Pope before your ambassador could
possibly have left Rome. So saluting you with all the veneration which
is your due, we assign the office of ambassador to a man eminent both
by his character and learning, and venerable by reason of his office;
since we believe that those persons are acceptable to you whom we have
thought suitable to be entrusted with the Divine ministry.'

21. QUEEN GUDELINA TO THEODORA, AUGUSTA.

[Sidenote: Soliciting Theodora's friendship.]

'Oh, wisest of Augustas, both I and my wedded lord earnestly desire
your friendship. The love of so great a lady seems to raise me higher
than royalty. Shed on us the lustre of your glory, for one light loses
nothing by imparting some of its brilliancy to another. With
affectionate presumption I commend myself to the favour of the Emperor
and yourself, desiring that, as is fitting, there should be no discord
between the two Roman realms[669].'

[Footnote 669: 'Nullam inter Romana regna decet esse discordiam.']

22. KING THEODAHAD TO THE EMPEROR JUSTINIAN[670].

[Footnote 670: This letter seems as if it was written on precisely the
same occasion as x. 19. Again Peter is sent back, and with him a
'venerable man' to represent Theodahad. We learn from Procopius (i. 6)
that Theodahad, in his fear of war, recalled Peter when he had already
got as far as Albano, and gave him another set of propositions for
Justinian. It seems possible that these fresh letters (22 and 23) from
Theodahad and his Queen were given him when he set out the _second_
time.]

[Sidenote: Entreaties for peace.]

'Our own ambassadors, and that most excellent person Peter, whom your
Piety despatched to us, will both have informed you how earnestly we
desire concord with your august Serenity. We now send two more
ambassadors charged with the same commission. We certainly with all
sincerity plead for peace who have no cause of quarrel with you.
Consider also, oh learned Sovereigns, and consult the archives of your
great grandfather[671], that you may see how large a part of their own
rights your predecessors were willing to relinquish for the sake of an
alliance with our ancestors[672]. Think how fortunate you are in
having that friendship willingly offered to you for which they had
humbly to sue. Yet, we may say it without arrogance, we know ourselves
to be better than those ancestors of ours with whom the treaty was
made[673]. We send you on this embassy a venerable man, made
illustri