Letter 9007: King Athalaric to Reparatus, Prefect of the City [of Rome].

VII. KING ATHALARIC TO REPARATUS, PREFECT OF THE CITY. [1] After the distinguished administrations of forefathers, the most eminent honors are fittingly conferred upon their descendants, since no man's talent consents to lie low within the estimation of his own kin, seeing that there is a certain honorable ambition to wish to surpass by public praises those whom we follow in time. There is added also the fact that those who are trained in the doctrines of the ancients take delight in having their reputation increased. For the more each man recognizes that he has applied himself to the better arts, the more he presumes to seek after greater things. [2] Long ago, therefore, the Roman commonwealth felt the diligence of your father, of illustrious memory. For presiding over the count's office of the largesses, and having also discharged the duties of the prefects in turn, he conducted the praetorian dignity with the utmost integrity, restoring the senate-house, giving back to the poor what had been taken from them; and although he was unpolished in the liberal studies, he did not fail to please the industrious, since a good natural talent can by its own nature commend itself, even when it does not appear adorned by accompanying circumstances. [3] But how great is this in comparison with the knowledge of your letters? For learning, since it distinguishes from the unskilled those whom it joins to the wise in friendly fellowship, finds it very easy to adorn the well-born, seeing that it even makes a noble man out of one of obscure origin. There grows also, among your illustrious merits, the fact that such a man chose you into the favor of kinship-a man who always happened to be praised for the integrity of his judgment, common in his manners, singular in his conscience, who always made himself praised by his own conduct, by his association with friends, and by his own probity. Of what sort, then, must he be judged to have allied to his own blood, who never decided to join even a dishonorable man to his fellowship? [4] And therefore, although you come young to this honor, after the judgment of so great a man it is foolish to call you unproven. For if we rightly lend calm ears to them when they make suggestions in the affairs of strangers, why should we not all the more follow their judgments in their own family, where they always look out for themselves carefully-even those who in other matters frequently go astray? And therefore-and may it be said with good fortune-for that indiction we bestow upon you the fillets of the urban dignity, so that, just as you are first in that order, so you may be held foremost also in the praise of your merits. [5] For what is carried out in that city is offered, as it were, to the eyes of the whole world. Whom can a judge now make favorable to himself, if he offends that senate of such great benignity? You know what belongs to ripeness, what to prudence, in the estimation of that very order, whose youthful shoots, as soon as they have grown up, are called fathers. There youth begins from the maturity of counsel: the young men deliberate with the moderation of old men: there the weight of character is sent ahead in the flower of age, which elsewhere is scarcely produced even in white-haired age. [6] Such, then, will you conduct yourself, with moderation maintained, that when you summon so many nobles to the senate-house, you may set forth before them an opinion worthy of your will. For it is exceedingly difficult to say among them anything of such a kind that it cannot displease men so prudent. And therefore he is to be esteemed a man not of one dignity alone who was able to win a good judgment from that throng of the learned. For if it is gratifying to be praised even by reason of rarity, what joy can come to that man whom the votes of so many nobles have praised? Love justice: spend yourself worthily upon the oppressed: render back to your descendants those praises which you yourself received from your forefathers.

VII. REPARATO PRAEFECTO URBIS ATHALARICUS REX. [1] Post parentum claras administrationes bene conferuntur posteris eminentissimae dignitates, dum nullius adquiescit ingenium iacere intra aestimationem suorum, quando quidam honestus ambitus est quos sequimur tempore, velle praeconiis anteire. additur etiam, quod priscorum dogmatibus eruditi opinionis gratia delectentur augeri. nam quanto se unusquisque melioribus cognoscit artibus studuisse, tanto amplius grandiora praesumit appetere. [2] Dudum itaque illustris recordationis genitoris tui res publica sensit Romana diligentiam. comitivae siquidem largitionum praesidens, functus etiam vicibus praefectorum, praetorianam egit integerrime dignitatem, curiam reparans, pauperibus ablata restituens et quamvis liberalibus studiis fuerit impolitus, placere non omisit industriis, quando naturaliter per se commendari potest bonum ingenium, etiam cum rebus accidentibus non videtur ornatum. [3] Sed hoc quantum est ad tuarum notitiam litterarum? doctrina si quidem quos ab imperitis discernit, sapientibus amica societate coniungit, cui perfacile est ornare generosum, quae etiam ex obscuro nobilem facit. crescit quoque praeclaris meritis tuis, quod in affinitatis gratiam te talis elegit, quem semper contigit de iudicii sui integritate praedicari, moribus communis, conscientia singularis, qui se semper suis moribus et amicorum conversatione et sua fecit probitate laudari. qualem ergo suo sanguini aestimandus est sociasse, qui numquam inprobum vel communioni suae decrevit adiungere. [4] Et ideo licet primaevus venias ad honorem, post tanti viri iudicium ineptum est te dicere non probatum. nam si bene illis suggerentibus in extraneis causis placidas aures praebemus, cur magis in genere suo eorum iudicia non sequamur, ubi semper studiose sibi prospiciunt etiam qui in aliis actibus frequenter excedunt? atque ideo, quod feliciter dictum sit, per indictionem illam urbanae tibi tribuimus infulas dignitatis, ut, sicut in illo ordine primus, ita habearis et meritorum laude praecipuus. [5] Paene siquidem terrarum oculis offertur quod in illa civitate peragitur. quem iam sibi iudex placatum faciat, si illum senatum tantae benignitatis offendat? quid sit maturitatis, quid prudentiae, in ordinis ipsius aestimatione cognoscis, cuius primaeva germina mox ut adoleverint, patres vocantur. adulescentia illic inchoat a maturitate consilii: tractant iuvenes cum modestia senum: ibi morum pondus in flore praemittitur, quod vix alibi cana aetate generatur. [6] Talem te ergo habita moderatione tractabis, ut cum tot proceres ad curiam vocas, dignam ante illos sententiam tuae voluntatis aperias. nimis quippe arduum est aliquid tale inter illos dicere, quod nequeat tantis prudentibus displicere. ideoque non unius dignitatis vir aestimandus est, qui ab illa turba doctorum bonum potuit referre iudicium. nam si gratum est vel sub raritate praedicari, quid illi gaudii provenire possit, quem tot nobilium vota laudaverint? iustitiam dilige: oppressis te dignanter impende: redde laudes posteris tuis, quas tu a maioribus accepisti.