by the 1st September, 537; and in an
interesting passage of the 'Historia Miscella' (Book xvi.), famine in
Liguria, the year 537, and the name of Datius are all combined.
'Praeter belli instantiam angebatur insuper Roma famis penuria: tanta
siquidem per universum mundum eo anno [the year of the siege of Rome],
_maxime apud Liguriam_ fames excreverat, ut _sicut vir sanctissimus
Datius Mediolanensis antistes retulit_, pleraeque matres infelicium
natorum membra comederent.' I owe this reference to Baronius.]

28. AN EDICT [ADDRESSED TO THE LIGURIANS].

[Sidenote: Relief of inhabitants of Liguria.]

'Divine Providence uses adversity as a means of testing our
characters. Famine has afflicted the Provinces, but the result of it
has been that they have proved more fully than before the bounty of
their King. Rejoice herein, oh ye Ligurians! For when, as you will
remember, on a previous occasion the savage temper of your neighbours
was aroused, and Aemilia and your Liguria were shaken by an incursion
of the Burgundians, who waged a sneaking campaign by reason of their
nearness to your territory, suddenly the renown of the insulted
Empire[898] arose like the sun in his strength. The enemy mourned the
ruin which was caused by his own presumption, when he learned that
that man was Ruler of the Gothic race whose rare valour he had
experienced when he was still a private soldier[899]. How often did
the Burgundian wish that he had never left his own frontiers to be
compelled to fight with such an adversary as our Sovereign; for though
he found with relief that he escaped his actual presence in the field,
none the less did his rashness bring him in contact with the good
fortune of his arms. For when with redoubled fortitude[900] the Goths
turned to the prosecution of the war, with such successfully combined
operations did they strike the bands of the rebels, that you would
have thought those were all armed men, these were all
defenceless[901]. Such was the just judgment of God, that the robber
should perish in those very plains which he had presumed to desolate.
Exult now, oh Province, adorned with the carcases of thine
adversaries! rejoice, oh Liguria, at the heap of dead bodies! If the
harvest of corn is denied thee, the harvest of dead enemies shall not
be wanting. Tribute thou mayest not be able to offer to thy King, but
the triumphs which are won in thy land thou canst offer with pride.

[Footnote 898: Literally, 'of the pre