ministerio depulsus,' whom Boethius (Phil. Cons. i. 4)
mentions as one of his accusers; but it seems more likely that in that
case this imputation of magical practices would also have been
referred to by him. The name Basilius was a somewhat common one at
this time.]

Theodoric, who says that he will not suffer any such acts of treason
against the Divine Majesty, and that it is not lawful for Christian
times to deal in magical arts, orders the recapture of the offenders,
who are to be handed over to a Quinque-viral Board, consisting of the
Patricians Symmachus, Decius, Volusianus, and Caelianus, with the
Illustrious Maximian, and by them examined; if guilty to be punished
(probably with confiscation and exile); if innocent, of course to be
discharged[344].

[Footnote 344: At the beginning of the first letter occurs the
remarkable expression 'Abscedat ritus de medio jam profanus;
conticescat _poenale murmur animarum_,' which the commentator
interprets of the ventriloquistic sounds produced by soothsayers. Cf.
Milton's Christmas Hymn:

'No voice or hideous hum
Runs through the arched roof in words deceiving.']

[The association of the Quinque-viri with the Praefectus Urbis is a
mark of the high rank of the accused. The Praefectus Urbis could not
adjudicate on the crimes of Senators without five Assessors chosen by
lot from that body. Arigern, who was entrusted (it is not quite clear
in what capacity) with the 'Disciplina Romanae Civitatis,' is
commissioned to bring the accused to trial. Baronius says that we do
not hear whether they were ever re-captured.]

24. KING THEODORIC TO ELPIDIUS, DEACON [of Spoleto].

[Sidenote: Architectural restoration at Spoleto.]

Gives leave to pull down a _porticus_ behind the Baths of Turasius at
Spoleto, and to build some new edifice [perhaps a church] on its site
and on the site of a yard (areola) adjoining it, on condition only
that the building thus pulled down is of no public utility.

Reflections on the duty of architectural restoration.

25. KING THEODORIC TO ARGOLICUS, VIR ILLUSTRIS, PRAEFECTUS URBIS.

[It is to be borne in mind that the Praefectus Urbis was the Official
President of the Senate.]

[Sidenote: Petrus to be inscribed as Senator.]

'Ambition ennobles man, and he who has aimed when young at high
honours is often stimulated to lead a worthy life by the fact of
having obtained them. We therefore look favourably on the petition of
Petrus, illust