Letter 4030: King Theodoric to Albinus, Vir Illustris [Most Illustrious], Patrician.

30. KING THEODERIC TO ALBINUS, MAN OF ILLUSTRIOUS RANK, PATRICIAN. [1] It befits all men, indeed, to think upon the enlargement of their native land, but most of all those whom the commonwealth has bound to itself with the highest honors, since it stands to reason that he must necessarily owe more who is seen to have undertaken greater things. [2] And so, by presenting a petition, you have declared that licence be granted to erect buildings upon the Curved Portico, which, set beside the house called Palmata, fittingly encloses the forum after the manner of an open court, so that both the dwelling-space of private houses may be extended and the aspect of newness may grow upon the ancient walls. Thus it comes about that what could fall away through neglect may seem to be upheld by the diligence of those who remain, since the ruin of buildings comes easily once the watchfulness of their inhabitants is withdrawn, and that which the presence of men does not protect is quickly dissolved by the wasting decay of old age. [3] Wherefore we, who desire the city to be set in order by the splendor of rising buildings, grant the faculty you have requested, yet only on this condition: if the thing sought neither stands in the way of the public utility nor of public seemliness. Therefore lean securely upon the things you hope for, that you may appear a dweller worthy of Roman buildings, and that the completed work may praise its author. For there is no thing through which both the wisdom of a prudent man and the effect of his liberality can better be recognized.

XXX. ALBINO V. I. PATRICIO THEODERICUS REX. [1] Decet quidem cunctos patriae suae augmenta cogitare, sed eos maxime, quos res publica sibi summis honoribus obligavit, quia ratio rerum est, ut eum necesse sit plus debere, qui visus est maiora suscipere. [2] Porrecta itaque supplicatione testatus es Curvae porticus, quae iuxta domum Palmatam posita forum in modum areae decenter includit, superimponendis fabricis licentiam condonari, ut et privatarum aedium habitatio protendatur et antiquis moenibus novitatis crescat aspectus. ita fit, ut, quod per incuriam poterat labi, manentum videatur diligentia sustineri, quia facilis est aedificiorum ruina incolarum subtracta custodia et cito vetustatis decoctione resolvitur, quod hominum praesentia non tuetur. [3] Unde nos, qui urbem fabricarum surgentium cupimus nitore componi, facultatem concedimus postulatam, ita tamen, si res petita aut utilitati publicae non officit aut decori. quapropter rebus speratis securus innitere, ut dignus Romanis fabricis habitator appareas perfectumque opus suum laudet auctorem. nulla enim res est, per quam melius possit agnosci et prudentis ingenium at largitatis effectus.