nto the lake. On the
eastern side these unite to form the river Addua, so called because it
contains the _added_ volume of two streams. It plunges into the lake
with such force that it keeps its own colour[766] (dark among the
whiter waters) and its own name far along the northern shore[767], a
phenomenon often seen with rivers flowing into the ocean, but surely
marvellous with one flowing into an inland lake. And so swift is its
course as it moves through the alien waves, that you might fancy it a
river flowing over the solid plains.

[Footnote 765: 'Praetoriorum luminibus decenter ornata.']

[Footnote 766: So Claudian (De VI Consolata Honorii 196), 'et Addua
visu caerulus.']

[Footnote 767: 'Ut nomen retinens et colorem in Septentrionem obesiore
alvei ventre generetur.']

'So delightful a region makes men delicate and averse to labour.
Therefore the inhabitants deserve especial consideration, and for this
reason we wish them to enjoy perpetually the royal bounty.'

15. SENATOR, PRAETORIAN PRAEFECT, TO THE LIGURIANS.

[Announcing the despatch of money to relieve the necessities of the
Province, possibly after some incursions of the Franks. This would fit
in pretty well with the mention of _Astensis Civitas_ as having
suffered the most.]

[Sidenote: Relief of the necessities of Liguria.]

'It is the privilege of a King to increase the happiness of his
subjects. Not to postpone your joy by too long a preface, I will come
to the point at once, and inform you that our most glorious Lords,
taking the necessities of their loyal Liguria into account, have sent
100 lbs. of gold [L4,000] by the hands of A and B, officers of the
Royal Bedchamber. _You_ are to say how the money is to be spent,
indicating the persons who are in the greatest necessity; but as we
are informed that the city of Asti has been more heavily weighted than
others, it is our wish that it should be chiefly helped by this
disbursement. Now, do you who are tributaries, reflect upon the
clemency of your lords, who are inverting the usual order of things,
and paying out to you from the Treasury what they are accustomed to
receive. Let us know at once how much you think each taxpayer ought
to receive, that we may deduct it from his first instalment of
land-tax [768].

[Footnote 768: 'Sed ut beneficia Dominorum _subtractis exactionum,
incommodis_ augeantur, celerius relatio vestra nos instruat, quid
unicuique de hac summa relaxandum esse judicetis, u