life-tenure of his office; but you will now not have to fear the
interference of any successor, and your mind being at ease about your
own future, you will be able to minister to the pleasures of the
people with a smiling face.'

[Footnote 396: 'Quod est in Reipublicae _militia_ novum.' Observe the
use of militia for civil service.]

26. KING THEODORIC TO ALL THE GOTHS SETTLED IN PICENUM AND SAMNIUM.

[Sidenote: The Goths summoned to the royal presence.]

'The presence of the Sovereign doubles the sweetness of his gifts, and
that man is like one dead whose face is not known to his lord[397].
Come therefore by God's assistance, come all into our presence on the
eighth day before the Ides of June (June 6th), there solemnly to
receive our royal largesse. But let there be no excesses by the way,
no plundering the harvest of the cultivators nor trampling down their
meadows, since for this cause do we gladly defray the expense of our
armies that _civilitas_ may be kept intact by armed men.'

[Footnote 397: 'Nam pene similis est mortuo qui a suo Dominante
nescitur.' A motto more suited to the presence-chamber of Byzantium
than the camp-fires of a Gothic King.]

27. KING THEODORIC TO GUDUIM, SAJO.

[Sidenote: The same.]

'Order all the captains of thousands[398] of Picenum and Samnium to
come to our Court, that we may bestow the wonted largesse on our
Goths. We enquire diligently into the deeds of each of our soldiers,
that none may lose the credit of any exploit which he has performed in
the field. On the other hand, let the coward tremble at the thought of
coming into our presence. Even this fear may hereafter make him brave
against the enemy.'

[Footnote 398: 'Millenarii.' Cf. the [Greek: chiliarchoi], who, as
Procopius tells us, were appointed by Gaiseric over the Vandals; also
the _thusundifaths_ of Ulfilas.]

28. KING THEODORIC TO CARINUS, VIR ILLUSTRIS.

[Sidenote: Invitation to Court.]

'Granting your request, and also satisfying our own desire for your
companionship, we invite you to our Court.'

29. KING THEODORIC TO NEUDES, VIR ILLUSTRIS.

[Sidenote: A blind Gothic warrior enslaved.]

'Our pity is greatly moved by the petition of Ocer, a blind Goth, who
has come by the help of borrowed sight to _feel_ the sweetness of our
clemency, though he cannot see our presence.

'He asserts that he, a free Goth, who once followed our armies, has,
owing to his misfortune, been reduced to slavery by G