began Sept. 1, 533. The Consul
would enter office Jan. 1, 534. Was he _designated_ when the great
Imperial officers were _appointed_ at the beginning of the Indiction?]

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

[Sidenote: On the Consulship of Paulinus.]

'Judge of our esteem for your honourable body, Conscript Fathers,
when, without any hesitation, we appoint your sons whom we have never
seen to high office, because they are your sons.

'We admire the Patrician Venantius, blessed as he has been with such
an abundant progeny, and found equal to the weight of so many
Consulships. His sons have been all temperate and lively; worthy
members of the same distinguished family. They have been trained in
arms, their minds have been formed by letters, their bodies by the
exercises of the gymnasium. They have learned to show constancy to
their friends, loyalty to their lords; and they have succeeded to the
virtues of their ancestors, as they will to their patrimony. Wisely
husbanding his own fortune, Venantius has been able to support the
honour--gratifying, but burdensome--of seeing so many of his sons made
Consuls. But this is an honour not strange to his family, sprung from
the ancient Decii. His hall is full of laurelled Fasces, and in his
line one might almost say that each one is born a Consular.

'Favour our candidate then, Conscript Fathers, and cherish him with
that care which the name of your body[620] signifies.'

[Footnote 620: _Curia_, from _cura_.]

24. KING ATHALARIC TO SENATOR [CASSIODORUS HIMSELF], PRAETORIAN
PRAEFECT (SEPT. 1, 533).

[Sidenote: Cassiodorus appointed Praetorian Praefect.]

'If you had been hitherto an obscure person we might feel some doubt
how you would bear yourself in your new office, but your long and
glorious career under our grandfather relieves us from any such
anxieties. _His_ choice of you is a thing to be not discussed but
reverently accepted. It was by him that we ourselves were chosen; and
the Divine favour so conspicuously followed him that no General whom
he selected was other than victorious, no Judge whom he appointed was
other than just. In short, one might almost deem him to have been
endowed with the gift of prophecy.

[Sidenote: His Quaestorship.]

'In your early manhood he received you into the office of Quaestor,
and soon found you to be a conscientious man, learned in the law
beyond your years[621]. You were the chief ornament of your times,