let none prefer
the charms of the country to the walls reared by the men of old. Why
should not everyone be attracted by the concourse of noble persons, by
the pleasures of converse with his equals? To stroll through the
Forum, to look in at some skilful craftsman at his work, to push one's
own cause through the law courts, then between whiles to play with the
counters of Palamedes (draughts), to go to the baths with one's
acquaintances, to indulge in the friendly emulation of the
banquet--these are the proper employments of a Roman noble; yet not
one of them is tasted by the man who chooses to live always in the
country with his farm-servants[565].

[Footnote 565: 'Cui enim minus grata nobilium videatur occursio. Cui
non affectuosum sit cum paribus miscere sermonem, forum petere,
honestas artes invisere, causas proprias legibus expedire, interdum
Palamediacis calculis occupari, ad balneas ire cum sociis, prandia
mutuis apparatibus exhibere? Caret profecto omnibus his, qui vitam
suam vult semper habere cum famulis.']

'We order therefore that all Possessores and Curiales shall, according
to their relative means, find bail and give bonds, promising that they
will for the larger part of the year reside in some city, such as they
may choose[566]. And thus, while not wholly debarred from the
pleasures of the country, they will furnish to the cities their proper
adornment of citizens.'

[Footnote 566: 'Datis fidejussoribus jam Possessores quam Curiales,
sub aestimatione virium, poena interposita, promittant anni parte
majore se in civitatibus manere, quas habitare delegerint.']

32. KING ATHALARIC TO SEVERUS, VIR SPECTABILIS.

[Sidenote: The Fountain of Arethusa.]

'Nimfadius (Vir Sublimis) was journeying to the King's Comitatus on
some affair of his own, when, wearied with his journey, he lay down to
rest, and let his beasts of burden graze round the fountain of
Arethusa.

'This fountain, situated in the territory of Squillace[567], at the
foot of the hills and above the sand of the sea, makes a green and
pleasant place all round it, fringed with rustling reeds as with a
crown. It has certain marvellous properties: for let a man go to it in
silence and he sees it calmly flowing, more like a pond than a
fountain. But let him cough or speak with a loud voice, and it becomes
violently agitated, heaving to and fro like a pot boiling. Strange
power this of a fountain to answer a man. I have read that some
fountains