Letter 11005: [In this personal preface, Cassiodorus introduces the final two books of the Variae -- letters written in his own...

Most distinguished and illustrious man, former Quaestor of the Palace, former Ordinary Consul, former Master of the Offices, Praetorian Prefect, and Patrician. The Twelve Books of the Variae. Book Eleven. Preface to the Documents of the Prefecture. [1] The help of a preface most often arises out of the very contrariety of one's affairs, since that comes to the aid of the writer which could have hindered the man at his reflections. And although this circumstance strips away praise, yet, when handled with restraint, it indulgently grants pardon; for what is agreed to be owed by men at leisure, no one can exact from men who are occupied. Wherefore, if an administrator of the highest rank is believed to have had time to spare, it is a reproach to him, since even his privacy is said to be one battered by tumultuous business. But proof, once it has been brought to its conclusion, will scarcely afford us anything to our purpose, since we are both believed to have been occupied and judged to have been least obliged to write badly. [2] For it is far more satisfactory to hide faulty things in darkness than, with presumed importunity, to publish abroad things deserving of blame. Yet a man at leisure will be able to cast this in my teeth: if I have thrown out a word with improvident haste, if I have not adorned with charm of language a thought taken from common stock, if, against the precept of the ancients, I have not rendered to the persons their proper characteristics. But a man who is occupied, who is snatched this way and that by the variety of his cases, upon whom it falls continually to render a reply and to dictate to another the matters to be dispatched, will not be able to condemn me, since he knows that he himself has been put at risk in such tasks. [3] For he who is conscious of his own case is an easy absolver of another's; for we are not always strong in those things in which we are sometimes judged to be capable. A glad genius pours forth a witty invention, but an occupied mind conceives lukewarm sayings. Sometimes that which is shrewd ought continually to be well-composed, since the art of speaking is recognized to lie within our own power, whereas alacrity of mind is bestowed only by divine gifts. [4] There remains, therefore, to be excused the unhoped-for brevity of the books, which no one excuses at greater length except the man who is well believed to be about to speak well. But lest perhaps anyone be able to take offense that I, set upon the summit of the Praetorian office and thus in every way burdened with business, have dictated so little, let him receive it as done through the reliance I placed in that most prudent man Felix, whose counsel I shared in every case. [5] For he is a man first of all cleansed by sincerity of character, outstanding in knowledge of the law, marked by propriety of words, an old man in a youth, a sweet disputant, a measured speaker: who, by fulfilling the public necessities with elegance, has brought matters, rather by his own labor, to a favorable reputation. Otherwise, weighed down by such great masses of cases, I might either have proved unequal to them or perhaps have been found arrogant. But it is better that, refreshed by his exertions, I attended thus upon the royal cares, in such a way that I could not, failing in arduous matters, have been put to the test. [6] And so I have appended two little books of my own dictations concerning the administration of the prefecture, in order that I, who have spoken in ten books with the royal voice, might not be reckoned unknown in my own person, since it is exceedingly absurd that one who seemed to have said many things on behalf of others should fall silent once a dignity has been attained. [7] But after I had concluded our little work with the desired ending in twelve books, my friends compelled me to discourse upon the substance of the soul and upon its virtues, so that, on a subject about which we have said very many things, we might be seen to speak about the soul itself as well. [8] Now spare me, you eloquent men; rather, show favor to one who is making a beginning. For if I deserve nothing by the gift of eloquence, I am rather to be considered from my most dutiful labor, who, occupied by such great necessities of the commonwealth, was nevertheless able to find leisure under burning cares, even if it had fallen to my lot to glory in the streams of Tully [Cicero]. For the very fountainhead of eloquence himself, when he was asked to speak, is reported to have excused himself on the ground that he had not read the day before. What then will be able to befall others, if so great a glory of eloquence among the authors was seen to require benefits beforehand? The genius assuredly sickens, unless it is repaired by continual reading. Granaries are quickly emptied which have not been supported by constant replenishment. [9] How easily is a treasure itself poured out, if it is not again filled up with monies! So the human understanding, when it is not stuffed with another's discovery, can quickly be drawn down from its own stock. But if anything in us gives off a fragrance, it is the flower of studies, which nonetheless is rendered withered if it is plucked away from its mother, reading. For there it can be most flourishing, whence it is taught also to have been born, since all things live most fully in their own origin, which have not yet been taken away from their natural bosoms. Accordingly, a great part of pardon is ours, if we write while not at leisure, if we are read while not ourselves reading. But let us now be removed from our wish to excuse ourselves, lest a too-affected defense give greater offense.

V. C. ET INL. EXQUAEST. PAL. EXCONS. ORD. EXMAG. OFF. PPO ATQUE PAT. VARIARUM LIBRI DUODECIM LIBER UNDECIMUS PRAEFATIO CHARTARUM PRAEFECTURAE. [1] Praefationis auxilium ex contrarietate plerumque nascitur, actionum, quando illud opitulatur scriptori, quod potuit impedire cogitanti. quae res etsi laudes adimit, clementer tamen veniam tractata concedit, quia quod constat otiosos debere, nemo potest occupatos exigere. quapropter administrator amplissimus si vacasse credatur, obprobrium est, cuius etiam secretum dicitur, quod tumultuosis actionibus verberatur. sed vix nobis aliquid praestabit ad effectum ducta probatio, quando et occupati fuisse credimur et male scribere minime debuisse iudicamur. [2] Nam multo satius est vitiosa tenebris occulere quam culpanda praesumpta inportunitate vulgare. verum hoc mihi obicere poterit otiosus, si verbum improvida celeritate proieci, si sensum de medio sumptum non ornaverim venustate sermonum, si praecepto veterum non reddiderim propria personarum: occupatus autem, qui rapitur diversitate causarum, cui iugiter incumbit responsum reddere et alteri expedienda dictare, non me addicere poterit, qui se in talibus periclitatum esse cognoscit. [3] Facile enim absolutor est alieni conscius sui: neque enim semper in illis valemus, quae interdum posse iudicamur. argutum inventum laetum fundit ingenium: tepentia dicta mens concipit occupata. aliquando acutum iugiter decet esse compositum, quia dicendi ars in nostra sita potestate cognoscitur, alacritas mentis divinis tantum muneribus applicatur. [4] Remanet itaque ad excusandum brevitas insperata librorum, quam nemo purgat diutius nisi qui bene creditur esse dicturus. sed ne quis forsitan possit offendi, quod in praetoriano culmine constitutus sic omnimodis actioso pauca dictaverim, accipiat viri prudentissimi Felicis praesumptione factum, cuius participatus sum in omni causa consilium. [5] Etenim vir primum est morum sinceritate defaecatus, scientia iuris eximius, verborum proprietate distinctus, senilis iuvenis, altercator suavis, mensuratus eloquens: qui necessitates publicas eleganter implendo ad favorabilem opinionem suo potius labore perduxit. alioquin tantis causarum molibus oneratus aut impar esse potui aut forte arrogans inveniri. sed melius, quod eius fatigatione recreatus sic regalibus curis affui, ut non potuissem in arduis rebus deficiens approbari. [6] Duos itaque libellos dictationum mearum de praefecturae actione subiunxi, ut qui decem libris ore regio sum locutus, ex persona propria non haberer incognitus, quia nimis absurdum est in adepta dignitate conticescere, qui pro aliis videbamur plura dixisse. [7] Sed postquam duodecim libris opusculum nostrum desiderato fine concluseram, de animae substantia vel de virtutibus eius amici me disserere coegerunt, ut per quam multa diximus, de ipsa quoque dicere videremur. [8] Modo parcite diserti, favete potius inchoantes: nam si nihil mereor eloquentiae munere, considerandus sum potius ex officiosissimo labore, qui tantis rei publicae necessitatibus occupatus sic vacare potui sub urentibus curis, si me gloriari contigisset fluminibus Tullianis. nam ipse quoque fons eloquentiae cum dicere peteretur, fertur excusasse se, quod pridie non legisset. quid iam aliis accidere poterit, si tanta laus facundiae auctorum visa est beneficia postulare? aegrescit profecto ingenium, nisi iugi lectione reparetur. cito expenduntur horrea, quae assidua non fuerint adiectione fulcita. [9] Thesaurus ipse quam facile profunditur, si nullis iterum pecuniis compleatur. sic humanus sensus, cum alieno non farcitur invento, cito potest attenuari de proprio. si quid autem in nobis redolet, studiorum flos est, quod nihilominus marcidum redditur, si a matre lectione carpatur. illic enim potest esse laetissimum, unde docetur et natum, quando omnia in origine sua plenissime vivunt, quae necdum a naturalibus sinibus auferuntur. proinde veniae magna pars est, si scribimus non vacantes, si legimur non legentes. sed iam removeamur ab excusationis voto, ne magis offendat nimis affectata defensio.