mental graces, assured to him the
influence he desired. The notable characteristic of his rule was a
sanctifying of intellectual labour. In abandoning the world, he by no
means renounced his interest in its civilization. Statesmanship having
failed to stem the tide of Oriental tyranny and northern barbarism, he
set himself to save as much as possible of the nobler part, to secure
for happier ages the record of human attainment. Great was the
importance he attached to the work of his Antiquarii--copyists who
laboured to preserve the manuscript literature which was in danger of
utterly perishing. With special reference to their work upon the
Scriptures, he tells them that they "fight against the wiles of Satan
with pen and ink." And again: "Writing with three fingers, they thus
symbolize the virtues of the Holy Trinity; using a reed, they thus
attack the craft of the Devil with that very instrument which smote the
Lord's head in his Passion." But all literature was his care. That the
copyists might write correctly, he digested the works of half a dozen
grammarians into a treatise on orthography. Further, that the books of
the monastery might wear "a wedding garment" (his own phrase), he
designed a great variety of bindings, which were kept as patterns.

There, at the foot of Moscius, did these brethren and their founder
live and work. But on the top of the mountain was another retreat,
known as Castellense, for those monks who--_divina gratia
suffragante_--desired a severer discipline, and left the coenobitic
house to become anchorites. Did these virtuous brothers continue their
literary labours? One hopes so, and one is glad that Cassiodorus
himself seems to have ended his life down in the valley by the Pellena.

A third class of monks finds mention, those in whom "_Frigidus
obstiterit circum praecordia sanguis_," quotes the founder. In other
words, the hopelessly stupid. For these there was labour in the garden,
and to console them Cassiodorus recites from a Psalm: "Thou shalt eat
the labour of thy hands; happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with
thee." A smile is on the countenance of the humane brother. He did his
utmost, indeed, for the comfort, as well as the spiritual welfare, of
his community. Baths were built "for the sick" (heathendom had been
cleaner, but we must not repine); for the suffering, too, and for
pilgrims, exceptional food was provided--young pigeons, delicate fish,
fruit, honey; a new kind of