r people's work and being praised for it, while they enjoyed their
leisure;' but I hardly see how we can get this meaning out of 'vacabat
alios laborare.']

'No one found occasion to murmur anything to your disadvantage, though
you had to bear all the weight of unpopularity which comes from the
Sovereign's favour. The integrity of your life conquered those who
longed to detract from your reputation, and your enemies were obliged
to utter the praises which their hearts abhorred; for even malice
leaves manifest goodness unattacked, lest it be itself exposed to
general hatred.

[Sidenote: His friendship for Theodoric.]

'To the Monarch you showed yourself a friendly Minister and an
intimate Noble[623]. For when he had laid aside the cares of State, he
would seek in your conversation the opinions of wise men of old, that
by his own deeds he might make himself equal to the ancients[624].
Into the courses of the stars, into the gulfs of the sea, into the
marvels of springing fountains, this most acute questioner enquired,
so that by his diligent investigations into the nature of things he
seemed to be a Philosopher wearing the purple.

[Footnote 623: 'Egisti rerum domino judicem familiarem et internum
procerem.']

[Footnote 624: 'Nam cum esset publica cura vacuatus, sententias
prudentum a tuis fabulis exigebat; ut factis propriis se aequaret
antiquis.']

'It were long to narrate all your merits in the past. Let us rather
turn to the future, and show how the heir of Theodoric's Empire
proposes to pay the debts of Theodoric.

'Therefore, with the Divine help, we bestow on you from the twelfth
Indiction [Sept. 1, 533] the authority and insignia of Praetorian
Praefect. Let the Provinces, which we know to have been hitherto
wearied by the administration of dishonest men, fearlessly receive a
Judge of tried integrity.

'Though you have before you the example of your father's
Praefecture[625], renowned throughout the Italian world, we do not so
much set before you either that or any other example, as your own past
character, exhorting you to rule consistently with that. You have
always been averse from bribery; now earnestly help the victims of
injustice. We have purposely delayed your accession to this high
office that you might be the more heartily welcomed by the people, who
expected to see you clothed with it long ago. Diligently seek out
anything belonging to the titles of the Praetorian Praefecture, of
which it has