Letter 5005: King Theodoric to Mannila, Saio [a Gothic royal agent/enforcement officer].

5. KING THEODERIC TO MANNILA, SAIO [a royal agent or enforcement officer]. [1] It is praiseworthy to redouble the watch over that area which is acknowledged to have been sought out for the necessities of the state. For through it both the usefulness of embassies and the speed of our orders are carried out; this too furnishes to the powers of the court their effect by means of our various commands; this enriches our treasury by frequent deliveries, so that almost whatever is conducted in the state is accomplished by the service of the courier-post. It is fitting, therefore, that what is proven serviceable to the public interests should always be kept ready, lest what was devised for speed should instead bring an unfitting slowness upon those who are in haste. [2] And therefore, where the praetorian prefects and the masters of the offices, for the public benefit, have selected men appointed by official warrant, we command you to cut back the wicked presumption of those who overstep with such strictness that, whether it be a Goth or a Roman who without our authorization, or that of those whose concern it is, presumes to touch a post-horse, he shall at once be compelled by you to pay out one hundred solidi for each single horse. And concerning those also we decree with equal severity who presume to usurp post-horses beyond the number of their warrants. [3] Moreover, upon the relay-horses [parhippi, spare post-horses] we order that no more than one hundred pounds be loaded. For it is exceedingly absurd that he from whom speed is demanded should be weighed down by great burdens. The bird itself, laden with a load, grows sluggish. Hulls that do not feel toil, when filled up, are moved more heavily. What can a four-footed beast do, which, pressed by excess, sinks down? But if anyone shall be found to carry more than the fixed measure, let him be struck with the penalty of two ounces of gold. [4] We decree that this sum, exacted forthwith, ought, as has already been established by earlier edicts, to be applied to the courier-post through the office of the magisterial dignity. For it is just that he should be forced to sell that by which the public horse is known to have been wrongly burdened: let him be stripped to the bare who by his own will refused to be most swift. Besides, we admonish you that you should not presume upon the perquisites of the overseers [praepositi], nor degrade by any usurpation whatever power venerable antiquity has sanctioned them to hold. For we wish through you to redouble the watch, not to remove the safeguard of ancient custom.

V. MANNILAE SAIONI THEODERICUS REX. [1] Laudabile est in illa parte geminare custodiam, quam constat rei publicae necessitatibus exquisitam. per hanc enim et legationum utilitas et ordinationum nostrarum celeritas explicatur: hoc etiam aulicis potestatibus per varias iussiones ministrat effectum: hoc crebris illationibus nostrum ditat aerarium, ut paene quicquid in re publica geritur, cursuali ministerio compleatur. decet proinde semper esse paratum, quod utilitatibus publicis probatur accommodum, ne, quod ad celeritatem repertum est, incongruam potius festinantibus inferat tarditatem. [2] Atque ideo praefecti praetorio et magistri officiorum ubi pro publica utilitate delegerint ordinatione locatos, excedentium improbam praesumptionem tali te praecipimus districtione resecare, ut, sive Gothus sit aut Romanus qui sine nostra vel eorum quorum interest evectione veredum praesumit attingere, per unum equum centum statim solidos a te cogatur exsolvere. et de illis quoque pari severitate censemus, qui supra evectionum numerum cursuales equos usurpare praesumunt. [3] Parhippis quin etiam non ultra quam centum libras iubemus imponi. nimis enim absurdum est, ut a quo celeritas exigitur magnis ponderibus opprimatur. avis ipsa onere gravata pigrescit. carinae quae laborem non sentiunt repletae gravius moventur. quid quadrupes facere possit, qui pressus nimietate succumbit? si quis autem a modulo definito amplius fuerit habere repertus, duarum unciarum auri damno feriatur. [4] Quam summam protinus exactam, sicut iam anterioribus edictis constitutum est, per officium magisteriae dignitatis cursui proficere debere censemus. iustum est enim ut cogatur illa vendere, unde publicum equum male noscitur onerasse: sit nuditatibus expeditus qui voluntate noluit esse celerrimus. praeterea commonemus, ut praepositorum commoda non praesumas nec quicquid eos potestatis habere reverenda sanxit antiquitas, aliqua usurpatione degenies. nos enim per te geminare volumus custodiam, non antiquae consuetudinis removere cautelam.