you move forward to
the campaign in the name of God, sufficiently equipped, according to
your old custom, with horses, arms, and every requisite for war. Thus
will ye at the same time show that the old valour of your sires yet
dwells in your hearts, and also successfully perform your King's
command. Bring forth your young men for the discipline of Mars. Let
them see you do deeds which they may love to tell of to their
children. For an art not learned in youth is an art missing in our
riper years. The very hawk, whose food is plunder, thrusts her still
weak and tender young ones out of the nest, that they may not become
accustomed to soft repose. She strikes the lingerers with her wings;
she forces her callow young to fly, that they may prove to be such in
the future as her maternal fondness can be proud of. Do you therefore,
lofty by nature, and stimulated yet more by the love of fame, study to
leave such sons behind you as your fathers have left in leaving you.'

[Footnote 232: See for the office of the Sajo, note on ii. 13.]

[We can hardly be wrong in referring this stirring proclamation to the
year 508, when Theodoric sent troops into Gaul to save the remnants of
the Visigothic Monarchy from the grasp of Clovis. The first sentence
recalls the expression 'certaminis gaudia,' which Jordanes no doubt
borrowed from Cassiodorus. For the simile at the end of the letter,
cf. Deuteronomy xxxii. 11, 'As an eagle stirreth up her nest'.]

25. KING THEODORIC TO SABINIANUS, VIR SPECTABILIS.

[Sidenote: Repair of the walls of Rome.]

'It is important to preserve as well as to create. We are earnestly
anxious to keep the walls of Rome in good repair, and have therefore
ordered the Lucrine port[233] to furnish 25,000 tiles annually for
this purpose. See that this is done, that the cavities which have been
formed by the fall of stones may be roofed over with tiles, and so
preserved, and that thus we may deserve the thanks of ancient kings,
to whose works we have given immortal youth.'

[Footnote 233: I presume that 'portum Lucini' is an error for the
Lucrine harbour; but there is an allusion which I do not understand in
the following passage: 'Simul etiam portubus junctis, qui ad illa loca
antiquitus pertinebant, et nunc diversorum usurpatione suggeruntur
invasi?']

26. KING THEODORIC TO FAUSTUS, PRAEPOSITUS.

[Sidenote: Immunity of Church property from taxation.]

In the time of Cassiodorus the Patrician (a man of tr