idenote: Ambrosius appointed Quaestor.]

'A steady gradation of honours secures good servants for the State.
You have already served with credit the office of Count of the Private
Largesses. And you have also filled satisfactorily the place of a high
official who was dismissed in disgrace[522]. We now therefore promote
you to the office of Quaestor, and expect you to be the Pliny to the
new Trajan. Let your eloquent tongue adorn all that we have to say,
and be fearless in suggesting to us all that is for the welfare of the
State. A good Sovereign always allows his ministers to speak to him on
behalf of justice, while it is the sure mark of a tyrant to refuse to
listen to the voice of the ancient maxims of law. Remember that
celebrated saying of Trajan to an orator: "Plead, if I am a good
ruler, for the Republic and me; if I am a bad one, for the Republic
against me[523]." But remember, that if we are thus severe upon
ourselves we are equally strict with regard to you, and expect you to
follow the example of your noble ancestors, and to abstain from
everything like an infraction of the laws. We confer upon you the
insignia of the Quaestorship for this fifth Indiction' [Sept. 1,
526--Sept. 1, 527].

[Footnote 522: 'Gratiam quoque loci alterius invenisti. Dictationibus
enim probaris adhibitus, cum sit offensionibus alter expulsus: et ita
suspensum honorem tuum sustinebat ingenium, ut Palatio non sineres
decesse Judicem, cujus ad tempus abrogatam cognovimus dignitatem.' I
do not think we can say from this what the office temporarily filled
by Arator was.]

[Footnote 523: 'Sume dicationem, si bonus fuero, pro Republica et me:
si malus, pro Republica in me.']

14. KING ATHALARIC TO THE SENATE OF THE CITY OF ROME.

[On the elevation of Ambrosius to the Quaestorship].

[Sidenote: The same subject.]

'As a kind of door to our royal favour do we appoint Ambrosius to be
our Quaestor. You know his merits of old: but, to speak only of recent
matters[524], we may remind you that when your hearts were wrung with
grief for the death of our glorious grandfather, it was by his mouth
that we assured you of our determination to continue to you the
blessings of good government.

[Footnote 524: 'Quando et moderna quae loquimur.' (Notice again
_moderna_.)]

'The presence of Ambrosius is full of dignity, and has a soothing
influence which the words of his speech do but confirm[525]. It is
unfortunate for an orator to have eloquen