Letter 4034: King Theodoric to Duda, Saio [royal agent].

34. KING THEODERIC TO DUDA, SAIO [a royal agent]. [1] It is the custom of prudence to recall to human use the treasures hidden in the earth, and to call them the commerce of the living, not of the dead, since when buried they perish even for us, and they are left to those others in a way that will profit them in no respect. The acquisition of metals is indeed a comfort to mankind. For the vein of rich gold is like the rest of the earth if it lies idle: by use it grows in value, seeing that even among the living those things are as if buried which are shut up in the hands of the grasping. [2] And therefore by a measured command we decree that you shall go to that place in which a great many things are reported to lie concealed, under public attestation; and if gold, as is said, or silver shall have been uncovered by your search, you shall faithfully claim it for the public benefit: yet in such a way that you keep your hands from the ashes of the dead, for we do not wish gains to be sought which can be found through deadly crimes. Let buildings cover the ashes, let columns or marbles adorn the tombs: let those who have left behind the commerce of living not retain treasures. [3] For gold is justly withdrawn from tombs, where it has no owner: indeed it is a kind of fault to leave uselessly hidden among the dead that whereby the life of the living can be sustained. For it is no greed to snatch away that which no owner laments having lost. For the first to discover gold is said to have been Aeacus, and silver Indus, king of Scythia, and they handed these over to human use with the highest praise. We ought not, on the contrary, to neglect this, lest, just as things hidden were brought forth with praise, so things found should seem to be neglected with reproach.

XXXIIII. DUDAE SAIONI THEODERICUS REX. [1] Prudentiae mos est in humanos usus terris abdita talenta revocare commerciumque viventium non dicere mortuorum, quia et nobis infossa pereunt et illis in nullam partem profutura linquuntur. metallorum quippe ambitus solacia sunt hominum. nam divitis auri vena similis est reliquae terrae, si iaceat: usu crescit ad pretium, quando et apud vivos sepulta sunt, quae tenacium manibus includuntur. [2] Atque ideo moderata iussione decernimus, ut ad illum locum, in quo latere plurima suggeruntur, sub publica testificatione convenias: et si aurum, ut dicitur, vel argentum fuerit tua indagatione detectum, compendio publico fideliter vindicabis: ita tamen ut abstineatis manus a cineribus mortuorum, quia nolumus lucra quaeri, quae per funesta possunt scelera reperiri. aedificia tegant cineres, columnae vel marmora ornent sepulcra: talenta non teneant, qui vivendi commercia reliquerunt. [3] Aurum enim sepulcris iuste detrahitur, ubi dominus non habetur: immo culpae genus est inutiliter abditis relinquere mortuorum, unde se vita potest sustentare viventium. non est enim cupiditas eripere, quae nullus se dominus ingemiscat amisisse. primi enim dicuntur aurum Aeacus, argentum Indus rex Scythiae repperisse et humano usui summa laude tradidisse. quod nos in contrarium neglegere non debemus, ne sicut latentia cum laude sunt prodita, ita inventa cum vituperatione videantur esse neglecta.