Letter 2039: If we wish to preserve the marvels heard about from antiquity for the praise of our reign -- since it adds to a...

39. KING THEODERIC TO ALOIOSUS THE ARCHITECT. [1] If we wish to preserve the marvels of the ancients as a praise of our own clemency, since they are increases of royal glory when nothing diminishes under our rule, with what zeal is it fitting that what is frequently presented even to our own eyes should be restored? For it delights us to recall the power of health-bringing Aponus [the hot springs at Abano], so that you may understand with what longing we desire to repair that which never knows how to depart from our memory. [2] We have seen the blue-green spring boiling in the shape of a great jar with its hollow openings, and the furnaces of panting waters crowned, by a praiseworthy arrangement of nature, with a smooth rim drawn around them: which, although after the manner of hot water they exhale misty vapors, nevertheless open up to human gaze such a pleasing clarity that any man would desire to touch that loveliness, even though he is not unaware that it burns. With its mouth most full, in the likeness of a sphere, the backs of the waters swell above their own bounds, whence the liquid flows down with such quiet, runs down with such seeming stillness, that you would not think it to be rising, except that you perceive something to issue thence with a hoarse murmur. [3] The waters come through chilling channels kindled with such heat that, after the curving stretches which have been made longer by art, they are to render the greatest warmth. O the ever-wondrous skill of the master, that he so tempered the ardor of raging nature to the benefit of the human body, that what at its origin could give death, most learnedly moderated, should bestow both delight and health! It is a joy to behold the secret: liquids exhaling fiery vapors, a heat friendly to the waves without ceasing, and warmth coming by the downflow of a stream, whence it was usually wont to be quenched. Rightly do the philosophers say that the elements are bound to one another by mutual interweavings and joined in a marvelous compact, those which are understood to fight among themselves by contrary variety. [4] Behold, it is agreed that the moist substance produces fiery vapors, which, when it has presently reached the beautiful buildings of the baths, the wave descending, dashed against the rocks, both kindles the air with its own quality and becomes pleasant to the touch when it has been received in the bathing-places: whence not so much delicious pleasure is acquired as soothing medicine is conferred. Namely, cure without torment, remedies without dread, health unpunished, baths assigned against the various pains of the body. And for this reason antiquity named it Aponus in the Greek tongue, that is, "beneficial," so that the sick man might recognize the cause of so great a remedy, since concerning such a name he might have no doubt. [5] But among the other good qualities of the place itself we have also learned that this too is to be marveled at, that one nature of the flowing waters appears suited to diverse services. For at once, dashed against the receiving rock, it breathes out the sweating quality of the first chamber: then, descending mitigated into the basin, with its menacing ardor laid aside, it softens into a pleasant moderateness: next, drawn into a neighboring place, when it has grown sluggish with some delay, it grows far more gently lukewarm: finally, that very warmth too being abandoned, in the Neronian pool it becomes as cold as it is felt to have first been boiling. [6] Not without merit, sharing the name of its author, it is a colleague with the greenness of gems, so that, clear with the very color of the glassy element, calm though it is, it sets in motion certain trembling waves. But that the bath itself too might be rendered cleaner, by a certain astonishing discipline of restraint, into the wave by which men are refreshed, if a woman should descend, it is set ablaze, for the reason that to the women too another fine provision has been allotted: namely, lest they should not believe that the most fertile place of burning waters had a source whence it might bestow very much, if both sexes should use one gift in common. [7] This perpetuity of the waters affords an indication for understanding that the well-watered purity of the boiled spring, flowing in through fiery veins of the earth by hidden passages, bursts forth from deep within into the open air. For if that burning had belonged to the nature itself, it would not have been lost without the destruction of the substance: but the perceptible matter of water, just as it contracted a foreign fire, so again easily received its native coldness. [8] That medicinal power affords also another kind of aid. For beside the head of the sparkling spring provident nature has formed for itself a certain passage. Here, set above it, a seat which is pierced for human necessities in the shape of an apse receives the sick as they flow with internal moisture: where, while wearied with too much languor they have sat down, recreated by the delight of that vapor they both refresh their weary innards and bind up by vital dryness the humors loosened by harmful infusion: and as if refreshed by some desirable food they may presently be found stronger, so to the medicinal substance there comes from the sulfur that which is warm, from the saltiness that which dries. Not to hand on such things to posterity is grievously to sin through a long age. [9] Wherefore let the ancient solidity of the buildings there be renewed, so that whether in the conduits or in the baths anything is to be repaired, it ought to be reconstructed under your supervision. Let also the harmful shrubs that spring up with troublesome readiness be removed, their turf torn up, lest certain hairlike roots, swelling little by little, insert themselves into the very bowels of the structures and, after the manner of a viper, nourish for themselves offspring by a fecundity contrary to themselves, whereby the about-to-fall framework breaks itself apart. [10] Strengthen also by continual repair the palace that has been shaken by long old age. The space which lies between the public building and the head of the fiery spring, cleanse of its wild roughness. Let the fair face of the countryside laugh with flowering grass: nay, it even rejoices in the fertility of the burning water, and in a marvelous manner, while close by it generates barren salt, it nourishes the green growths as well. [11] But the land of Antenor [Padua] is fertile not only in these benefits: it brings also others, at which you would be much more greatly astonished. Those hearts, so to speak, of the mountains settle contentious disputes in the place of a council-chamber. For if anyone perchance has presumed to strip a stolen beast of its natural hairs in the usual manner, it is necessary, plunged again and again into the burning waves, that he boil it before he can prevail to clean it. O council-chamber truly to be revered by right, since in these waters it is agreed that there is not only sense but even true judgment, and what cannot be resolved by human altercation has been given to be determined by the equity of the springs. There silent nature speaks while it judges, and in a certain manner pronounces a sentence which shuts out the perfidy of the denier. [12] But who would neglect to preserve these things, however much he be befouled by very great stinginess? Since indeed it adorns the kingdom, which has been singularly named throughout the whole world. And therefore, as for the money which has been given to you, if it should not be able to fulfill the undertaken work, you will indicate to us by dispatched briefs how much more you believe must yet be expended, since we are not burdened to expend it, that we may seem to guard the walls of so great a domain.

XXXVIIII. ALOIOSO ARCHITECTO THEODERICUS REX. [1] Si audita veterum miracula ad laudem clementiae nostrae volumus continere, quoniam augmenta regalis gloriae sunt, cum sub nobis nulla decrescunt, quo studio convenit reparari quod etiam nostris oculis frequenter constat offerri? delectat enim salutiferi Aponi meminisse potentiam, ut intellegas, quo desiderio cupimus reficere quod de memoria nostra nescit exire. [2] Caerulum fontem vidimus in formam dolii concavis hiatibus aestuantem et fornaces anhelantium aquarum circumducto tereti labio naturae probabili dispositione coronatas: quae licet more calidae nebulosos vapores exhalent, hanc tamen iucundam perspicuitatem aspectibus humanis aperiunt, ut quivis hominum illam gratiam desideret contingere, etiam cum non ignoret ardere. ore plenissimo in sphaerae similitudine supra terminos suos aquarum dorsa turgescunt, unde latex tanta quiete defluit, tanta quasi stabilitate decurrit, ut eum non putes crescere, nisi quia inde aliquid rauco murmure sentis exire. [3] Veniunt aquae per algentes meatus tali fervore succensae, ut post recurva spatia, quae arte facta sunt longiora, calores sint maximos redditurae. o magistri mirandum semper ingenium, ut naturae furentis ardorem ita ad utilitatem humani corporis temperaret, ut quod in origine dare poterat mortem, doctissime moderatum et delectationem tribueret et salutem! iuvat videre secretum, latices vapores igneos exhalantes, amicum undis indesinenter ardorem, et calorem venire decursu rivi, unde usualiter solebat extingui. merito dicunt philosophi elementa sibi mutuis complexionibus illigari et mirabili coniungi foederatione, quae inter se contraria intelleguntur varietate pugnare. [4] Ecce madentem substantiam vapores producere constat ignitos, quae mox ad thermarum aedificia decora pervenerit, illisa cautibus unda descendens et aera sua qualitate succendit et tactu fit habilis, cum recepta fuerit in lavacris: unde non tantum deliciosa voluptas adquiritur, quantum blanda medicina confertur. scilicet sine tormento cura, sine horrore remedia, sanitas impunita, balnea contra diversos dolores corporis attributa. quae ideo Aponum Graeca lingua beneficialis nominavit antiquitas, ut causam tanti remedii aeger cognosceret, cum de tali nomine dubium nil haberet. [5] Sed inter alia loci ipsius bona illud quoque stupendum esse didicimus, quod una fluentorum natura diversis ministeriis videatur accommoda. nam protinus saxo suscipiente collisa inhalat primae cellulae sudatoriam qualitatem: deinde in solium mitigata descendens minaci ardore deposito suavi temperatione mollescit: mox in vicinum producta cum aliqua dilatione torpuerit, multo blandius intepescit: postremo ipso quoque tepore derelicto in piscinam Neronianam frigida tantum efficitur, quantum prius ferbuisse sentitur. [6] Non inmerito auctoris sui participans nomen collega est cum viriditate gemmarum, ut ipsa quoque vitrei elementi colore perspicua quasdam trementes undas quieta commoveat. sed ut ipsum quoque lavacrum mundius redderetur, stupenda quadam continentiae disciplina in undam, qua viri recreantur, si mulier descendat, incenditur, propterea quia et ipsis altera exhibitio decora collata est: scilicet ne ardentium aquarum fecundissimum locum non crederent habuisse, unde plurima largiretur, si uterque sexus uno munere communiter uteretur. [7] Haec perennitas aquarum intellegendi praestat indicium per igneas terrae venas occultis meatibus influentem imitus in auras erumpere excocti fontis inriguam puritatem. nam si naturae fuisset illud incendium, sine interitu substantiae non esset amissum: sed aquae materia sensibilis, sicut peregrinum contraxit ignem, sic iterum nativum facile recepit algorem. [8] Praestat et aliud adiutorii genus vis illa medicabilis. nam iuxta caput fontis scintillosi quendam sibi meatum provida natura formavit. hinc desuper sella composita, quae humanis necessitatibus in apsidis speciem perforatur, aegros suscipit interno umore diffluentes: ubi dum fessi nimio languore consederint, vaporis illius delectatione recreati et lassa viscera reficiunt et umores noxia infusione largatos vitali ariditate constringunt: et quasi aliquo desiderabili cibo refecti valentiores queant protinus inveniri, sic medicabili substantiae venit a sulfure quod calet, a salsedine quod desiccat. talia posteris non tradere hoc est graviter in longa aetate peccare. [9] Quapropter antiqua illic aedificiorum soliditas innovetur, ut sive in cuniculis sive in thermis fuerit aliquid reparandum, te debeat imminente reconstrui. virgulta quoque noxia importunitate nascentia evulsis cespitibus auferantur, ne radicum quidam capilli paulatim turgentes fabricarum visceribus inserantur et more vipereo prolem sibi fecunditate contraria nutriant, unde se compago casura disrumpat. [10] Palatium quoque longa senectute quassatum assidua reparatione corrobora. spatium, quod inter aedem publicam et caput igniti fontis interiacet, silvestri asperitate depurga. rideat florenti gramine facies decora campestris: quin etiam ardentis aquae fertilitate laetatur miroque modo dum proxime salem generet sterilem, nutriat pariter et virores. [11] Sed non his tantum beneficiis Antenorea terra fecunda est: infert et alia, quae multo grandius obstupescas. corda illa, ut ita dixerim, montium in vicem secretarii negotia contentiosa discingunt. nam si quis forte pecus furatum pilis nativis solito more spoliare praesumpserit, undis ardentibus frequenter inmersum necesse est ut ante decoquat quam emundare praevaleat. o vere secretarium iure reverendum, quando in his aquis non solum sensum, sed etiam verum constat esse iudicium et quod humana nequit altercatione dissolvi, fontium datum est aequitate definiri. loquitur illic tacita natura, dum iudicat, et sententiam quodam modo dicit, quae perfidiam negantis excludit. [12] Sed quis ista conservare neglegat, quamvis plurima tenacitate sordescat? siquidem ornat regnum, quod fuerit singulariter toto orbe nominatum. et ideo pecunia, quae tibi data est, si opus non potuerit implere susceptum, quantum adhuc expendendum esse credideris, missis nobis brevibus indicabis, quia non gravamur expendere, ut tanta videamur ruris moenia custodire.