Letter 9022: Human conduct would wander in confusion if crime had no terrors and virtue no rewards.

XXII. King Athalaric to Paulinus, Most Distinguished Man [vir clarissimus], Consul. [1] The conduct of men would wander about undistinguished and confused, if either fault did not have its dread or virtue its rewards. But since each of these is shut within its own bounds and its own limits, it is wrong to be doubtful about the man who has deserved to be chosen by the judgment of the sovereign. For we decree nothing out of hatred, nor do we praise anyone enticed by some favor. Our choice proceeds from merits, and a man draws so much the nearer to the royal mind in proportion as he is joined to it in fellowship by his good pursuits. Do not fear because you are absent, nor be anxious about the prince's ignorance of you. [2] The common sort of men may perhaps lie hidden: the offspring of the senate cannot be unknown, since those are well known who are asserted by their merits, and whoever is praised with fame as witness is recognized abundantly. Therefore the serene eye of our mind has looked upon you, set though you are at the greatest distance, and has seen the merit that was not held concealed. For widespread report has spread your character abroad, lending credit to your lineage by the weight of your conduct, not by your age. For it would not have been right that our judgment should find anything to be corrected in a man whom so great a family had brought forth. [3] You have rendered back the seed of your lineage in the fruits of your conduct. Your long line of years has withdrawn nothing from you: Rome has recognized in you the ancient Decii, the Decii, I say, a lineage honored in ancient ages, the help of liberty, the ornament of the senate-house, the singular glory of the Roman name: to whom it is specially ascribed that, when the condition of the commonwealth was imperiled, he escaped the most savage enemy, and amid so great a multitude of brave men he alone was found who had loved his fatherland more. These examples, by their admonition, always kindle you, because the praise of one's forebears is a great spur to modesty, since we do not allow ourselves to be unequal to those whom we rejoice to have as our founders. [4] And therefore, since it has been said with God as our patron, take up in the twelfth indiction the insignia of the consulship, an honor lofty indeed, but to your family a domestic one. For you yourselves complete the consular page: the course of the years names you again and again, and although abundance is generally wont to breed disdain, your name, repeated, is always made glorious. To this lineage, in short, the powers above have shown favor, granting to the desires of the fathers a fortunate progeny of male offspring. Hence it is that at that summit of affairs you scarcely see a colleague who is a stranger: you have as your judges those whom you have as your kinsmen. O singular glory of the times! The Roman senate-house is filled almost by your family alone: behold, now truly it must be called one body, since it is established as intermingled by the fellowship of a kindred that is its own neighbor. [5] But do not slacken your spirit through confidence in your own people, nor believe it can suffice that it has fallen to you to rejoice in their renown. More is demanded of the heir of good things, since he who is admonished by the virtues of his elders is driven on without ceasing. Add to their distinguished praises: let the succeeding age follow upon your elders with some notable novelty. For if it is glorious for descendants to extend their ancestral resources, how much more excellent it is to increase the virtues they have inherited! We have praised your conduct in your domestic intercourse: but now something greater befits you to display to the public gaze, whereby neither may your tender age flatter itself, nor fear claim anything for itself, nor a master take charge of you.

XXII. PAULINO V. C. CONSULI ATHALARICUS REX. [1] Indiscreti hominum mores confusique vagarentur, si aut culpa formidinem aut virtus praemia non haberet. sed cum utraque suis finibus propriaque terminatione claudantur, de illo nefas est ambigi, qui meruit eligi iudicio principali. non enim quicquam aut odio decernimus aut pellecti aliqua gratificatione laudamus. electio nostra de meritis venit et tanto quis regali animo proximatur, quanto bonis studiis societate coniungitur. non vereamini absentes nec sitis de principis ignoratione solliciti. [2] Latere potest forsitan vulgare hominum genus: nesciri non potest proles senatus, quando bene noti sunt, qui meritis asseruntur et abunde cognoscitur, quisquis fama teste laudatur. quapropter te longissime constitutum mentis nostrae oculus serenus inspexit et vidit meritum, quod non habebatur occultum. propositum siquidem tuum celebrata dilatavit opinio, faciens fidem generis morum pondere, non aetate. neque enim fas erat, ut quem familia tanta produxerat, sententia nostra in eo corrigendum aliquid inveniret. [3] Semen generis morum fructibus reddidisti. nil vobis aetas longa subduxit: antiquos in te Decios Roma cognovit, Decios inquam, priscis saeculis honorata prosapies, libertatis auxilium, curiae decus, Romani nominis singulare praeconium: cui specialiter adscriptum est quod immanissimum hostem status rei publicae periclitatus evasit et in tanta virorum fortium multitudine solus inventus est, qui patriam plus amasset. haec vos exempla submonendo semper accendunt, quia magnus verecundiae stimulus est laus parentum, dum illis non patimur esse impares quos gaudemus auctores. [4] Et ideo, quod deo auspice dictum sit, per indictionem duodecimam sume insignia consulatus, honorem quidem arduum, sed familiae vestrae domesticum. vos enim completis paginam consularem: vos crebro nominat cursus annorum et dum copia plerumque soleat habere fastidium, vestrum nomen repetitum semper efficitur gloriosum. huic denique generi superna faverunt praestando desideriis patrum felicia germina masculorum. hinc est quod in illo rerum capite collegam vix videtis extraneum: hos habetis iudices quos parentes. o temporum singulare praeconium! curia Romana completur paene vestra familia: ecce vere nunc unum dicendum est corpus, quando constat vicini sibi generis societate permixtum. [5] Sed non remittas animos confidentia tuorum nec credas posse sufficere, quod tibi contigit de illorum praedicatione gaudere. plus exigitur heres bonorum, quando sine cessatione compellitur, qui maiorum virtutibus admonetur. adde laudes egregias: senioribus tuis sequens aetas cum aliqua opinabili novitate succedat. nam si gloriosum est posteris avitas extendere facultates, quanto praestantius est hereditarias augere virtutes! mores tuos domestica conversatione laudavimus: sed maius aliquid nunc decet publicis exhibere conspectibus, unde sibi nec aetas tenera blandiatur nec metus quicquam vindicet nec magister assumat.