of Gothic nationality, who was charged with
executing the King's mandates. Perhaps our word 'henchman' would be
the best translation of his title. His conventional attribute was
'devotio.' See Dahn, 'Koenige der Germanen' iii. 181-186, and my 'Italy
and her Invaders' iii. 282-284.]

[Sidenote: Dishonest conduct of Venantius.]

'We are always especially touched by the prayers of petitioners who
complain that they are forced to pay unjustly. Ulpianus in his
lamentable petition informs us that on the request of Venantius he
bound himself as a guarantor (fidei jussionis vinculo) to pay over to
the public Treasury at the time of his administration 400 solidi
(L240). With the presumption of a truculent rustic Venantius despised
his own promise, and Ulpianus has therefore been burdened with payment
of the money. We therefore order that Venantius, who has been accused
of many other crimes besides this, shall be summoned before you, and
if found to be legally liable, shall be at once, and sharply,
compelled to fulfil his promise.'

14. KING THEODORIC TO SYMMACHUS, PATRICIAN.

[Sidenote: Romulus the parricide.]

'Parricide is the most terrible and unnatural of crimes. Even the cubs
of wild beasts follow their sires; the offshoot of the vine serves the
parent stem: shall man war against him who gave him being? It is for
our little ones that we lay up wealth. Shall we not earn the love of
those for whom we would willingly incur death itself? The young stork,
that harbinger of spring, gives a signal example of filial piety,
warming and feeding its aged parents in the moulting season till they
have recovered their strength, and thus repaying the good offices
received in its earlier years. So too, when the partridge, which is
wont to hatch the young of other birds, takes her adopted brood forth
into the fields, if these hear the cry of their genuine mother they
run to her, leaving the partridge forsaken.

'Wherefore, if Romulus[254] have fouled the Roman name by laying
violent hands on his father Martinus, we look to your justice (we
chose you because we knew you would not spare the cruel) to inflict on
him legitimate revenge.'

[Footnote 254: Quaere if named from the last Emperor.]

15. KING THEODORIC TO VENANTIUS, VIR ILLUSTRIS.

[Sidenote: Promotion of Venantius to Comitiva Domesticorum Vacans.]

'We always like to promote to office the sons of distinguished
fathers. We therefore bestow on you the honour of Comes D