Part 73 (1/2)

'Our own amba.s.sadors, and that most excellent person Peter, whom your Piety despatched to us, will both have informed you how earnestly we desire concord with your august Serenity. We now send two more amba.s.sadors charged with the same commission. We certainly with all sincerity plead for peace who have no cause of quarrel with you.

Consider also, oh learned Sovereigns, and consult the archives of your great grandfather[671], that you may see how large a part of their own rights your predecessors were willing to relinquish for the sake of an alliance with our ancestors[672]. Think how fortunate you are in having that friends.h.i.+p willingly offered to you for which they had humbly to sue. Yet, we may say it without arrogance, we know ourselves to be better than those ancestors of ours with whom the treaty was made[673]. We send you on this emba.s.sy a venerable man, made ill.u.s.trious by his priestly office, and conspicuous by the renown of his learning. We pray the Divine goodness to bring our wishes to pa.s.s; and as not even a series of letters can contain all that we have to say, we have given some verbal messages to be conveyed to your sacred ears, that you may not be wearied by the reading of too diffuse a letter.'

[Footnote 671: Zeno (not of course an ancestor in natural relations.h.i.+p, but predecessor in the third degree).]

[Footnote 672: 'Considerate etiam, principes docti, et abavi vestri historica monumenta recolite, quantum decessores vestri studuerint de suo jure relinquere ut eis parentum nostrorum foedera provenirent.']

[Footnote 673: 'Nunc illi vestram gratiam ultro quaerunt, qui suis parentibus meliores se esse cognosc.u.n.t.' Dahn remarks that Theodahad's a.s.serted superiority to Theodoric probably consisted in his philosophical culture.]

23. QUEEN GUDELINA TO THEODORA, AUGUSTA[674].

[Footnote 674: See note on the preceding letter.]

[Sidenote: The same subject.]

'We learn with satisfaction from that most eloquent man Peter, that what has happened in this State is acceptable to you[675]. You show your love of justice when, all suspicion by G.o.d's providence having been wiped away, you desire that there should be lasting agreement between us. Let there then be definite promises on both sides, and lasting concord as the result. We therefore send that venerable man to secure the peace of our most serene husband with yours in the sight of all men. If there be anything in the Emperor's terms so hard that it ought not to be imposed on us, we trust to your wise moderation to mitigate the same, that the love which we have begun to feel towards your kingdom be not chilled by harsh terms of peace.

[Footnote 675: 'Ut per eum disceremus acceptum vobis esse quod in hac republica constat evenisse.' At first sight this seems to refer to the death of Amalasuentha or to the accession of Theodahad. Dahn thinks that those events have been disposed of in previous letters. Perhaps it is a general expression for 'the whole course of recent events in Italy.' Though upon the whole rejecting the story of Theodora's complicity in the death of Amalasuentha, I am bound to admit that this pa.s.sage lends a certain amount of probability to the charge. At the same time, the words in the next sentence, 'per divinam providentiam omni suspicione detersa,' are susceptible of an honourable meaning, even if the death of Amalasuentha be alluded to. 'You and your husband accused us of that crime. Now by G.o.d's providence we have been able to show that we were guiltless of it [that it was done without our privity by the relations of the three Gothic n.o.bles whom she had put to death]. Nothing therefore remains to hinder peace between us.']

'Claim this palm of concord between the two States as your own especial crown, that as the Emperor is renowned for his successful wars, so you may receive the praises of all men for this accomplished peace. Let the bearer of these letters see you often and confidentially. We hope for just, not onerous, conditions of peace, although in truth nothing seems impossible to us if we know that it is asked for by such a glorious person as yourself.'

24. QUEEN GUDELINA TO THE EMPEROR JUSTINIAN[676].

[Footnote 676: Apparently sent at the same time as the two preceding letters.]

[Sidenote: The same subject.]

A short letter of compliments to the Emperor, and earnest desire for the preservation of peace. Peter and 'ille vir venerabilis' are still the messengers.

25. KING THEODAHAD TO THE EMPEROR JUSTINIAN.

[Sidenote: The same subject.]

'The august page written by your Serenity, and brought to us by the venerable presbyter Heraclea.n.u.s, has gleamed upon us, bringing us the grace of your salutation. Oh, what a great benefit for us is this sweet converse with so mighty a prince!

'May we ever hear of your safety, and of the increase of the happiness of your kingdom. We have no other wish but this. According to your desire we have addressed letters to the Pope of the City of Rome[677], telling him to reply to the letter brought by the present messenger with the least possible delay, since anyone who comes from you should be attended to with utmost celerity. We hope for many future opportunities of thus obeying your desires and earning your love in return.'

[Footnote 677: Negotiations were evidently still going on between the Emperor and the Pope, probably with reference to the election of Anthimus, who, though accused of Monophysitism, had been made Patriarch of Constantinople in 535 by Theodora's influence, and whom the Pope apparently refused to recognise. He was afterwards deposed by Pope Agapetus when he visited Constantinople.]

26. KING THEODAHAD TO THE EMPEROR JUSTINIAN.

[Sidenote: A monastery too heavily taxed.]

'Richer than all other gifts bestowed by your Serenity is this, when you exhort us to do that which will profit for our own salvation and recommend us to the Divine Power. We hear that it has been brought to the knowledge of your Glory that a monastery of G.o.d's servants is too heavily oppressed with tribute, and we point out that this is owing to an inundation which has smitten their land with the curse of barrenness. However, we have given orders to the most eminent Senator[678] to appoint a careful inspector to visit the farm in question, weigh the matter carefully, and make such reasonable reduction as may leave a sufficient profit to the owners of the soil.

We consider that anything which we thus concede to the desire of your Mildness will be to us the most precious of all gains.

[Footnote 678: Ca.s.siodorus.]