Letter 5023: VARIAE, BOOK 5, LETTER 23

23. KING THEODERIC TO ABUNDANTIUS, PRAETORIAN PREFECT. [1] We have judged that Tata, our saio [royal agent/marshal], should be dispatched together with the archers to the illustrious man, Count Wiliarit, so that the doubled army might take on greater strength. Let our young men display in wars what they have learned of valor in the training-school. Let the school of Mars send out its trained bands: he will be ready to fight in real combat who has been accustomed to exercise himself in time of leisure. And therefore we decree that your illustrious greatness furnish them with provisions and ships according to custom, so that, with the help of God, they may reach the place to which they have been directed. For to your diligence we entrust the carrying-out of our orders, since it is believed that what is begun by your arrangements, with God's help, can in no way fail.

XXIII. ABUNDANTIO PPO THEODERICUS REX. [1] Tatanem saionem nostrum cum sagittariis ad illustrem virum comitem VViliarium aestimavimus esse dirigendum, ut maius sumeret robur duplicatus exercitus. ostentent invenes nostri bellis, quod in gymnasio didicere virtutis. Schola Martia mittat examina: pugnaturus ludo, qui se exercere consuevit in otio. atque ideo illustrem magnitudinem vestram eis annonas et navigia secundum consuetudinem praebere censemus, quatenus iuvante deo quo directi sunt debeant pervenire. vestrae enim sollicitudini damus nostrarum efficaciam iussionum, quia nullatenus destitui posse creditur, quod ordinationibus tuis iuvante deo incohatur.