Letter 1002: KING THEODERIC TO THEON, A MAN OF DISTINCTION.

King Theoderic to Theon, a Man of Distinction. [1] From the report of Count Stephanus we have learned that the work on the sacred vestment, which we wished to be completed with the necessary haste, hangs rather in suspense, its labor broken off: for by withdrawing its use from you, you are recognized as bringing upon a customary task a delay that ought rather to be abhorred. For we believe that some neglect has come about, so that either those milk-white hairs, sated twice and thrice in the bloody cup, have blushed less with their most beautiful drunkenness of color, or the wools have not drunk in the most precious quality of the adorable murex [the shellfish from which purple dye is drawn]. [2] For this reason, if the searcher of the Hydruntine sea [the sea off Hydruntum, modern Otranto] had duly stored away the shellfish gathered from within it at the fitting time, that Neptunian heap, the begetter of ever-flourishing purple, the adorner of the throne, dissolved by an abundance of waters, would have loosened the courtly shower into a flaming liquid. The color, blooming with excessive charm, a reddening darkness, a blood-red blackness, distinguishes the one who reigns, makes the lord conspicuous, and grants to the human race that there be no mistaking the appearance of the prince. [3] It is a marvel that this substance, finished off by death, should sweat forth from itself, even after so long a span of time, the gore that is wont to flow from living bodies wounded by a blow. For although these delicacies of the sea have been separated from their vital vigor for nearly six months, they are not perceived by keen nostrils to be in the least offensive, plainly so that this noble blood might breathe forth nothing of horror. When once a substance has been steeped with this, it endures, and does not know how to be withdrawn before the garment can be consumed. [4] But if the quality of the shellfish is not changed, if that wine-press has but a single vintage, the fault will surely be the craftsman's, from whom no supply was withdrawn. Moreover, in those reddening springs, when the skilled handler dips the whitening tresses of silk, he ought to keep the most pure chastity of body, since the secrets of such things are said to shrink from what is unclean. [5] If all these conditions have been met, if in no part does the customary observance appear to have been neglected, we marvel that you have given the least thought to your own perils, since it is a sacrilegious guilt to sin by negligence in such a vestment. For what do so many craftsmen accomplish, so many bands of sailors, so many households of country folk? You too, carried high by the office of count, give such great commands, and defend yourself with such great presumption upon that title, that, while you believe yourself to be carrying out a royal work, you seem to yourself to be commanding many citizens. [6] Your slackness, then, neglects the very thing that had both raised you up in the province and made you come into the honorable sight of the prince. But if care for your own resources does not yet abandon you, if affection for your own safety touches you, hasten to come within that day, with the bearer of this letter pressing upon you, bringing the purple [blatta, the costly purple cloth] which you have been accustomed to deliver to our chamber each year: for we are now sending to you not a compeller but an avenger, if you suppose that you may delay by any trickery. [7] Yet how easily we read that a thing so great and so important was discovered by a chance gain! When a dog, greedy in its hunger, had crushed in its closed jaws the shellfish cast up on the Tyrian shore, those creatures, naturally letting their bloody moisture flow down, stained its mouth with a marvelous color. And as it is the way of men to draw chance occasions toward the arts, those who reflected on such examples brought it about that a thing known to possess but a middling substance should give noble distinction to princes. Eastern Tyre is the Italian Hydrus [Hydruntum/Otranto], a courtly wardrobe indeed, keeping nothing ancient in store but ever transmitting things new. See, therefore, whether anyone permits you to fulfill less fully what you know we so necessarily require.

II. THEONI V. S. THEODERICUS REX. [1] Comitis Stephani insinuatione comperimus sacrae vestis operam, quam nos voluimus necessaria festinatione compleri, disrupto magis labore pendere: cui usum subtrahendo sollemnem abominandam potius inferre cognosceris tarditatem. credimus enim aliquem provenisse neglectum, ut aut crines illi lactei, carneo poculo bis terque satiati, pulcherrima minus ebrietate rubuerint aut lanae non hauserint adorandi muricis pretiosissimam qualitatem. [2] Quapropter si perscrutator Hydrontini maris intusa conchylia sollemniter condidisset apto tempore, acervus ille Neptunius, generator florentis semper purpurae, ornator solii, aquarum copia resolutus imbrem aulicum flammeo liquore laxaverat. color nimio lepore vernans, obscuritas rubens, nigredo sanguinea regnantem discernit, dominum conspicuum facit et praestat humano generi, ne de aspectu principis possit errari. [3] Mirum est substantiam illam morte confectam cruorem de se post spatia tam longi temporis exudare quod solet vivis corporibus vulnere sauciatis effluere. nam cum sex paene mensibus marinae deliciae a vitali fuerint vigore separatae, sagacibus naribus nesciunt esse gravissimae, scilicet ne sanguis ille nobilis aliquid spiraret horroris. haec cum infecta semel substantia perseverat, nescit ante subtrahi quam vestis possit absumi. [4] Quod si conchyliorum qualitas non mutatur, si torcularis illius una vindemia est, culpa nimirum artificis erit, cui se copia nulla subtraxit. in illis autem rubicundis fontibus cum albentis comas serici doctus moderator intinxerit, habere debet corporis purissimam castitatem, quia talium rerum secreta refugere dicuntur immunda. [5] Haec si omnia constiterint, si in nulla parte praetermissa videtur esse sollemnitas, miramur tua te pericula minime cogitasse, dum sacrilegus sit reatus neglegentiae in tali veste peccare. quid enim agunt tot artifices, tot nautarum catervae, tot familiae rusticorum? tu quoque comitiva subvectus tantis iubes, tanta te istius nominis praesumptione defendis, ut, cum regale opus crederis agere, in multis videaris tibi civibus imperare. [6] Hoc ergo remissio tua neglegit, quod te et in provincia subvexerat et ad conspectum principis honorabilem venire faciebat. quod si te facultatis tuae adhuc cura non deserit, si salutis propriae tangit affectus, intra illum diem, imminente tibi harum portitore, cum blatta, quam nostro cubiculo dare annis singulis consuesti, venire festina: quia iam non compulsorem ad te mittimus, sed ultorem, si aliqua credideris ludificatione tardandum. [7] Verum talis tantaque res quam facili legitur inventa compendio! cum fame canis avida in Tyrio litore proiecta conchylia impressis mandibulis contudisset, illa naturaliter umorem sanguineum defluentia ore eius mirabili colore tinxerunt. et ut est hominibus occasiones repentinas ad artes ducere, talia exempla meditantes fecerunt principibus decus nobile dare rem, quae substantiam noscitur habere mediocrem. Eoa Tyros est Hydron Italica, aulicum profecto vestiarium, non antiqua custodiens, sed iugiter novella transmittens. vide ergo, si quis te patiatur minus implere, quod nos tam necessarie cognoscis expetere.