Letter 1031: VARIAE, BOOK 1, LETTER 31

XXXI. King Theoderic to the Roman People. [1] We wish the spectacles of pleasure to be a delight to the peoples, and what is established as a means of relaxing the mind ought not to stir up movements of anger. For it is for this reason that we take upon ourselves the burden of so many expenses: that your assembly may be not the clamor of sedition, but the adornment of peace. Cast off foreign manners: let the voice of the populace be Roman, which it pleases to be heard. Insults beget no joy, nor are they born of gladness. This was certainly the very thing you used to blame in foreigners: do not now contract those turbulent vices which you see that others have cast off. [2] And therefore by an edictal proclamation we determine that, if an unjust voice should presume to inflict savage injuries upon any of the senators, that person shall know that he is to be heard before the prefect of the city according to the laws, so that, the nature of the deed having been examined, he may receive in keeping with its quality the sentence promulgated by the law. [3] But that every seed of discord may be cut away from the root, we order the pantomimes to practice their arts in fixed places: an instruction given to the prefect of the city will be able to inform you of this. It is enough that, with composed minds, you carry through the joy of the city. For there is nothing that we more zealously desire you to preserve than the discipline of your forefathers, so that what you have always held to be praiseworthy among the ancients you may rather increase under us. [4] For you are accustomed to fill the very air with mellifluous shouts, and to say with one sound something that it would delight even the beasts themselves to hear: you bring forth voices sweeter than the organ, and so, under a certain harmony of the cithara, the hollow theater resounds through you, such that anyone might believe them to be musical tones rather than shouts. Surely amid such things brawls are not fitting, nor inflamed contention? Cast away frenzies while joyful; exclude anger while rejoicing. For the minds of others can be tempered in this way, when your acclamations are heard sweetly.

XXXI. POPULO ROMANO THEODERICUS REX. [1] Spectacula voluptatum laetitiam volumus esse populorum, nec erigere debet motus irarum, quod ad remissionem animi constat inventum. ideo enim tot expensarum onus subimus, ut conventus vester non sit seditionis strepitus, sed pacis ornatus. mores peregrinos abicite: Romana sit vox plebis, quam delectet audiri. convicia nec gaudium pariunt nec de laetitia procreantur. hoc fuit certe, quod culpabatis in exteros: nolite modo vitia turbulenta contrahere, quae videtis alios abiecisse. [2] Atque ideo edictali programmate definimus, ut, si atroces iniurias in quempiam senatorum vox iniusta praesumpserit, noverit se a praefecto urbis legibus audiendum, ut pro facti qualitate discussa excipiat promulgatam iure sententiam. [3] Verum ut omne semen discordiae funditus amputetur, praefinitis locis pantomimos artes suas exercere praecipimus: quod vos poterit instruere ad praefectum urbis data praeceptio. tantum est, ut animis compositis peragatis laetitiam civitatis. nihil est enim, quod studiosius servare vos cupimus quam vestrorum veterum disciplinam, ut, quod ab antiquis laudabile semper habuistis, sub nobis potius augeatis. [4] Soletis enim aera ipsa mellifluis implere clamoribus et uno sono dicere, quod ipsas quoque beluas delectet audire: profertis voces organo dulciores et ita sub quadam harmonia citharae concavum theatrum per vos resonat, ut tonos possit quilibet credere quam clamores. numquid inter ista rixae decent aut inflammata contentio? abicite furores laeti, iram gaudentes excludite. tales enim animi aliorum temperari possunt, cum vestri favores suaviter audiuntur.