Letter 1010: KING THEODERIC TO BOETHIUS, A MAN OF ILLUSTRIOUS RANK AND A PATRICIAN.

King Theoderic to Boethius, a Man of Illustrious Rank and a Patrician. [1] Although justice in its general form is owed to all peoples — and indeed it obtains the full dignity of its name only when it runs with even-handed moderation through the powerful and the lowly alike — yet those who do not withdraw from service in the palace seek it with greater confidence. For something is granted to the idle man freely, out of princely generosity; but to one who renders faithful obedience, custom repays it as a kind of debt. [2] The Household troops of the divisions of cavalry and infantry, who are seen to keep continual watch over our court, have complained to us in a joint petition — as tends to happen out of great grievances — that from that treasury-clerk [arcarius] of the prefects they receive, for their customary stipends, solidi that are not of full weight, and that they suffer heavy losses in the count. Therefore let your prudence, trained in the teachings of learned reading, cast this wicked falsehood out from the company of truth, so that it may be desirable to no one to subtract anything from that integrity. [3] For this discipline which is called arithmetic stands, amid the uncertain things of the world, upon the most certain reasoning, which we know to be equal to the things of heaven: a manifest order, a beautiful arrangement, a simple understanding, an unmovable knowledge, which both contains the things above and guards the things below. For what is there that either has no measure or exceeds a weight? It embraces all things, governs all things, and all things take their beauty from this, since they are known to exist beneath its measure. [4] It is a delight to observe how the number ten, after the manner of the heavens, turns back upon itself and is never found to fail. By returning upon itself in a new fashion, the reckoning grows, always added to itself; and although the ten does not appear to be exceeded, out of small amounts it prevails to embrace greater ones. This, often repeated with the fingers of the hand bent down and raised up, is always rendered out extended; and the more the computation is led back to its own beginning, the more it is undoubtedly increased. By a numerable quantity the sand of the sea, the drops of the rains, the shining stars are comprehended. For to its Author every created thing falls under number, and whatever comes into existence cannot be moved away from such a condition. [5] And since it delights us to speak of the more hidden parts of this discipline with those who understand it: although coins themselves, by reason of their most common use, may seem cheap, one must observe with how great a calculation they were nonetheless arranged by the ancients. They willed that six thousand denarii should make a solidus — namely, so that the molded roundness of the radiant metal, like a golden sun, should fittingly enclose the age of the world. And the number six, which learned antiquity not without reason defines as perfect, they marked with the name of the ounce [uncia], which is the first degree of measure; and this, reckoned twelve times after the likeness of the months, they gathered into the fullness of a pound [libra], to correspond with the courses of the year. [6] O the discoveries of the prudent! O the foresight of our elders! It is an exquisite thing, which both distinguishes what is necessary for human use and figuratively contains so many secrets of nature. Rightly, therefore, is it called the libra [pound, also "balance"], which is weighed out with so great a consideration of things. To violate such secrets, then, to wish to confound things so utterly certain — does it not seem a cruel and foul mangling of truth itself? Let trade be carried on in goods: let things be bought cheaply that they may be sold dearer; let a weight and measure acceptable to all be fixed for the peoples, for everything is thrown into confusion if integrity is mingled with frauds. [7] Surely that which is given to laboring men ought not to be mutilated; but from one of whom faithful service is demanded, let no diminished payment be tendered. Give a full solidus, then, and take away from it, if you can prevail to do so; hand over a pound, and yet diminish something of it, if you are able. Against these very acts it stands that the names themselves have provided: either you grant whole units, or you do not pay out the very things that are named. You cannot in any way — you cannot — give the names of whole units and yet effect wicked diminutions. See to it, therefore, that the arbiter of the treasury-chest [arca] keep his just customs, and that what we expend upon those who have well deserved it they may obtain as an uncorrupted gift.

X. BOETHIO V. I. ATQUE PATRICIO THEODERICUS REX. [1] Licet universis populis generalis sit impendenda iustitia, quae sic nominis sui obtinet dignitatem, si aequabili moderatione per potiores currat et humiles, confidentius tamen illam expetunt, qui a palatii militia non recedunt. otioso enim gratuite praestatur aliquid munificentia principali; consuetudo autem quodam debito redditur fideliter obsequenti. [2] Domestici partis equitum et peditum, qui nostrae aulae videntur iugiter excubare, quod ex magnis fieri doloribus solet, adunata nobis supplicatione conquesti sunt ab illo arcario praefectorum pro emolumentis sollemnibus nec integri ponderis solidos percipere et in numero gravia se dispendia sustinere. Quapropter prudentia vestra lectionibus erudita dogmaticis scelestam falsitatem a consortio veritatis eiciat, ne cui sit appetibile aliquid de illa integritate subducere. [3] Haec enim quae appellatur arithmetica inter ambigua mundi certissima ratione consistit, quam cum caelestibus aequaliter novimus: evidens ordo, pulchra dispositio, cognitio simplex, immobilis scientia, quae et superna continet et terrena custodit. quid est enim quod aut mensuram non habeat aut pondus excedat? omnia complectitur, cuncta moderatur et universa hinc pulchritudinem capiunt, quia sub modo ipsius esse noscuntur. [4] Iuvat inspicere, quemadmodum denarius numerus more caeli et in se revolvitur et numquam deficiens invenitur. crescit nova condicione per se redeundo addita sibi semper ipsa calculatio et, cum denarius non videatur excedi, ex modicis praevalet maiora complecti. hoc saepe repetitum inflexis manualibus digitis et erectis redditur semper extensum, et quanto ad principium suum supputatio reducitur, tanto amplius indubitanter augetur. quantitate numerabili harena maris, guttae pluviarum, stellae lucidae concluduntur. auctori quippe suo omnis creatura sub numero est et quicquid ad existentiam pervenit, a tali non potest condicione dimoveri. [5] Et quoniam delectat nos secretiora huius disciplinae cum scientibus loqui, pecuniae ipsae quamvis usu celeberrimo viles esse videantur, animadvertendum est quanta tamen a veteribus ratione collectae sunt. sex milia denariorum solidum esse voluerunt, scilicet ut radiantis metalli formata rotunditas aetatem mundi, quasi sol aureus, convenienter includeret. senarium vero, quem non inmerito perfectum antiquitas docta definit, unciae, qui mensurae primus gradus est, appellatione signavit, quam duodecies similitudine mensium computatam in librae plenitudinem ad anni curricula collegerunt. [6] O inventa prudentium! o provisa rnaiorum! exquisita res est, quae et usui humano necessaria distingueret et tot arcana naturae figuraliter contineret. merito ergo dicitur libra, quae tanta rerum est consideratione trutinata. talia igitur secreta violare, sic certissima velle confundere, nonne veritatis ipsius videtur crudelis ac foeda laceratio? exerceantur negotiationes in mercibus: emantur late, quae vendantur angustius: constet populis pondus ac mensura probabilis, quia cuncta turbantur, si integritas cum fraudibus misceatur. [7] Mutilari certe non debet, quod laborantibus datur: sed a quo actus fidelis exigitur, compensatio imminuta praestetur. da certe solidum et aufer inde, si praevales: trade libram, at aliquid, si potes, imminue. contra ista nominibus ipsis constat esse provisum: aut integra tribuis aut non ipsa quae dicuntur exsolvis. non potestis omnimodo, non potestis nomina integritatum dare et scelestas imminutiones efficere. providete itaque, ut et arbiter arcae habeat iustas consuetudines suas, et quod bene meritis impendimus, incorrupto munere consequantur.