast, everything that is deliberate is strong, and a man promoted after demonstrating his worth through praiseworthy service is believed to have earned his place entirely through good conduct.
[2] Long ago, among the exercises of letters, you were singled out by that discerning judge of merit who could foresee the future in his own judgments. You were placed in charge of the private largesses — an honor that would have been modest except that you made it grow. Through your handling, the goodwill of the sovereign increased, so that you were frequently entrusted with tasks beyond what your office required. If it is praiseworthy to be merely equal to modest honors, how much more remarkable to have surpassed through character the dignity of the court itself.
[3] You were brought in to draft official documents when another was dismissed for his failures, and your talent sustained an office left in suspense — you would not allow the palace to lack a judge whose position we had temporarily revoked. Our times are not inferior to the past: we have followers and rivals of the ancients.
[4] And so, once again, eminence of talent has brought you to the quaestorship. Restore Pliny and take up Trajan [Pliny the Younger served as a trusted advisor and correspondent of Emperor Trajan]. You have great things to say, if you too shine with similar eloquence. The reputation of an era is born from lawful and eloquent commands. All good things are multiplied by a skilled tongue, and what we decree is adorned by the grace of the drafter. Be ready to suggest good things to us and stand firm against the presumption of the wicked. Speak to our ears even what is entirely in our interest. A good ruler is one who permits justice to be spoken to him, and it is the mark of tyrannical savagery to refuse to hear the established decrees of ancient law.
[5] We certainly renew that most famous saying of Trajan: "Take up the pen — if I am a good ruler, for the state and for me; if a bad one, for the state and against me." But see what we ask of you, when we do not permit even ourselves to do anything unjust. Let our decrees echo the statutes of the ancients, which gain as much sweetness of praise as they take on the flavor of antiquity.
[6] We do not love in others the prejudice that we ourselves abhor. We bind you to the entire community by commanding that the laws be observed without exception. We say this now so that you may be seen to have consulted wisely for all. It is proper to give warning in advance, so that you are not later compelled to correct the failings of others.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.