Letter 10004: King Theodahad to the Senate of the City of Rome.

IIII. KING THEODAHAD TO THE SENATE OF THE CITY OF ROME. [1] We announce to you, conscript fathers, that divine benefits have happily come to pass for you: that the lady [Amalasuntha], glorious as mistress of affairs throughout the whole world, has by her bountiful devotion made me partner of her kingdom, so that she might not lack faithful consolation and the ancestral dominion might be fittingly granted to us. Let it be received most gratefully, since it is agreed that the community as a whole desired it: let the prayers of all now be unsealed without fear, so that from the very source whence I endured danger, from that same source the whole world may know that I am adorned. For you presumed, without my knowledge, to whisper what openly you could not undertake. How much I owe you may be understood from this: that you hastened to bring about for me by divine means that which my own spirit did not dare to seek. [2] This is for us a thing rather new than unknown to you. Therefore it ought to be received as fulfilled by great favor, that it seemed to be disclosed more swiftly than was proper. But if we deserve anything of you, since nevertheless we trust that our favor avails very much with you, sound forth continually the glorious praises of our lady and sister, who willed the greatness of her empire to be strengthened by our participation, so that, as in two lights, there might be one aspect, and no one might believe their concordant disposition to be divided. [3] For such indeed are they, whom at once both grace joins together and kinship reconciles. Unequal characters might perhaps reckon this difficult for themselves. It is hard for those to live otherwise who are able to come together with one another in a likeness of good thoughts. For the improvident man shrinks from imitating counsel; but he seeks wisdom in another with whom resides the greatness of knowledge. [4] But among the diverse gifts which, together with royal majesty, divine powers have bestowed upon us, that one more deeply soothes our spirit: that the most wise lady chose us by the balance-scale of great deliberation, whose justice I therefore first endured, so that I might first arrive at the favor of her advancement. For, as you know, she made us plead our causes by common law, on a level with private persons. O singular nobility of spirit! Behold a marvelous equity, of which the world may speak! She did not hesitate first to subject to public law a kinsman whom a little while after she willed to set even before the laws themselves. She tested the conscience of him to whom she was about to hand over the censorship of the kingdom, so that she too might be recognized as mistress of all, and might deign to lead me, once proven, to the throne. [5] When shall we repay these gifts, when shall we discharge what we owe to so great a favor, that she who alone ruled together with her little son has now chosen me to reign joined with her? For in her is the glory of all kingdoms, in her the flower of good things of our lineage. Whatever splendor we shine with, we receive from her brightness, since she has conferred praise not only upon her parents, but has also adorned the very race of mankind itself. Who could sufficiently declare with how great devotion, with how great weight of character she is graced? Philosophers would surely learn new things, if they saw, and they would confess things lesser to be stored up in their books than they would recognize to be attributed to her. [6] In disputations she is keen, but in speaking most weighty with the utmost restraint. This is beyond doubt a royal virtue: to perceive more swiftly what is necessary, and to burst more slowly into words. For he knows not how to speak things to be repented of, who first submits to his own examination the things to be uttered. Hence it is that her marvelous learning is diffused with great abundance through many tongues, whose talent is found so ready for the sudden moment that it is not thought to be of this earth. In the books of Kings the queen of the south is read to have come to learn the wisdom of Solomon: here let princes hear what they may recognize with admiration. In few words an infinite meaning is enclosed, and with the greatest ease that is composed which by others is not formed even under long deliberation. [7] Blessed the commonwealth that glories in the governance of so great a lady. It was a lesser thing for the community as a whole to serve under liberty: it has been added to such great merits, that princely reverence too has been subjected to her; for by this obedience we most worthily exercise our rule. For when I obey such great prudence, I yield to all the virtues. For under such a guide we are not burdened by the weight of the kingdom, since, if anything be unknown by reason of its novelty, it will be made most certain to us by her instruction. [8] For the public good it brings no shame to confess the truth. Acknowledge, princely men, that what could please more in us belongs to the most wise lady. For we either perceive better by questioning her, or we make progress by imitating her. Live now happily, live, with God's help, in concord, and emulate the grace which you know royal harmony to hold.

IIII. SENATUI URBIS ROMAE THEODAHADUS REX. [1] Divina vobis beneficia, patres conscripti, provenisse feliciter nuntiamus, dominam rerum toto orbe gloriosam consortem me regni sui larga pietate fecisse, ut nec illi deesset fidele solacium et nobis avitum congrue praestaretur imperium. suscipiatur gratissime quod generalitatem constat optasse: reserentur nunc sine metu vota cunctorum: ut unde periculum pertuli, inde me universitas cognoscat ornari. praesumpsistis enim me inconscio susurrare, quod palam non poteratis assumere. quantum vobis debeam, hinc datur intellegi, ut illud mihi festinaretis divinitus evenire, quod meus animus non audebat appetere. [2] Hoc nobis est potius novum quam vobis incognitum. magna ergo gratia completum debet accipi, quod velociter quam oportebat videbatur aperiri. sed si quid de vobis meremur, cum tamen plurimum apud vos valere nostram gratiam confidamus, domnae et sororis nostrae gloriosas laudes iugiter personate: quae magnitudinem imperii sui nostra voluit participatione roborari, ut tamquam in duobus luminibus unus esset aspectus et concordem sensum nemo crederet segregatum. [3] Sic sunt enim, simul quos et gratia iungit et parentela conciliat. arduum sibi hoc forsitan aestiment impares mores. difficile est illos aliter vivere, qui sibi possunt bonarum cogitationum similitudine convenire. consilium quippe imitari detrectat inprovidus: sapientiam vero ille quaerit in altero, penes quem est scientiae magnitudo. [4] Sed inter diversa munera, quae nobis cum regia maiestate divina tribuerunt, illud amplius permulcet animum nostrum, quod nos sapientissima domina trutina magnae disceptationis elegit: cuius prius ideo iustitiam pertuli, ut prius ad eius provectionis gratiam pervenirem. causas enim, ut scitis, iure communi nos fecit dicere cum privatis. o animi nobilitas singularis! en aequitas mirabilis, quam mundus loquatur. non dubitavit parentem prius iuri publico subdere, quem paulo post voluit ipsis quoque legibus anteferre. exploravit conscientiam, cui erat regni traditura censuram, ut et illa domina cognosceretur esse cunctorum et me probatum perducere dignaretur ad regnum. [5] Quando his muneribus, quando solvamus tantae gratiae quae debemus, ut quae cum parvulo filio imperavit sola, nunc mecum delegerit regnare sociata? in ipsa est enim decus regnorum omnium, in ipsa nostrae originis flos bonorum. quicquid fulgemus, ab eius claritate suscipimus, quando non solum parentibus laudem contulit, sed ipsum quoque genus humanitatis ornavit. quis possit sufficienter edicere, quanta pietate, quanto morum pondere decoretur? discerent profecto nova philosophi, si viderent et minora libris suis faterentur condita quam huic cognoscerent attributa. [6] In tractatibus acuta, sed ad loquendum summa moderatione gravissima. haec est regalis procul dubio virtus celerius necessaria sentire et tardius in verba prorumpere. nescit enim paenitenda loqui, qui proferenda prius suo tradit examini. hinc est quod eius doctrina mirabilis per multiplices linguas magna ubertate diffunditur, cuius ingenium ita paratum reperitur ad subitum, ut non putetur esse terrenum. in libris regum regina austri venisse legitur ad discendam sapientiam Salomonis: hic principes audiant quod sub ammiratione cognoscant. paucis verbis sensus clauditur infinitus et summa facilitate componitur, quod ab aliis nec sub longa deliberatione formatur. [7] Beata res publica quae tantae dominae gubernatione gloriatur. minus fuit, ut generalitas sub libertate serviret: additum est tantis meritis, ut ei subderetur et reverentia principalis: hoc enim obsequio dignissime dominamur. nam cum tantae prudentiae pareo, cunctis virtutibus obsecundo. sub tali siquidem monitore regni pondere non gravamur, dum si quid sit pro novitate incognitum, fiet nobis eius instructione certissimum. [8] Ad bonum publicum veritatem non pudet confiteri. agnoscite, principes viri, sapientissimae esse dominae, quod in nobis potuerit plus placere. illam enim aut interrogando melius sentimus aut eius imitatione proficimus. vivite nunc felices, vivite deo auxiliante concordes et aemulamini gratiam, quam regiam cognoscitis tenere concordiam.