Letter 7024: Anyone who holds the military rank of princeps [chief of staff] is adorned with a great prerogative among his...

24. FORMULA FOR THE PRINCEPS [chief officer] OF THE DALMATIAS. [1] With great precedence among his colleagues is anyone adorned who carries out his service under the name of the principate; for he is recognized to hold the foremost place, since in human affairs a great part of titles asserts the excellence of dignities. This is proved also by the example of your office, without which neither is access to the council chamber granted nor is the ceremony of petition carried through, and that whole authority of the judge is shown to be so entrusted to you by the laws that without you it cannot be made complete. [2] To the count [comes], indeed, power over the provinces has been given, but to you the judge himself has been committed. You hold the vine-staff that threatens the wicked; you guard discipline amid the laws; to you it is permitted to restrain the insolence of the man pleading too freely, which the presiding official is not allowed to punish; the records, moreover, of the whole proceeding are completed with your subscription, and your consent is sought after the will of the judge has been declared. Act, then, so that you who are set over such matters may deservedly be perceived to have fulfilled them. [3] And so, through that indiction, we order you to hasten to that province, so that, joined with the office of the judge, you may carry out the duties proper to your post, and that you, who go forth from us as princeps, may be accused of no base conduct. For you make yourself most worthy of reverence to all if what is believed of your name be also perceived in your conduct.

XXIIII. FORMULA PRINCIPIS DALMATIARUM. [1] Magna inter collegas suos praerogativa decoratur, quisquis gerit militiam nomine principatus. cognoscitur enim locum agere primarium: quando in rebus humanis magna pars nominum asserit excellentiam dignitatum. hoc etiam tui loci probatur exemplo, sine quo nec secretarii praestatur accessus nec postulationis pompa peragitur, totusque ille iudicis genius ita tibi legibus probatur creditus, ut sine te nequeat esse perfectus. [2] Comiti quidem provinciarum potestas data est, sed tibi iudex ipse commissus est. tu vitem tenes improbis minantem: tu disciplinam inter iura custodis: tibi insolentiam perorantis fas est distringere, quam praesuli non licet vindicare: gesta quin etiam totius actus te subscribente complentur et consensus tuus quaeritur, postquam voluntas iudicis explicatur. age, ut qui talibus praeponeris, ea implesse merito sentiaris. [3] Itaque per indictionem illam ad illam te provinciam iubemus excurrere, ut mixtus iudicis officio competentia loco tuo peragas et qui princeps a nobis egrederis, nullis vilitatibus accuseris. reverentissimum enim te omnibus facis, si quod de nomine tuo creditur, et in moribus sentiatur.