hen it was suffering from a long drought, our
grandfather, with God's help, watered it with the life-giving wave.
Cleanse out then the mouths of your sewers, lest otherwise, being
checked in its flow by the accumulated filth, it should surge back
into your houses, and bring into them the pollution which it was meant
to wash away.

'The Spectabilis Genesius is appointed to superintend this work, and
to quicken your zeal regarding it.'

30. KING ATHALARIC TO GENESIUS, VIR SPECTABILIS.

[Relating to the same subject as the preceding.]

[Sidenote: The same subject.]

'Through love of your city our grandfather, with royal generosity,
constructed an aqueduct of the ancient type[559] for you. But it is of
no use to provide a good water-supply unless your sewers are in good
order. Therefore let your Sublimity set the citizens of Parma
diligently to work at this business, that all ancient channels,
whether underground or those which run by the sides of the streets, be
diligently repaired[560], in order that when the longed-for stream
flows into your town it be not hindered by any obstacle.

[Footnote 559: 'Antiqui operis formam.']

[Footnote 560: 'Quatenus antiquos cuniculos, sive subterraneos, sive
qui junguntur marginibus platearum diligenter emendent.']

'How fair is water in a running stream, but how ugly in puddles and
swamps; it is good then neither for man nor beast. Without water city
and country alike languish; and rightly did the ancients punish one
who was unfit for human society by forbidding all men to give him
water. Therefore you ought all heartily to combine for this most
useful work, since the man who is not touched by the comeliness of his
city has not yet the mind of a citizen.'

31. KING ATHALARIC TO SEVERUS, VIR SPECTABILIS.

[Is Severus _Vicarius Urbis_? His title Spectabilis seems to require
some such rank as this, otherwise he seems more like a _Corrector_
(Clarissimus) _Bruttiorum et Lucaniae_. Perhaps already the strict
gradation established by Diocletian and Constantine was somewhat
broken down, and governors received higher titles than strictly
belonged to them.]

[Sidenote: Dissuasions from a country life, and praises of
Cassiodorus' native land of Bruttii.]

'Since you, when on the staff of the Praefect, have learned the
principles of statesmanship, we are sure that you will agree with us
that cities are the chief ornament of human society. Let the wild
beasts live in fields and