le world. He
who has often pleaded before them the cause of the humble and weak,
will now have to introduce Consulars to their assembly. It is expected
that his eloquence will grow and his stammer will disappear, now that
he is clothed with a more dignified office. 'Freedom nourishes words,
but fear frequently interrupts their plenteous flow.'

23. KING THEODORIC TO ABUNDANTIUS, PRAETORIAN PRAEFECT.

[Sidenote: Archery drill.]

'Tata the Sajo is ordered to proceed to the Illustrious Count Julian,
with the young archers whom he has drilled, that they may practise on
the field the lessons which they have learned in the gymnasium. Let
your Greatness provide them with rations and ships according to
custom.' [The place to which this expedition was directed does not
seem to be stated.]

24. KING THEODORIC TO THE SENATOR EPIPHANIUS, CONSULARIS OF DALMATIA.

[Sidenote: Property of a widow dying intestate and without heirs to be
claimed for the State.]

'We are informed that Joanna, the wife of Andreas, having succeeded to
her husband's estate, has died intestate without heirs. Her property
ought therefore to lapse to our Treasury[394], but it is being
appropriated, so we are informed, by divers persons who have no claim
to it.

[Footnote 394: 'Quia caduca bona fisco nostro competere legum cauta
decreverunt.']

'Enquire into this matter; and if it be as we are informed, reclaim
for our Treasury so legitimate a possession. We should consider
ourselves guilty of negligence if we omitted to take possession of
that which, without harming anyone, so obviously comes in to lighten
the public burdens.

'But if you find the facts different to these, by all means leave the
present owners in quiet possession. The secure enjoyment by our
subjects of that which is lawfully theirs we hold to be our truest
patrimony.'

25. KING THEODORIC TO BACAUDA[395], VIR SUBLIMIS.

[Footnote 395: The name is a peculiar one, reminding us of the
Bacaudae, who for more than a century waged a sort of servile war in
Gaul against the officers of the Empire. It is not probable, however,
that there is any real connection between them and the receiver of
this letter.]

[Sidenote: Bacauda receives the office of Tribunus Voluptatum for
life.]

'By way of support for your declining years we appoint you, for life,
_Tribunus Voluptatum_ [Minister of Public Amusement] at Milan.

'It is a new principle in the public service[396] to give any man a