instantly through the territory of Faventia,
and if you find any persons, either Goths or Romans, concerned in the
plunder of the possessors, punish them severely. How much better it
would be for those misguided persons to live according to our will,
and earn the reward of pleasing us.' [The last sentence is obscure,
and perhaps the text is corrupt.]

28. KING ATHALARIC TO CUNIGAST, VIR ILLUSTRIS.

[No doubt the same as the Conigast attacked by Boethius in the
'Philosophiae Consolatio' i. 4[555].]

[Footnote 555: 'Quoticus ego Conigastum in inbecillis cujusque
fortunas impetum facientem obvius excepi!']

[Sidenote: Possessores (or Coloni?) forced to become slaves.]

'Our Serenity has been moved by the grievous petition of Constantius
and Venerius, who complain that Tanca [probably a Goth] has wrested
from them the farm which is called Fabricula, which belonged to them
in their own right, together with the stock upon it[556], and has
compelled them, in order to prevent similar forcible demands upon
their property in future, to allow the worst lot of all--the condition
of slavery--to be imposed upon them, who are really free[557].

[Footnote 556: 'Cum suo peculio.' If they were not slaves they could
not have _peculium_ in the technical sense. I therefore understand
'peculio' to be simply equivalent to _cattle_, a sense which is
confirmed by 'Calabri peculiosi' in Letter 33.]

[Footnote 557: 'Adjicientes ne rerum suarum repetitionibus imminerent
[? imminuerent] liberis sibi conditionem ultimae servitutis imponi.'
Cf. Salvian, De Gubernatione Dei v. 8, 9, for a description of similar
occurrences in Gaul.]

'Let your Greatness therefore summon Tanca to your judgment-seat, and,
after hearing all parties, pronounce a just judgment and one accordant
to your character. For though it is a serious matter to oust a lord
from his right, it is contrary to the feelings of our age to press
down free necks under the yoke of slavery.

'Let Tanca therefore either establish his right to the slaves and
their property, or, if they are proved free, let him give them up,
whole and unharmed: in which case we will inflict upon him no further
penalty.'

29. KING ATHALARIC TO THE DIGNIFIED CULTIVATORS[558] AND CURIALS OF
THE CITY OF PARMA.

[Footnote 558: 'Honoratis Possessoribus.']

[Sidenote: Sanitary measures needed in Parma.]

'You ought willingly to co-operate in that which is being done for the
advantage of your town. W