Letter 1030: VARIAE, BOOK 1, LETTER 30

30. KING THEODERIC TO THE SENATE OF THE CITY OF ROME. [1] Our mind, conscript fathers, warm with cares for the commonwealth and scrutinizing the designs of the various nations, has been struck again and again by the complaint of the peoples, arising indeed from trivial causes, but belching forth grievous excesses. For it laments that, for the pleasure of the spectacles, matters have come to the utmost peril, so that, the rule of the laws being trampled underfoot, an armed servile frenzy has desperately pursued the innocent, and what our humanity bestowed upon them as a cause of rejoicing, a boldness deserving punishment has turned into sorrow. This we restrain by the accustomed foresight of our clemency, lest by permitting it little by little we be compelled to avenge a graver offense. For it belongs to a kindly prince not so much to wish to punish faults as to remove them, that he be neither reckoned excessive by avenging harshly nor thought improvident by acting leniently. [2] And therefore by the present determination we ordain that, if the servant of any senator should perchance have been involved in the slaying of a freeborn man, he shall hand him over under accusation to the laws, so that, the nature of the deed having been examined, a sentence valid in law may be pronounced. But if a master in bad faith should defer presenting the one guilty of so great a crime to the courts, let him know that he is to be smitten with the loss of ten pounds of gold and, what is far graver, to undergo the perils of our displeasure. [3] But, that an equal balance might compose all ranks of honor and, with manners brought back, agree with the favor of civility, we have directed our precepts also to the people, which we gladly embrace to be disclosed to you, so that, the one injunction being weighed against the other, the broken concord may be mended for the citizens. Accordingly we remove no one from the joy of the spectacles, but we cut away the seeds of sedition by the root. [4] Let there be a difference, therefore, between your splendor and middling manners: shun such retainers as are the agents of injuries, who strive to ascribe to your favor what they do wrong, and who, while they desire to display their own frivolities, contend to entangle your reverence in them. For you, whom gravity always befits, do not savagely pursue the empty words of the peoples. If perchance there is anything committed that deserves punishment, let it be brought to the knowledge of the prefect of the city, so that the fault may be checked by the laws, not by a presumed wrong. For how does he who strives to avenge himself by excess differ from the one who sins? Vengeance upon a citizen that comes from the laws is not to be repented of: and he is seen to have triumphed excellently over the one assailed, who is pronounced victor by a judge. [5] Even among the adversaries themselves, as you know, there were not formerly armed contests, but a striving, however heated, provoked itself by fists (pugnae), whence the fight (pugna) also received its name. Afterward Belus first brought forth the iron sword, from whom it pleased that war (bellum) too be named. A savage counsel, a cruel defense, a beastly contention. For even if it was first granted to him to conquer the unarmed easily, nevertheless it must be charged as a crime, that posterity thereafter could perish by it. Do not therefore permit to be done by your servants against the citizens what even against enemies ought still to be accused.

XXX. SENATUI URBIS ROMAE THEODERICUS REX. [1] Animum nostrum, patres conscripti, rei publicae curis calentem et diversarum gentium consilia perscrutantem pulsavit saepius querela populorum, orta quidem ex causis levibus, sed graves eructavit excessus. deplorat enim pro spectaculorum voluptate ad discriminis se ultima pervenisse, ut legum ratione calcata desperate persequeretur innoxios servilis furor armatus, et quod illis humanitas nostra laetitiae causa praestitit, in tristitiam audacia plectenda convertit. quod nos elementiae nostrae solita provisione comprimimus, ne paulatim sinendo graviorem vindicare cogamur offensam. benigni quippe principis est non tam delicta velle punire quam tollere, ne aut acriter vindicando aestimetur nimius aut leniter agendo putetur improvidus. [2] Atque ideo praesenti definitione sancimus, ut, si cuiuspiam senatoris famulus in ingenui caede fuerit fortasse versatus, eum tradat legibus impetitum, ut facti qualitate discussa proferatur iure valitura sententia. si vero tanti facinoris reum mala fide dominus iudiciis praesentare distulerit, noverit se decem librarum auri dispendio vulnerandum et nostrae ingratitudinis, quod multo gravius est, pericula subiturum. [3] Sed ut honestatum omnium par libra componeret et civilitatis gratia reductis moribus conveniret, ad populum quoque praecepta nostra direximus, quae vobis reserari libenter amplectimur, ut alterutra iussione pensata resarciatur civibus scissa concordia. proinde nullos ab spectaculorum gaudio removemus, sed seditionis semina radicitus amputamus. [4] Intersit igitur inter splendorem vestrum moresque mediocres: refugite tales familiares, qui sint iniuriarum ministri, qui amori vestro nitantur ascribere quod delinquunt et dum levitates suas exerere cupiunt, vestram reverentiam implicare contendunt. vos enim, quos semper gravitas decet, nolite truculenter insequi inania verba populorum. si quod est forte, quod poenam mereatur, admissum, in praefecti urbis notitiam deferatur, ut culpa legibus, non per praesumptam coerceatur iniuriam. quid enim discrepat a peccante, qui se per excessum nititur vindicare? impaenitenda est ultio de cive, quae legibus venit: et excellenter videtur de pulsato triumphasse, qui victor pronuntiatur a iudice. [5] Inter ipsos quoque adversarios, ut scitis, non erant prius armata certamina, sed pugnis se quamlibet fervida lacessebat intentio, unde et pugna nomen accepit. postea Belus ferreum gladium primus produxit, a quo et bellum placuit nominari. consilium atrox, crudele praesidium, ferina concertatio. nam et si datum est prius illi inermem facile vincere, tamen crimini applicandum est, quod inde posteritas potuit interire. non permittatis ergo a famulis vestris in civibus fieri quod adhuc debet et in hostibus accusari.