to defend our country, is serviceable for agriculture
and for countless arts of human life: yea, iron is master of gold,
compelling the rich man, weaponless, to obey the poor man who wields a
blade of steel.'

26. KING THEODORIC TO OSUN, VIR ILLUSTRIS AND COUNT.

[Sidenote: Simeon's journey to Dalmatia.]

Commands him to provide all the necessaries for the journey of
'Clarissimus' Simeon, setting off for Dalmatia on the aforesaid
mission to collect Siliquaticum and develop the iron mines.

[Why is Simeon not called Illustris, as in the previous letter? This
seems to show that the titles 'Clarissimus' and 'Illustris' were not
always used with technical exactness, as they would have been under
Diocletian.]

27. KING THEODORIC TO JOANNES, SENATOR, CONSULAR OF CAMPANIA.

[Sidenote: Promises protection against the Praetorian Praefect.]

'You have not complained to us in vain that the Praetorian Praefect
[perhaps again Faustus] is venting a private grudge against you under
colour of the discharge of his public duty. We will wall you round
with our protection. Go now and discharge the duties of Consular of
Campania with the like devotion as your predecessors, and with this
reflection: "If the King prevents my superior the Praetorian Praefect
from doing me harm, with what unfailing rigour will he visit me if I
do wrong."'

28. KING THEODORIC TO CASSIODORUS, VIR ILLUSTRIS AND PATRICIAN[294].

[Footnote 294: Father of the writer.]

[Sidenote: An invitation to Cassiodorus Senior to come to Court.]

'For your glorious services, and your incorruptible administration,
which has given deep peace to the nation, we reward you by summoning
you to Court.

'Having endeavoured to check _another_ [probably alluding to the
disgrace of Faustus], we have bestowed our praises on you, as all the
Palace knows. Come then, come eagerly, as he should do whom his
Sovereign is going to entertain[295].'

[Footnote 295: There is an obscure sentence in this letter: 'Hinc
omnibus factus notior, quia multi te positum in potestate nesciunt.'
Possibly the meaning is that the elder Cassiodorus used his power so
little for his own private aggrandisement, that many people did not
even know that he possessed it.]

29. KING THEODORIC TO ARGOLICUS, ILLUSTRIS AND PRAEFECT OF THE CITY.

[Sidenote: Permission to Paulinus to repair certain granaries at
Rome.]

'The King should sow his gifts broadcast, as the sower his seeds--not
put them a