Letter 4049: King Theodoric to All Provincials, Capillati [free Gothic settlers], Defensores [city advocates], and Town...

49. KING THEODERIC TO ALL THE PROVINCIALS AND TO THE LONG-HAIRED MEN [the Goths], AND TO THE DEFENDERS AND DECURIONS DWELLING AT SISCIA AND SAVIA. [1] The strictness of royal command ought never to be withdrawn, so that it may both restrain the bold by fear and revive the afflicted with hope of better things to come. For very often a threat once proclaimed accomplishes more than a penalty actually inflicted settles. And therefore, with God as our sponsor, we have determined that Fridibadus shall preside over your districts, a man who is to check the rustlers of animals with lawful severity, to cut off acts of murder, to condemn thefts, and to render you peaceful and free from the wicked outrages by which an iniquitous presumption now tears you apart. Live in good order, live trained in good morals; let no nation [extraction], let no honor once earned excuse anyone. He who yields to depraved morals must of necessity be subject to punishment.

XLVIIII. UNIVERSIS PROVINCIALIBUS ET CAPILLATIS DEFENSORIBUS ET CURIALIBUS SISCIA VEL SAVIA CONSISTENTIBUS THEODERICUS REX. [1] Districtio semper subtrahi non debet regiae iussionis, ut et audaces metus comprimat et laceratos spes futura refoveat. plerumque enim denuntiata comminatio plus efficit quam poena componit. et ideo deo auspice Fridibadum locis vestris praeesse censuimus, qui abactores animalium legitima severitate coerceat, homicidia resecet, furta condemnet quietosque vos ab sceleratis ausibus reddat, quos nunc praesumptio iniqua dilacerat. vivite compositi, vivite bonis moribus instituti, nullum natio, nullum promeritus honor excuset. necesse est vindictae subiaceat qui pravis moribus obsecundat.