t is not fitting
that the Roman people should be fickle, or crafty, or full of
seditions.

'Let no fond suspicions, no shadow of fear sway you. You have a
Sovereign who only longs to find opportunities to love you. Meet with
hostile arms your enemies, not your own defenders.

'You ought to have invited, not to have shut out the succour which we
sent you. Evidently you have been misled by counsellors who care not
for the public weal. Return to your own better minds.

'Was it some new and strange nation whose faces forsooth thus
terrified you? No: the very men whom hitherto you have called your
kinsmen, the men who in their anxiety for your safety have left their
homes and families in order to defend you. Strange return on your part
for their devotion!

'As for you, you should know this, that night and day our one
ceaseless desire is to perfect, with God's help, the security which
was fostered in the times of our relations [Theodoric and
Amalasuentha]. Where, indeed, would our credit as a Sovereign be if
anything happened to your hurt? Dismiss all such thoughts from your
minds. If any have been unjustly cast down, we will raise him up
again. We have sent you some verbal messages by the bearer of this
letter, and hope that from henceforth we may rely on your constant
obedience.'

15. KING THEODAHAD TO THE EMPEROR JUSTINIAN.

[Sidenote: Letter of introduction for an ecclesiastic.]

'It is always a delight to us to have an opportunity of directing our
letters of salutation[653] to your Piety, since he is filled with
happy joy who converses with you with sincere heart. I therefore
recommend to your Clemency the bearer of this letter, who comes on the
affairs of the Church of Ravenna. There can be no doubt that if you
grant his request you will earn a just reward.'

[Footnote 653: 'Salutiferos apices.']

16. KING THEODAHAD TO THE SENATE OF THE CITY OF ROME.

[Sidenote: Assurances of good-will. Oath of concord.]

'It is worthy of a ruler to do good of his own freewill, not under
compulsion. By God's favour we _can_ do anything, but we choose to do
only things that are praiseworthy. Recognise now, oh prudent
counsellors, that clemency of mine which ye might always have reckoned
upon. Ye feared that I was your enemy; far from that, I cannot even
bear that ye should be racked by the fear of evil[654]. And therefore,
though I change no purpose of mine, since I never had thoughts of evil
towards you, I have ordain