From: Athalaric (through Cassiodorus), King of the Ostrogoths
To: The Senate of the City of Rome
Date: ~527 AD
Context: Athalaric announces the appointment of Senator (Cassiodorus's father) as Praetorian Prefect, heaping praise on his entire family's record of service.
We have crowned with our benefits the man already rich in virtues, wealthy in character, and full of great honors -- Senator. If you consider his merits, Senators, you will acknowledge that successive distinctions only make him more glorious, like the athlete who is celebrated more for his many crowns than for any single one, or the chariot driver at Olympia who is ennobled by frequent palms.
His family's devotion to the state is remarkable across the generations. His great-grandfather served faithfully when the empire was at its most perilous. His grandfather proved himself in the most demanding circumstances. His father, whom we ourselves had the privilege of knowing, adorned the palace with the purity of his conscience and gave the people a deep peace. Now the son rises to the highest civil office -- the Praetorian Prefecture -- carrying forward a tradition that stretches back further than most living memories.
We commend him to you not merely because of his ancestry, though that alone would be impressive, but because he has proven in his own career that the family virtues have not diminished but grown. His judgment is sound, his learning deep, his integrity beyond question. He will serve as Praetorian Prefect with the same distinction that marked each of his previous offices.
Welcome him, Senators, as a colleague in the great work of governing this state. In honoring him, you honor the principle that faithful service is recognized and rewarded -- a principle that gives every ambitious young man reason to serve well, knowing that his efforts will not be forgotten.
XXV.
SENATUI URBIS ROMAE ATHALARICUS REX.
[1] Cumulavimus quidem, patres conscripti, beneficiis nostris copiosum virtutibus, divitem moribus, plenum magnis honoribus Senatorem: cuius si merita consideretis, debemus omne quod solvimus. qua enim compensatione commendandus est, qui aures dominantium luculenta saepius praedicatione complevit, dignitates sibi creditas eximia gravitate tractavit et nisus est tempora facere quae merito laudarentur in principe. trahebat regnantis animum veritas et disertitudo dictorum, cui sic omnia retulit, ut miraretur ipse qui fecit. [2] Allegavit solus quod omnes iuvaret et dum purpuratas auditori suo fenerat laudes, gratiosum vobis nostrum fecit inperium. commendat enim suam gentem, qui oratione placabili permulcet regiam summitatem, quando ex vobis et alter talis creditur, a quo similia postulentur. [3] Patrem quoque clementiae nostrae in ipsa curia Libertatis qua disertitudine devotus asseruit! recolitis quemadmodum facta eius orator nobilis excolebat, virtutes ipsius plus mirabiles faciens quam honores. in absoluto datur probare quod dicimus. aestimate, patres conscripti, quali gratia potuistis ab illo respici, a quorum se corpore sic videbat ornari. gloriosis quippe dominis gratiora sunt praeconia quam tributa, quia stipendium et tyranno penditur, praedicatio autem nisi bono principi non debetur. quid, praeconiales viri, creditis his tantum fuisse contentum, ut dominos niteretur laudare superstites, a quibus dum vicissitudo praemiorum forsitan quaeritur, laboris taedia non vitantur? [4] Tetendit se etiam in antiquam prosapiem nostram, lectione discens quod vix maiorum notitia cana retinebat. iste reges Gothorum longa oblivione celatos latibulo vetustatis eduxit. iste Hamalos cum generis sui claritate restituit, evidenter ostendens in septimam decimam progeniem stirpem nos habere regalem. [5] Originem Gothicam historiam fecit esse Romanam, colligens quasi in unam coronam germen floridum quod per librorum campos passim fuerat ante dispersum. [6] Perpendite, quantum vos in nostra laude dilexerit, qui vestri principis nationem docuit ab antiquitate mirabilem, ut, sicut fuistis a maioribus vestris semper nobiles aestimati, ita vobis antiqua regum progenies inperaret. cedimus, patres conscripti, et si adhuc referre volumus, beneficia collata superantur. [7] Nostris quoque principiis quanto se labore concessit, cum novitas regni multa posceret ordinari? erat solus ad universa sufficiens: ipsum dictatio publica, ipsum consilia nostra poscebant, et labore huius actum est, ne laboraret inperium. [8] Reperimus eum quidem magistrum, sed implevit nobis quaestoris officium et mercedes iustissima devotione persolvens cautelam, quam ab auctore nostro didicerat, libenter heredis utilitatibus exhibebat. verum his aliquid maius adiciens primordia regni nostri et armis iuvit et litteris. nam dum curae litorum regias cogitationes incesserent, subito a litterarum penetralibus eiectus par suis maioribus ducatum sumpsit intrepidus, cui quia defuit hostis, moribus triumphavit eximiis. [9] Nam deputatos Gothos propriis pavit expensis, ut nec provinciales percelleret nec fiscum nostrum expensarum oneribus ingravaret. arma eius nulla possessorum damna senserunt. fuit nimirum provinciarum verissimus custos: nam ille defensor proprie dicendus est, qui tuetur innoxie. [10] Mox autem ut tempus clausit navium commeatum bellique cura resoluta est, ingenium suum legum potius auctor exercuit, sanans sine damno litigantium quod ante sub pretio constabat esse laceratum. talem Metelli in Asia, talem Catonis in Hispania legitis fuisse ducatum, qui plus de sua disciplina quam per arma laudati sunt: non iniuria, quia hostem congredi varius semper eventus est, indubitata vero gloria morum custodisse mensuram. [11] Quid ergo? num quid tali actione praesumens aliqua se elatione iactavit, dum familiare est hominibus extolli, cum bene de se cognoverint aestimari? nonne tanta se communione tractavit, ut principis sibi gratiam ad beneficia tantum crederet esse concessam, benivolus cunctis, moderatus in prosperis, ignorans nisi graviter lacessitus irasci? qui cum sit iustitia rigidus, ad remissiones irarum non perdurat austerus: suarum rerum distributor egregius et dum nesciat aliena quaerere, novit propria largus offerre. hos igitur mores lectio divina solidavit, quando semper bene geritur, si caelestis metus humanis motibus obponatur. hinc enim virtutum omnium sumitur manifesta cognitio: hinc sapientia veritatis sapore conditur. sic ad omnia redditur humilis, quem inbuit doctrina caelestis. [12] Huic ergo, patres conscripti, deo auspice a duodecima indictione praefecturae praetorianae regendam tribuimus dignitatem, ut querellas omnes infidelium nundinatione collectas deo praestante sua integritate componat faciatque tam nimium desideratus, ut cunctis possit esse beneficus. assint superna dispositis, ut quem nos probavimus longa conversatione prudentem, prosperrimus sibi, fidelissimus nobis, utilis rei publicae debeat inveniri et relinquat posteris famam, per quam gloriosam saeculis suam faciat esse familiam.
Cassiodorus
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From:Athalaric (through Cassiodorus), King of the Ostrogoths
To:The Senate of the City of Rome
Date:~527 AD
Context:Athalaric announces the appointment of Senator (Cassiodorus's father) as Praetorian Prefect, heaping praise on his entire family's record of service.
We have crowned with our benefits the man already rich in virtues, wealthy in character, and full of great honors -- Senator. If you consider his merits, Senators, you will acknowledge that successive distinctions only make him more glorious, like the athlete who is celebrated more for his many crowns than for any single one, or the chariot driver at Olympia who is ennobled by frequent palms.
His family's devotion to the state is remarkable across the generations. His great-grandfather served faithfully when the empire was at its most perilous. His grandfather proved himself in the most demanding circumstances. His father, whom we ourselves had the privilege of knowing, adorned the palace with the purity of his conscience and gave the people a deep peace. Now the son rises to the highest civil office -- the Praetorian Prefecture -- carrying forward a tradition that stretches back further than most living memories.
We commend him to you not merely because of his ancestry, though that alone would be impressive, but because he has proven in his own career that the family virtues have not diminished but grown. His judgment is sound, his learning deep, his integrity beyond question. He will serve as Praetorian Prefect with the same distinction that marked each of his previous offices.
Welcome him, Senators, as a colleague in the great work of governing this state. In honoring him, you honor the principle that faithful service is recognized and rewarded -- a principle that gives every ambitious young man reason to serve well, knowing that his efforts will not be forgotten.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.