er 700 solidi (L420)
from the revenues of the Province of Samnium, taking them out of the
third instalment of land-tax[784]. He commanded the wings of the army
of the Praefect's assistants, from whence he derived his name[785].
When he handed us the inkstand, we wrote, unbribed, those decrees
which men would have paid a great price to obtain[786]. We gratified
him whom the laws favoured, we frowned on him who had not justice on
his side. No litigant had cause to regret his success, since it came
to him unbought. You know all this that we are saying to be true, for
our business was all transacted in the office, not in the bedchamber.
What we did, the whole troop of civil servants knew[787]. We were
private persons in our power of harming, Judges in our power of doing
good. Our words might be stern, our deeds were kindly. We frowned
though mollified; we threatened though intending no evil; and we
struck terror that we might not have to strike. You have had in me, as
you were wont to say, a most clean-handed Judge: I shall leave behind
in you my most uncorrupted witnesses.'

[Footnote 784: 'Per illam Indictionem de Samnii provincia ex illatione
tertia sine ambiguitate contrade.']

[Footnote 785: 'Praefuit enim Cornibus Secretarii Praetoriani, unde ei
nomen est derivatum.']

[Footnote 786: 'Eo ministrante caliculum scripsimus inempti quod
magnis pretiis optabatur impleri.']

[Footnote 787: 'Quod egimus cohortes noverunt.' Observe the military
character of the service, 'cohortes.']

37. SENATOR, PRAETORIAN PRAEFECT, TO THE CLARISSIMUS LUCINUS,
CANCELLARIUS OF CAMPANIA.

[Sidenote: Payment of retiring Primiscrinius.]

'It was well ordered by Antiquity that the servants of the Public
should receive a due reward for their labours; and who of all these
are more deserving than the officers of the Praetorian Praefect
(Praetoriani). Theirs is the difficult task of waiting on the
necessities of the army. They must demand accounts, often minute and
intricate, from great officers whom they dare not offend. They must
collect the stores of food for the Roman people from the Provincials
without giving them cause for complaint[788]. Their acts constitute
our true glory; and in the formation of their characters, work, hard
work, that stern and anxious pedagogue[789], is better than all
literary or philosophic training.

[Footnote 788: 'Eorum est etiam sudoribus applicandum, quod victuales
expensae longe quidem positae, _sed ta