Letter 4029: King Theodoric to Argolicus, Vir Illustris [Most Illustrious], Praefectus Urbis [Prefect of the City].

29. KING THEODERIC TO ARGOLICUS, MAN OF ILLUSTRIOUS RANK AND PREFECT OF THE CITY. [1] If the authority of your office were considered, if there were any care for Roman reverence, you ought of your own accord to have sought out the very things for which you are now being reproached. For what at the present time could you have reckoned as so proper to the dignity of the City as the increase of the Senate, seeing that it advances the renown of the prelate when the sacred order acquires new members? [2] But, as the report sent by the most distinguished Armentarius attests, you on the contrary, by a shameful self-interest, seek advantages from delay, when it is established that you ought rather to have desired its enlargement. For what could be more unbecoming than, after our orders have been dispatched, to hold in suspense the prayers of suppliants, and after the utterance of a sacred command, to have suspended even-if it is permitted to say so-the royal judgment until now? [3] But we, whose heart it is, after a first fault, not at once to demand vengeance, turn our commands rather into an admonition, lest our severity be excessive, when a gentle patience has not gone before it. And therefore by the present authority we decree that no cunning of delay be brought against our orders, since he who offends after being admonished has no place for pardon.

XXVIIII. ARGOLICO V. I. P. U. THEODERICUS REX. [1] Si loci vestri cogitaretur auctoritas, si reverentiae cura Romanae, ultro debueratis expetere, in quibus arguimini. quid enim praesenti tempore potuistis culmini urbano tam proprium quam senatus crementa cogitare, quando famae praesulis proficit, quod ordo sacer adquirit? [2] Sed quantum viri clarissimi Armentarii testatur missa suggestio, in contrarium foedo ambitu de mora quaeritis commoda, cuius vos optare debuisse constat augmenta. quid enim amplius esse possit incongruum, quam nostris iussionibus expeditis supplicantium vota suspendere et post sacrae praeceptionis affatum, si dici fas est, adhuc regium suspendisse iudicium? [3] Sed nos, quibus cordi est post primam culpam non statim desiderare vindictam, ad ammonitionem potius iussa convertimus, ne sit nostra districtio nimia, quam lenis patientia non praecedat. ideoque praesenti auctoritate decernimus, ut iussionibus nostris nulla dilationis calliditas afferatur, quia non habet veniae locum, qui delinquit ammonitus.