grievous bloodshed as you have inflicted on
us, we still come forward to ask for peace with you, as if none of
your servants had ever wronged us. We have suffered such things as
might move the indignation even of our enemies, who must know that
they have attacked us without our guilt, have hated us without our
fault, have despoiled us without our owing them anything. Nor can it
be said that the blow has been so slight that no account need be taken
of it, since it has been struck not in the Provinces alone but in Rome
[or Italy] herself, the Capital of the World[703]. Think how great
must be our pain at this, which nevertheless we banish from memory in
order that we may obtain justice at your hands. Such disturbance has
been made as the whole world speaks of[704] [and condemns], and it
deserves to be so composed by you that all men may admire your spirit
of equity.

[Footnote 703: 'Non in provinciis tantum sed in ipso rerum capite
probatur inflictum.']

[Footnote 704: 'Talis res effecta est quam mundus loquatur.' The
commentator Fornerius absurdly understands this of Mundus, the general
of Justinian in Dalmatia, who had already fallen in battle before the
accession of Witigis.]

'If vengeance on King Theodahad be the thing required, I [who have put
him to death] merit your love. If you desire to honour the blessed
memory of Queen Amalasuentha, think of her daughter[705], who has
reached [by our means] that royal station to which your soldiers might
well have striven to exalt her, in order that all the nations might
see how faithful you remained to the old friendship.

[Footnote 705: Matasuentha, now wife of Witigis.]

'This fact too ought to influence you, that by the ordering of
Providence we were permitted to make your acquaintance before our
accession to the throne, that the remembrance of our favourable
reception at your Court, and the sight of your person in that splendid
position, might move us to love and reverence.

'Even now you can undo all that has been misdone, since the continual
expectation of favours to come, makes perseverance in affection
easy[706]. Therefore, soliciting your Clemency with all due respect,
we inform you that we have appointed A and B our ambassadors to the
Wisdom of your Serenity, that you may, according to your custom, duly
weigh all these considerations, that the two Republics may persevere
in restored harmony, and that all which hath been settled in past
times by Sovereigns of