Letter 8022: If a man who has obtained a single royal appointment deserves your favor, conscript fathers, how much more must the...

22. KING ATHALARIC TO THE SENATE OF THE CITY OF ROME. [1] If he is worthy of your favor who has been able to obtain a royal judgment even but once, what then, conscript fathers, will the magnificent man Cyprianus deserve, who ought to become the more pleasing to you as often as he has received dignities from us? A more numerous crown glorifies those contending in the stadium; the frequent palm ennobles the Olympic chariots: thus, even in slight matters, he is made the more glorious upon whom rewards are frequently conferred. About a first promotion, then, there can be hesitation, since many deceive the mind of the prince, when it is easy to delude one whose wish has always been to have bestowed favor; but he displayed such constancy of mind, he held so great a resolve toward good things, that he has always called forth upon himself the royal gift. [2] This is sure glory, this an undoubted verdict: to have been able to merit frequently that by which it is established that men are adorned. It is fitting that such men also enter your senate-house, who at their first honors do not spend out their merit, but, when they have undertaken great things, again deserve greater ones. Such men also adorn our judgments, since one is believed to have been well chosen in the first place who is more often approved. The very nature of good is given its value by the perseverance applied to it, since to begin is less to be praised than to keep guard over a resolve toward good things. [3] You once had men like him, conscript fathers, the Decii; antiquity proclaims that the Corvini were like him. For neither did this man, of whom we are speaking, win over to himself only our own approval. To be advanced by a single prince might perhaps seem a matter of favor: but to have merited advancement under another as well makes it certain that the judgment was sound in the eyes of both. He therefore has all men as his followers who decides anything in accordance with the truth. [4] He deserved to have as the author of his advancement one such that he should most worthily find us as those who increase it. That one laid the foundations of honors upon him; we have built the summit of dignities. And therefore, conscript fathers, to the illustrious man Cyprianus, made renowned by so many labors, by so many praises, we have added also the rank of the patriciate, lest he should be greater in his merits than in our honors. Favor now as a colleague him whom you have often adorned as a stranger. He returns to you secure, who has now laid up his honors in the hall of Liberty. [5] He has also that whereby he may be rendered more acceptable to you, since he has brought forth such foster-children for your senate-house, in whom, though an eager father, he nevertheless surpassed his own prayers: not timid through infancy, not ignorant of how to answer, as was permitted: they speak excellently in various tongues, they mingle in fellowship with mature men. Thus, when they became known to us, at the very beginning of their age they had passed through their youth. May the divine majesty grant that, just as we have extolled the name of munificence in respect of their father, so also in them we may increase the titles of our devotion.

XXII. SENATUI URBIS ROMAE ATHALARICUS REX. [1] Si favore vestro dignus est, qui vel semel regale potuit impetrare iudicium, quid, patres conscripti, vir magnificus merebitur Cyprianus, qui vobis totiens gratior debet effici, quotiens a nobis dignitates acceperit? certantes in stadio numerosior corona glorificat, Olympicos currus frequens palma nobilitat: sic vel in levibus rebus gloriosior efficitur, cui frequenter praemia conferuntur. de primo denique provectu potest esse cunctatio, dum multi fallunt principis animum, quando facile est illudere, cui semper votum est praestitisse: sed talem mentis exhibuit constantiam, tantum bonorum habuit propositum, ut semper in se provocaverit regium munus. [2] Haec est certa gloria, haec indubitata sententia frequenter potuisse mereri, per quod homines constat ornari. hos etiam intrare in vestram curiam decet, qui ad primos honores non expendunt meritum suum, sed cum magna susceperint, iterum maiora promerentur. ornant quoque tales et nostra iudicia, quando bene prius electus creditur, qui saepius approbatur. natura ipsa boni adhibita perseverantia pretiatur, quia minus est laudanda incipere quam bonorum propositum custodire. [3] Similes habuistis olim, patres conscripti, Decios, similes vetustas praedicat fuisse Corvinos. neque enim hic vir, de quo nobis sermo est, nostrum sibi tantummodo conciliavit arbitrium. ab uno quippe principe provehi videtur forte gratiosum: nam et sub altero meruisse provectum apud utrosque integrum constat fuisse iudicium. cunctos ergo sequaces habet, qui aliquid ex veritate decernit. [4] Hunc provectus sui auctorem meruit, ut nos augmentatores dignissime reperiret. ille in eum fundamenta posuit honorum, nos culmen construximus dignitatum. et ideo, patres conscripti, tot laboribus, tot laudibus clarificato illustri viro Cypriano suggestum quoque patriciatus addidimus, ne maior esset meritis suis quam honoribus nostris. favete nunc collegae quem saepe decorastis extranei. securus ad vos redit, qui iam honores suos in Libertatis aula reposuit. [5] Habet etiam, unde vobis reddatur acceptior, quando tales curiae vestrae alumnos protulit, de quibus quamvis avidus pater tamen propria vota superavit, non infantia trepidos, non ad respondendum, ut licebat, ignaros: variis linguis loquuntur egregie, maturis viris communione miscentur. sic cum nobis noti sunt, in ipso aetatis primordio adulescentiam transierunt. praestet divina maiestas, ut, sicut de patre eorum munificentiae nomen extulimus, sic et in eis pietatis nostrae titulos augeamus.