A letter to the Senate of Rome

Translated letter:

After mourning for the death of our son, of blessed memory, our concern for the people’s common good has conquered a dutiful mother’s heart, so that it dwells not upon the cause of her own grief but upon your prosperity. We have searched into the kind of help we might obtain to strengthen the kingdom’s administration. But that Father of purity and unique mercy, who was to deprive us of a son in his young manhood, has kept alive for us the affection of a brother ripe in years.

We have chosen by God’s grace the blessed Theodahad as the consort of our reign, so that we who have until now borne in solitary deliberation the burden of the commonwealth, may now carry out the achievement of all things by united counsels. We shall be seen to be two persons in mutually working out the administration of the State, but one person in purpose. The stars of heaven themselves are controlled by the aid they give to one another — and having been made partners by their shared labor — guide the world with their lights. Heavenly power has assigned to men two hands, companion ears, and twin eyes, so that the function which was to be fulfilled by the allied pair might be more efficiently carried out.

Rejoice, Fathers of the Senate, and commend to the heavenly powers what we have accomplished. We have desired to do nothing blameworthy, we who have — in conjunction with each other’s counsel — commanded all things to be put in order. We of course preserve with liberality the kingdom’s tradition, since one who is demonstrated to have a partner in her exercise of power is rightly seen to be compassionate.

With God’s help, therefore, we have unbarred the imperial residence to an illustrious man of our family, who, descended from the race of the Amals, has a royal worthiness in his actions. He is patient in adversity, restrained in his prosperity, and possesses what is the most difficult kind of control — a self-control of long standing. His literary erudition adds to these good qualities, and excellently adorns an already praiseworthy nature. For it is through books that the prudent man discovers how he may become wiser. There the warrior finds how he may become staunch in his greatness of soul; there the prince learns in what manner he may control diverse peoples under an equal rule. No fortune in the world can exist which the glorious knowledge of literature does not enhance.

Welcome, too, that greater thing which the prayers of the commonwealth have gained. Your prince is even learned in ecclesiastical letters. By these we are reminded of whatever pertains to the well-being of humanity: to adjudicate correctly, to know the good, to revere the divine, and to be mindful of the Judgment to come. Indeed it is necessary — for one who believes that he will have to plead his case on account of his own actions — to follow in the footsteps of justice.1 And so, I may observe that while reading sharpens the intelligence, divine reading continually works to perfect a dutiful person.

Let us come to that most generous sobriety of his private life, which has amassed such an abundance of gifts, such a wealth of feasts, that in the light of his former activity he will be seen to require nothing further in conducting the realm.2  He is prompt in hospitality and most dutiful in compassion, so that although he has spent much, his worth has kept increasing through heaven’s reward.

The whole world ought to hope for such a man as the one we are seen to have chosen, who — managing his own belongings reasonably — does not crave the belongings of other people. For the necessity of committing excesses is removed from princes who are accustomed to being moderate in their own expenses. The view that enjoins moderation is, of course, being praised, since too much of even what is considered to be a good thing is not acceptable.

Rejoice, then, Fathers of the Senate, and render thanks to the Heavenly Grace on our behalf, since I have ordained such a prince with me who will perform the good deeds that flow from our justice, and make his own good deeds manifest through his own sense of duty. For the virtue of his ancestors will admonish this man, and Theodoric as his uncle will effectually inspire him.

Original letter:

Post flebilem filii nostri divae recordationis occasum vicit animum piae matris generalitatis affeetio, ut non maeroris sui causas, sed vestra potius augmenta cogitaret. quaesivimus regales curas quo solacio fulciremus. sed auctor ille castitatis et misericordiae singularis, qui nobis primaevum subtracturus erat filium, maturi fratris reservavit affectum.

Elegimus deo auspice consortem regni nostri felicissimum Theodahadum, ut quae hactenus rei publicae molem solitaria cogitatione pertulimus, nunc utilitates omnium iunctis consiliis exequamur, quatenus in tractatibus duo, in sententiis unus esse videamur. Astra ipsa caeli mutuo reguntur auxilio et vicario labore participata mundum suis luminibus amministrant.  ipsi quoque homini duplices manus, socias aures, oculos geminos divina tribuerunt, ut robustius perageretur officium quod duorum fuerat societate complendum.

Exultate, patres conscripti, et factum nostrum supernis commendate virtutibus. nihil reprehensibile desideravimus agere, quae cum alterius consilio cuncta delegimus ordinare. communio siquidem regni mores asserit, quando placabilis esse iuste creditur, qui potestatis suae habere participem comprobatur. reseravimus itaque deo iuvante palatia viro nostri generis claritate conspicuo, qui Hamalorum stirpe progenitus regalem habeat in actibus dignitatem: patiens in adversis, moderatus in prosperis et, quod difficillimum potestatis genus est, olim rector sui.

 Accessit his bonis desiderabilis eruditio litterarum, quae naturam laudabilem eximie reddit ornatam. ibi prudens invenit, unde sapientior fiat: ibi bellator reperit, unde animi virtute roboretur: inde princeps accipit, quemadmodum populos sub aequalitate componat: nec aliqua in mundo potest esse fortuna, quam litterarum non augeat gloriosa notitia.

Accipite, quid maius generalitatis vota meruerunt. princeps vester etiam ecclesiasticis est litteris eruditus: a quibus semper quicquid est pro homine, commonemur: iudicare recte, bonum sapere, divina venerari, futura cogitare iudicia. necesse est enim, ut sequatur iustitiae vestigium, qui de sua sententia causam se credit esse dicturum. viderim quae lectio acuat ingenium: divina semper efficere nititur pium.

 Veniamus ad illam privatae vitae largissimam frugalitatem, quae tantam procurabat donis abundantiam, conviviis copiam, ut considerato eius antiquo studio nihil novi habere videatur in regno. in hospitalitate promptus, in miseratione piissimus: sic cum multa expenderet, census eius caelesti remuneratione crescebat. talem universitas debuit optare, qualem nos probamur elegisse, qui rationabiliter disponens propria non appetat aliena: tollitur enim necessitas principibus excedendi, quotiens assueverint propria moderari. Laudata est nimirum sententia, quae rerum praecipit modum, quia nimium non placet etiam quod bonum putatur.

Gaudete nunc, patres conscripti, et supernae gratiae pro nobis vota persolvite, quando talem mecum constitui principem, qui et de nostra aequitate bona faciat et propria suae pietatis ostendat. hunc enim et maiorum suorum commonet virtus et avunculus efficaciter excitat Theodericus.

Historical context:

The queen announces her choice of Theodahad as her co-ruler to the Senate, playing up his good qualities, though not omitting some reference to his past misdeeds.

Scholarly notes:

1  Perhaps a significant though veiled allusion to the past insolence of Theodahad.  While this line can be taken to mean the Last Jugdment, it is also a reminder that Theodahad in fact had once been prosecuted for unlawful seizure of properties.  He indeed refers, in his companion speech before the Senate, to the fact that Amalasuntha had caused him to plead his case publicly, prior to naming him her co-regent. MT

2  Amalasuntha suggests, not so subtly, that since Theodahad has already enriched himself he probably won’t see the need to continue his grasping ways. MT

Printed source:

Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Actorum Antiquissimorum, XII, Cassiodorus, Variarum, Book X, 3, p. 298-99.  The translation was done by Marcelle Thiebaux, who graciously allowed us to publish it here from The Writings of Medieval Women, (New York:  Garland, 1987), 19-22.

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