ous by his priestly office, and conspicuous by the renown of
his learning. We pray the Divine goodness to bring our wishes to pass;
and as not even a series of letters can contain all that we have to
say, we have given some verbal messages to be conveyed to your sacred
ears, that you may not be wearied by the reading of too diffuse a
letter.'

[Footnote 671: Zeno (not of course an ancestor in natural
relationship, but predecessor in the third degree).]

[Footnote 672: 'Considerate etiam, principes docti, et abavi vestri
historica monumenta recolite, quantum decessores vestri studuerint de
suo jure relinquere ut eis parentum nostrorum foedera provenirent.']

[Footnote 673: 'Nunc illi vestram gratiam ultro quaerunt, qui suis
parentibus meliores se esse cognoscunt.' Dahn remarks that Theodahad's
asserted superiority to Theodoric probably consisted in his
philosophical culture.]

23. QUEEN GUDELINA TO THEODORA, AUGUSTA[674].

[Footnote 674: See note on the preceding letter.]

[Sidenote: The same subject.]

'We learn with satisfaction from that most eloquent man Peter, that
what has happened in this State is acceptable to you[675]. You show
your love of justice when, all suspicion by God's providence having
been wiped away, you desire that there should be lasting agreement
between us. Let there then be definite promises on both sides, and
lasting concord as the result. We therefore send that venerable man to
secure the peace of our most serene husband with yours in the sight of
all men. If there be anything in the Emperor's terms so hard that it
ought not to be imposed on us, we trust to your wise moderation to
mitigate the same, that the love which we have begun to feel towards
your kingdom be not chilled by harsh terms of peace.

[Footnote 675: 'Ut per eum disceremus acceptum vobis esse quod in hac
republica constat evenisse.' At first sight this seems to refer to the
death of Amalasuentha or to the accession of Theodahad. Dahn thinks
that those events have been disposed of in previous letters. Perhaps
it is a general expression for 'the whole course of recent events in
Italy.' Though upon the whole rejecting the story of Theodora's
complicity in the death of Amalasuentha, I am bound to admit that this
passage lends a certain amount of probability to the charge. At the
same time, the words in the next sentence, 'per divinam providentiam
omni suspicione detersa,' are susceptible of an honourable meaning,
even if