hers; imbued also
with all Greek philosophy, he glutted himself with the honey of the
Cecropian doctrine.'

Mention is made of the Consulship of an earlier Felix, A.D. 428, the
happy renown of which still lingered in the memories of men.

The young Felix is praised for the qualities described in the two
previous letters, and also for his power of conciliating the
friendship of older men, especially the excellent Patrician Paulinus.

4. KING THEODORIC TO ECDICIUS (OR BENEDICTUS), VIR HONESTUS.

[Sidenote: Collection of Siliquaticum.]

'We wish always to observe long-established rules in fiscal matters,
the best guarantee against extortion. Therefore, whatever dues in the
way of _Siliquaticum_ appertained to Antiochus are now transferred to
you by the present authority, and the Sajo is charged to support your
claims herein; only the contention must not be mixed up with any
private matters of your own.'

[The _Siliquaticum_ was a tax of one twenty-fourth--the _siliqua_
being the twenty-fourth of a _solidus_--payable on all sales in market
overt by buyer and seller together.]

5. KING THEODORIC TO FAUSTUS, PRAEPOSITUS.

[Sidenote: Soldiers' arrears.]

'We are always generous, and sometimes out of clemency we bestow our
gifts on persons who have no claim upon us. How much more fitting is
it then that the servants of the State should receive our gifts
promptly! Wherefore, pray let your Magnificence see to it that the
sixty soldiers who are keeping guard in the fastnesses of Aosta
receive their _annonae_ without delay. Think what a life of hardship
the soldier leads in those frontier forts for the general peace, thus,
as at the gate of the Province, shutting out the entry of the
barbarous nations. He must be ever on the alert who seeks to keep out
the Barbarians. For fear alone checks these men, whom honour will not
keep back.'

[A singular letter to write in the name of one who was himself a
Barbarian invader.]

6. KING THEODORIC TO AGAPITUS, ILLUSTRIS AND PATRICIAN.

[Sidenote: Embassy to Constantinople.]

'We have decided to send you on an embassy to the East
(Constantinople). Every embassy requires a prudent man, but here there
is need of especial prudence, because you will have to dispute against
the most subtle persons--artificers of words, who think they can
foresee every possible answer to their arguments. Do your best
therefore to justify the opinion which I formed of you before full
trial of y