Letter 4047: King Theodoric to Gudisalus, Saio [royal agent].

47. KING THEODERIC TO GUDISAL, SAIO [a royal agent of the Gothic court]. [1] Those things which are known to be subject to continual exertion must be refreshed by constant attention. For how could the supply of post-horses adequately meet the labor demanded of it, if it were permitted to be exceeded? Indeed, neglected oversight is an incitement to dishonest presumption. And so from the report of our envoys we have learned that the post-horses are being worn out by frequent unauthorized use, and that the very animals we wish to be kept in reserve for public necessities, we have discovered are being taken up to serve private will. [2] And therefore, by the ordinance of the praetorian prefect and of the master of offices, we decree that you shall reside in the city of Rome for as long as the public benefit shall require it, so that you may permit none of the Goths or Romans to depart from there, except those whom the deputies of the aforesaid dignities shall perhaps have dispatched. [3] And as to what is reported to us to have been frequently usurped, if anyone shall perhaps undertake to commandeer the post-horses against the will of those to whom this charge has been entrusted, then, of whatever nation or rank he may be, let him be compelled to pay one hundred solidi by way of penalty for each horse: not because the injury to a single beast of burden is to be reckoned at so great a sum, but because importunate presumption must be checked by a heavy loss. [4] Furthermore, you shall permit no saio to make excursions, but he is to be allowed to come and go by a single journey only, for the cause to which he was dispatched. Those who exceed shall fall under the above penalty, since such frequency is forbidden. [5] Moreover, let no one exceed loads of one hundred pounds for the pack-horses. For we wish the dispatch-riders to hasten unencumbered, and we do not decree that they should migrate. Whoever carries much with him betrays his own sloth, nor does he who has preferred to conduct himself with delicate ease give thought to speed. The cranes, in short, when about to cross the sea, grasp small pebbles with their hooked feet, so that neither may their lightness be carried off by an excessive wind, nor their natural swiftness be weighed down by unfair burdens. Can those who know themselves to have been chosen for public necessities not imitate this? And therefore let him incur a penalty of fifty solidi, now not as a post-rider but as a porter, whoever shall have thought a pack-horse fit to be loaded beyond one hundred pounds. [6] And to those who, in the place of the above-written dignities, preside in the city, we command that you give heed, so that any excess which is detected by them may, through your execution, be punished by the aforesaid condemnation. But if any persons immoderate fault should strike down, we wish the collected sum to be applied, through the deputies, to the contractors of the relay-stations, so that the post-service may have a remedy from that very source whence hitherto it had taken its harm. [7] For indeed, in worldly affairs prosperity is frequently born of adversity, and men, when they wish to do harm, frequently bestow benefits. But you shall fulfill all these things so effectively and so diligently that, prompted by your good deeds, we shall be bound to entrust greater things to your devotion.

XLVII. GUDISAL SAIONI THEODERICUS REX. [1] Assidua sollicitudine refovenda sunt, quae continuis exercitiis subiacere noscuntur. quemadmodum enim subvectio veredorum necessario sufficiat labori, si permittatur excedi? incitamentum siquidem improbae praesumptionis est neglecta custodia. legatorum itaque nostrorum suggestione comperimus cursuales equos frequenti usurpatione fatigari et quos nos necessitatibus publicis cupimus custodiri, in usum cognovimus privatae voluntatis assumi. [2] Atque ideo in urbe Roma ordinatione praefecti praetorio et magistri officiorum, quousque utilitas publica suaserit, te residere censemus, ut nullum Gothorum vel Romanorum exinde egredi patiaris, nisi quos praedictarum dignitatum vices agentes forte dimiserint. [3] Et quod nobis frequenter usurpatum esse suggeritur, si quis invitis his quibus haec cura mandata est, veredos praesumere fortassis assumpserit, cuiuslibet nationis fuerit vel honoris, per unum equum centum solidos multae nomine cogatur inferre: non quod tanti aestimanda est unius iumenti laesio, sed quia grandi damno reprimenda est importuna praesumptio. [4] Nullum praeterea saionum discursus facere patiaris, sed ad causam, quam directus fuerit, uno tantum itinere permittatur accedere vel redire. quibus in superiorem multam cadat interdicta frequentia. [5] Parhipporum quin etiam onera centum librarum nullus excedat. expeditos enim properare mittendarios volumus, non migrare censemus. inertiam suam prodit quisquis secum multa portaverit, nec cogitat de celeritate qui delicata se maluerit conversatione tractare. grues denique pelagus transiturae parvos lapillos uncis pedibus amplectuntur, ut nec eorum levitas nimio vento rapiatur nec nativa celeritas iniquis ponderibus ingravetur. hoc imitarine queunt, qui se ad publicas necessitates electos esse cognoscunt? et ideo quinquaginta solidorum multam iam non veredarius, sed catabolensis incurrat, quisquis ultra centum libras parhippum crediderit onerandum. [6] His autem, qui supra scriptarum dignitatum vicibus in urbe praesunt, te observare praecipimus, quatenus excessus, qui ab illis detectus fuerit, exsecutione tua supra dicta condemnatione puniatur. si quos autem intemperans culpa perculerit, collectam quantitatem per vices agentes mancipibus mutationum volumus applicari, ut cursualis tractus inde habeat remedium, unde hactenus sumpsit incommodum. [7] Mundanis siquidem rebus frequenter nascitur de adversitate prosperitas et homines cum laedere cupiunt, beneficia frequenter impertiunt. sed omnia sic efficaciter ac diligenter implebis, ut provocati bonis actibus devotioni tuae maiora committere debeamus.