Letter 8021: Although you have frequently been praised in honors of your own and in the distinction of your brother, nevertheless...

21. KING ATHALARIC TO CYPRIAN, ILLUSTRIOUS [vir illustris] AND PATRICIAN. [1] Although you have often been praised by your own honors and by the rank of your brother, nevertheless, because the nature of good things is not exhausted when it is recounted, we return as it were to a theme already proclaimed, concerning which many heralds have already resounded. It has been attested concerning you whatever ought to be esteemed of the faithful, whatever of those well deserving. But he who has fulfilled himself by the uprightness of his conduct, when he wishes, sends forth fresh occasions for worthy praises. [2] The vein of glory is by nature a flowing spring of perennial water: for just as that spring is not exhausted by flowing, so neither is this glory dried up by frequent discourse. And even if past deeds be passed over in silence, you are shown to supply new ones to be spoken of, you who with age grow ever also in merits. The course of the years procures for you an increase of praise. You grow old indeed in body, but in praise you grow young. Deservedly is a more prolonged life wished for you, in whom fame is ever found more robust. [3] Under our grandfather of divine memory you kept your watches, ever praised on both sides. The Danube, while still heathen, saw you a warrior: the band of Bulgars did not terrify you, who were even ready to stand against our own men in the presumption of combat. It was peculiar to you both to assail the barbarians while they resisted and to pursue them when turned by terror. Thus you aided the victory of the Goths not so much by numbers as by toil. [4] But afterward, in a service that was no less than those very combats, you discharged the office of referendary [reporter of petitions] in laborious disputes. For with that man of all virtues there were services both of war and of peace. For who would not wage war, who was able to render that man a fitting reply? who always demanded such firmness of mind, such constancy of words in asserting the truth, that one might deservedly say he had conquered the enemy if in his presence he had been able to avoid error. Hence it came that his attendants rendered men prudent, because caution, always applied, raises up the understanding, and, while a man dreads to incur fault, he strives to join himself to the wise. [5] He also conferred upon you the dignity of the sacred largesses, that is, the office most fitting to your labors, which you carried out with so chaste, so moderate a mind, that you made greater things to be owed to you, although you had received it among great rewards. Through these things your flourishing youth exercised you, but your mature age has preserved you for our times. In counsel indeed you are of the greatest worth, nor yet are you recognized as broken by age: for you have so attained the goods of old age that you have not undergone its inconveniences. These are the things which we judge ought to be increased in you, so that, just as you are endowed with conscience, you may also be rendered worthy of reverence by honor. [6] For together with our benefits the judgments of heaven too are in agreement concerning you, since, having become the father of such sons, you seem by nature itself to be a patrician. It is not absurd that their blossoming good qualities be recounted, since the happier praise of those who rear children is to be praised for the uprightness of their sons. First, what affords no slight beginning of praise, their infancy is known to the palace. Thus your offspring, proving themselves after the manner of the eagle, have borne the gaze of royal eyes almost from their very cradles. They shine also with the grace of their people, and they do not cease to be steeped in the brave disciplines of arms. [7] Boys of Roman stock speak our language [Gothic], excellently signifying that they will show us the fidelity to come, whose speech they already seem to have affected. We have, therefore, reason why a reward should be rendered to you, fortunate father, who have offered us even the hearts of your sons. Wherefore, you having been proved by many labors and by much faith and constancy, we confer upon you, under God's auspices, the dignity of the patriciate, an honor lofty indeed, but one that is shown to be equal to your merits. Enjoy, then, your most approved practices, so that, when you have doubled your good qualities, you may again be increased by our benefits.

XXI. CYPRIANO V. I. PATRICIO ATHALARICUS REX. [1] Licet propriis frequenter honoribus et germani tui fueris dignitate laudatus, tamen, quia natura bonorum non expenditur cum refertur, quasi ad indictum revertimur, de quo iam praeconia multa sonuerunt. testificatum est de te, quicquid de fidelibus, quicquid debuit de bene meritis aestimari. sed digne laudum cum voluerit novitates emittit, qui se actionis probitate complevit. [2] Natura perennis fontis est gloriae vena manabilis: nam sicut ille fluendo non expenditur, sic nec ista celebri sermone siccatur. quod et si transacta taceantur, tu nova probaris suggerere quae dicantur, qui cum aetate crescis semper et meritis. cursus annorum laudis tibi procurat augmentum. senescis quidem corpore, sed laude iuvenescis. merito tibi prolixior aetas optatur, in quo fama semper robustior invenitur. [3] Habuisti sub divae memoriae avo nostro in utraque parte laudatas semper excubias. vidit te adhuc gentilis Danuvius bellatorem: non te terruit Bulgarum globus, qui etiam nostris erat praesumptione certaminis obstaturus. peculiare tibi fuit et renitentes barbaros aggredi et conversos terrore sectari. sic victoriam Gothorum non tam numero quam labore iuvisti. [4] Postea vero, quod non minus ipsis certaminibus fuit, referendarii officium laboriosis contentionibus exhibebas. fuerunt enim apud illum virtutum omnium virum exercitualia vel pacata servitia. quis enim non ageret bellum, qui illi potuit competens exhibere responsum? qui tantam firmitatem animi semper exegit, tantam verborum in asserenda veritate constantiam, ut merito se vicisse diceret hostem, qui illo praesente vitare valuisset errorem. hinc fuit, quod eius obsequia reddiderunt prudentes, quia cautela semper adhibita erigit sensum et, dum culpam quis formidet incurrere, sapientibus se nititur aggregare. [5] Contulit etiam dignitatem sacrarum largitionum, hoc est laborum tuorum aptissimum munus, quam sic casta, sic moderata mente peregisti, ut maiora tibi deberi faceres, quamvis eam in magna praemia suscepisses. per haec te florida iuventus exercuit, sed nostris temporibus aetas matura servavit. consilio quidem plurimum vales, nec fractus tamen aetate cognosceris: sic enim adeptus es senectutis bona, ut eius non subires incommoda. haec sunt quae in te aestimamus augenda, ut, sicut es conscientia praeditus, reddaris quoque honore reverendus. [6] Sunt enim beneficiis nostris consentanea in te et superna iudicia, quando talium filiorum pater effectus natura ipsa videris esse patricius. quorum bona vernantia non est absurdum referri, quando educantium felicior laus est de filiorum probitate laudari. primum, quod non minimae laudis praestat initium, infantia eorum est nota palatio. sic fetus tui, more aquilae se probantes, regales oculos ab ipsis paene cunabulis pertulerunt. relucent etiam gratia gentili nec cessant armorum imbui fortibus institutis. [7] Pueri stirpis Romanae nostra lingua loquuntur, eximie indicantes exhibere se nobis futuram fidem, quorum iam videntur affectasse sermonem. habemus, unde tibi, felix pater, praemium debeat referri, qui et filiorum tuorum nobis animos optulisti. quapropter multis laboribus multaque fide et constantia comprobato patriciatus tibi deo auspice conferimus dignitatem, honorem quidem celsum, sed qui tuis meritis probetur aequalis. fruere igitur probatissimis institutis, ut cum tu bona geminaveris, nostris iterum beneficiis augearis.