Letter 11013: It seems an entirely honorable and necessary undertaking to petition a pious Emperor for the security of the Roman...

XIII. THE SENATE OF THE CITY OF ROME TO JUSTINIAN AUGUSTUS. [1] It seems an exceedingly honorable and necessary business to entreat a pious prince on behalf of the security of the Roman commonwealth, since it is fitting that there be sought from you what may serve to advance our liberty. For among the other goods which the divine powers have singularly bestowed upon you, nothing is proved to be a more glorious addition than that you know yourselves able to grant help everywhere. We ask therefore, most merciful emperor, and from the bosom of the curia we stretch out suppliant hands, that you grant your most firmly established peace to our king, and not suffer us to become abominable, we who have always seemed acceptable on account of your concord. [2] For you commend the Roman name, if you grant kindly things to our lords. Your favor raises us up and protects us, and we recognize that we deserve this, which is felt about your disposition. Let your treaties therefore compose the tranquillity of Italy, since then we can be loved, if through you a longed-for affection be joined together. And if our prayers do not yet seem able to suffice for this matter, imagine our fatherland breaking forth into these supplicatory words: [3] 'If I was ever pleasing to you, love, most pious of princes, my defenders. Those who hold dominion over me ought to be in concord with you, lest they begin to do such things against me as they shall have known to differ from your wishes. Do not be for me the cause of a cruel destruction, you who have always granted the joys of life. Behold, I have doubled my foster-children under your peace; behold, I have shone again, adorned with citizens. If you allow me to be harmed, where now do you display the name of your piety? For what more should you strive to do on my behalf, whose religion, which is your own, is known thus to flourish? My senate grows in honors, it is unceasingly increased in resources. [4] Do not scatter through discord what you ought to defend through wars. I have had many kings, but none so lettered as this one; I have had prudent men, but none so mighty in learning and piety. I love the Amal [Athalaric, of the Amal royal house] nourished at my breasts, a brave man formed by my manner of life, dear to the Romans for his prudence, to be revered by the nations for his valor. Nay rather, join your wishes, share your counsels, so that it may profit your glory if any prosperity accrue to me. Do not seek me in such a way that you cannot find me. I am yours none the less by your love, if you let none lacerate my members. [5] For if Libya deserved to receive liberty through you, it is cruel for me to lose what I have always seemed to possess. Command the impulses of your anger, O excellent triumpher. It is a greater thing what is sought by a general voice than if your spirit be overcome by the offense of anyone's ingratitude.' [6] These things Rome speaks, while she supplicates you through her senators. But if this is still too little, let the most holy petition of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul be considered. For those who are proved to have often defended Roman security from enemies-what shall there be that your sovereignty does not grant to their merits? But so that all things may seem to accord with your reverence, we have believed that our prayers should be presented to your clemency through that venerable man, the envoy of our most pious king dispatched to your clemency: so that things so many ought to accomplish what even singly were able to obtain favor before pious minds.

XIII. IUSTINIANO AUGUSTO SENATUS URBIS ROMAE. [1] Honestum nimis et necessarium videtur esse negotium pro securitate Romanae rei publicae pio principi supplicare, quia convenit a vobis expeti quod nostrae possit proficere libertati. nam inter cetera bona, quae vobis singulariter divina tribuerunt, nihil gloriosius probatur accedere, quam quod vos cognoscitis ubique posse praestare. rogamus ergo, clementissime imperator, et de gremio curiae supplices tendimus manus, ut pacem vestram nostro regi firmissimam praebeatis nec nos patiamini abominabiles fieri, qui semper de vestra concordia videbamur accepti. [2] Romanum si quidem nomen vos commendatis, si nostris dominis benigna conceditis. gratia vestra nos erigit ac tuetur et hoc mereri cognoscimus, quod de vestra mente sentitur. quietem ergo Italiae foedera vestra componant, quia tunc amari possumus, si per vos dilectio votiva copuletur. cui rei si nostrae preces adhuc non videntur posse sufficere, aestimate patriam nostram in haec precatoria verba prorumpere: [3] 'Si tibi aliquando grata fui, ama, piissime principum, defensores meos. qui mihi dominantur, tibi debent esse concordes, ne incipiant talia in me facere, quae a votis tuis cognoverint discrepare. non mihi sis causa crudelis exitii, qui semper vitae gaudia praestitisti. ecce alumnos meos sub tua pace geminavi, ecce civibus ornata resplendui. si me laedi pateris, ubi iam nomen tuae pietatis ostendis? quid enim pro me nitaris amplius agere, cuius religio, quae tua est, cognoscitur sic florere? senatus meus honoribus crescit, facultatibus indesinenter augetur. [4] Noli per discordiam dissipare quod deberes per bella defendere. habui multos reges, sed neminem huiusmodi litteratum: habui prudentes viros, sed nullum sic doctrina et pietate pollentem. diligo Hamalum meis uberibus enutritum, virum fortem mea conversatione compositum, Romanis prudentia carum, gentibus virtute reverendum. iunge quin immo vota, participare consilia, ut tuae gloriae proficiat, si mihi aliquid prosperitatis accedat. noli me sic quaerere, ut non valeas invenire. tua sum nihilominus caritate, si nullum facias mea membra lacerare. [5] Nam si Libya meruit per te recipere libertatem, crudele est me amittere quam semper visa sum possidere. impera motibus iracundiae, triumphator egregie. plus est quod generali voce petitur quam si vester animus cuiuslibet ingratitudinis offensione vincatur.' [6] Haec Roma loquitur, dum vobis per suos supplicat senatores. quod si adhuc minus est, beatorum apostolorum Petri atque Pauli petitio sanctissima cogitetur. nam qui securitatem Romanam saepe defendisse probantur ab hostibus, quid erit quod eorum meritis vester non tribuat principatus? sed ut omnia reverentiae vestrae congruere videantur, per illum virum venerabilem legatum piissimi regis nostri ad vestram clementiam destinatum preces nostras credidimus porrigendas: ut tam multa debeant efficere, quae vel singula potuerunt apud pios animos optinere.