Letter 5026: VARIAE, BOOK 5, LETTER 26

26. King Theoderic to all the Goths settled throughout Picenum and Samnium. [1] Although our munificence is most welcome to all men everywhere, we nonetheless believe that those things which are conferred by our presence are far more acceptable, since people receive greater benefits from the sight of their sovereign than they obtain from his liberality. For he is almost like a dead man who is unknown to his own ruler and lives under no honor, since the acquaintance of his king does not protect him. [2] And therefore by the present command we order that, on the eighth day before the Ides of June, with God's help, you ought to come into our presence: you who solemnly receive the royal gifts, if you make haste to come at once. We must, however, necessarily admonish you of this, that no excess on the part of those who come may occur, lest you lay waste the standing crops or the meadows of the landholders, but rather, hastening with all restraint, your arrival may be pleasing to us by reason of well-kept discipline, since we gladly undertake the expenses of the army for this very purpose, that civil order may be kept untouched by men under arms.

XXVI. UNIVERSIS GOTHIS PER PICENUM ET SAMNIUM CONSTITUTIS THEODERICUS REX. [1] Quamvis munificentia nostra sit omnibus ubique gratissima, multo tamen acceptiora credimus quae nostri praesentia conferuntur, quia maiora de conspectu principis populi sumunt, quam de largitate beneficia consequuntur. nam paene similis est mortuo, qui a suo dominante nescitur nec sub aliquo honore vivit, quem regis sui notitia non defendit. [2] Et ideo praesenti iussione mandamus, ut octavo iduum Iuniarum die deo auxiliante ad praesentiam nostram venire debeatis: qui sollemniter regalia dona suscipitis, si venire protinus festinatis. illud tamen necessario commonentes, ut venientium nullus provenire possit excessus, ne possessorum segetes aut prata vastetis, sed sub omni continentia properantes de custodita disciplina grata nobis esse vestra possit occursio, quia ideo exercituales gratanter subimus expensas, ut ab armatis custodiatur intacta civilitas.