Letter 8007: King Athalaric to All Provincials Settled Throughout the Gauls.

VII. KING ATHALARIC TO ALL THE PROVINCIALS ESTABLISHED THROUGHOUT THE GAULS. [1] Although the passing of our grandfather, the lord of glorious memory, may seem grievous to you on account of his surpassing merits, nevertheless, because he succumbed by the human condition, he left us behind to continue the governance which he had exercised in singular fashion, lest you should feel the loss of a good prince, whose offspring you know to be reigning over you. For with us no one loses what he has rendered to him, but, generous in a twofold bounty, we both repay what was owed to him and, by an inborn devotion, exchange benefits for the services to come. [2] And therefore it now befits you to display your former loyalty with greater devotion, because he provides well for things to come who serves the beginnings of those who reign, since he himself is also believed to persevere into the future who is perceived to have cherished the first beginnings. Moreover, by divine favor, we make known that, when we attained the summit of the kingdom, all things fell out for us so happily, so tranquilly, that you would believe the whole body of people to be speaking one thing as it resounded, nor would it be thought human that so many vows of vast peoples were proven to have nothing contrary in them. [3] Wherefore it befits you also to imitate the things aforesaid, so that the Goths may offer an oath to the Romans, and the Romans may confirm to the Goths by a solemn pledge that they are with one mind devoted to our kingdom, to the end that your sincerity may become known to us in praiseworthy fashion, and that the concord mutually promised may avail for your peace. Let a lawful and ordained tranquility pass among you: let not the more powerful be hostile to the lesser. Keep a peaceful spirit, you who have no external war, because in this first place you will be able to please us, if in this manner you provide for yourselves.

VII. UNIVERSIS PROVINCIALIBUS PER GALLIAS CONSTITUTIS ATHALARICUS REX. [1] Licet gloriosae memoriae domni avi nostri pro excellentibus meritis tristis vobis videatur occasus, tamen, quia ille humana condicione decubuit, ad continuandam gubernationem, quam singulariter gesserat, nos reliquit, ne damnum boni principis sentiretis, cuius vobis noscitur regnare progenies. nullus enim apud nos perdit, quod illi paruit, sed duplici largitate munifici et illius debita reddimus et futuris obsequiis beneficia ingenita pietate mutuamur. [2] Atque ideo fidem pristinam maiore nunc vos convenit devotione monstrare, quia bene prospicit rebus futuris qui regnantium servit initiis, dum ipse et in reliquum perseverare creditur, qui primordia fovere sentitur. indicamus autem favore divino, cum ad regni culmina perveniremus, omnia nobis sic felicia, sic tranquilla cessisse, ut unum loqui crederes quod generalitas insonabat nec putaretur humanum, quod tot vota ingentium populorum nihil probata sunt habere contrarium. [3] Unde vos quoque praedicta convenit imitari, ut Gothi Romanis praebeant iusiurandum et Romani Gothis sacramento confirment se unanimiter regno nostro esse devotos, quatenus et nobis vestra sinceritas laudabiliter innotescat et ad quietem vestram proficiat invicem promissa concordia. eat inter vos legalis missa tranquillitas: potior minori non sit infestus. habetote animum pacatum, qui bellum non habetis externum, quia primum inde nobis placere poteritis, si vobis hac ratione prospicitis.