Letter 10003: Queen Amalasuntha to the Senate of the City of Rome.

III. QUEEN AMALASUNTHA TO THE SENATE OF THE CITY OF ROME. [1] After the lamentable death of our son [Athalaric] of blessed memory, the affection of a devoted mother for the common good overcame her spirit, so that she pondered not the causes of her own grief, but rather your increase. We sought out by what consolation we might support the cares of royalty. But that author of chastity and of singular mercy, who was about to take from us a son in the bloom of youth, reserved for us the affection of a brother [now] come to maturity. [2] We have chosen, under God's auspices, the most fortunate Theodahad as the partner of our reign, so that the burdens of the commonwealth which up to now we have borne by solitary deliberation, we may now carry out for the advantage of all by joined counsels, so that in our deliberations we may seem to be two, but in our decisions one. The very stars of heaven are governed by mutual aid, and, shared out by alternating labor, administer the world with their lights. To man himself also the divine powers granted twin hands, allied ears, and paired eyes, so that the duty which had to be completed by the partnership of two might be carried out more robustly. [3] Rejoice, conscript fathers, and commend our deed to the powers above. We have desired to do nothing reprehensible, who have chosen to order all things in concert with another's counsel. For the sharing of the kingdom vindicates one's character, since he is justly believed to be of a placable disposition who is shown to have a partner in his power. We have therefore, with God's help, opened the palace to a man conspicuous for the renown of our [own] race, who, sprung from the stock of the Amali, possesses in his actions a royal dignity: patient in adversity, moderate in prosperity, and -- which is the most difficult kind of power -- long since the ruler of himself. [4] To these good qualities was added a desirable erudition in letters, which renders a praiseworthy nature exceptionally adorned. There the prudent man finds wherewith to become wiser; there the warrior discovers wherewith he may be strengthened by virtue of mind; thence the prince receives how he may compose peoples under equality; nor can there be any fortune in the world which the glorious knowledge of letters does not augment. [5] Receive [news of] what greater [thing] the prayers of the common people have merited. Your prince is learned even in ecclesiastical writings, by which we are always reminded of whatever is on man's behalf: to judge rightly, to relish the good, to venerate things divine, to ponder the judgments to come. For it is necessary that he should follow the footprint of justice, who believes that he himself is to plead a case concerning his own verdict. I have observed which reading sharpens the intellect: the divine [reading] always strives to make [a man] pious. [6] Let us come to that most generous frugality of his private life, which procured so great an abundance for gifts, such plenty for banquets, that, considering his former zeal, he seems to have nothing new in his kingdom. Prompt in hospitality, most devoted in compassion: thus, though he spent much, his wealth grew by heavenly recompense. The whole world ought to have wished for such a man as we are shown to have chosen, who, reasonably disposing of what is his own, does not covet what belongs to another: for the necessity of overstepping their bounds is taken away from princes whenever they have grown accustomed to govern what is their own. [7] Praised indeed is the maxim which prescribes a measure to things, because even that which is thought good does not please in excess. Rejoice now, conscript fathers, and pay your vows to the grace from on high on our behalf, since I have established together with myself such a prince as may both do good things out of our equity and display the things proper to his own piety. For both the virtue of his ancestors admonishes him and his uncle Theodoric effectually rouses him.

III. SENATUI URBIS ROMAE AMALASUINTHA REGINA. [1] Post flebilem filii nostri divae recordationis occasum vicit animum piae matris generalitatis affectio, ut non maeroris sui causas, sed vestra potius augmenta cogitaret. quaesivimus regales curas quo solacio fulciremus. sed auctor ille castitatis et misericordiae singularis, qui nobis primaevum subtracturus erat filium, maturi fratris reservavit affectum. [2] Elegimus deo auspice consortem regni nostri felicissimum Theodahadum, ut quae hactenus rei publicae molem solitaria cogitatione pertulimus, nunc utilitates omnium iunctis consiliis exequamur, quatenus in tractatibus duo, in sententiis unus esse videamur. Astra ipsa caeli mutuo reguntur auxilio et vicario labore participata mundum suis luminibus amministrant. ipsi quoque homini duplices manus, socias aures, oculos geminos divina tribuerunt, ut robustius perageretur officium quod duorum fuerat societate complendum. [3] Exultate, patres conscripti, et factum nostrum supernis commendate virtutibus. nihil reprehensibile desideravimus agere, quae cum alterius consilio cuncta delegimus ordinare. communio siquidem regni mores asserit, quando placabilis esse iuste creditur, qui potestatis suae habere participem comprobatur. reseravimus itaque deo iuvante palatia viro nostri generis claritate conspicuo, qui Hamalorum stirpe progenitus regalem habeat in actibus dignitatem: patiens in adversis, moderatus in prosperis et, quod difficillimum potestatis genus est, olim rector sui. [4] Accessit his bonis desiderabilis eruditio litterarum, quae naturam laudabilem eximie reddit ornatam. ibi prudens invenit, unde sapientior fiat: ibi bellator reperit, unde animi virtute roboretur: inde princeps accipit, quemadmodum populos sub aequalitate componat: nec aliqua in mundo potest esse fortuna, quam litterarum non augeat gloriosa notitia. [5] Accipite, quid maius generalitatis vota meruerunt. princeps vester etiam ecclesiasticis est litteris eruditus: a quibus semper quicquid est pro homine, commonemur: iudicare recte, bonum sapere, divina venerari, futura cogitare iudicia. necesse est enim, ut sequatur iustitiae vestigium, qui de sua sententia causam se credit esse dicturum. viderim quae lectio acuat ingenium: divina semper efficere nititur pium. [6] Veniamus ad illam privatae vitae largissimam frugalitatem, quae tantam procurabat donis abundantiam, conviviis copiam, ut considerato eius antiquo studio nihil novi habere videatur in regno. in hospitalitate promptus, in miseratione piissimus: sic cum multa expenderet, census eius caelesti remuneratione crescebat. talem universitas debuit optare, qualem nos probamur elegisse, qui rationabiliter disponens propria non appetat aliena: tollitur enim necessitas principibus excedendi, quotiens assueverint propria moderari. [7] Laudata est nimirum sententia, quae rerum praecipit modum, quia nimium non placet etiam quod bonum putatur. gaudete nunc, patres conscripti, et supernae gratiae pro nobis vota persolvite, quando talem mecum constitui principem, qui et de nostra aequitate bona faciat et propria suae pietatis ostendat. hunc enim et maiorum suorum commonet virtus et avunculus efficaciter excitat Theodericus.