of state; the edicts published by Cassiodorus himself
when _praefectus praetorio_. It is the best source of our knowledge of
the Ostrogothic kingdom in Italy (ed. T. Mommsen in _Monumenta
Germaniae Historica: Auctores Antiquissimi_, xii., 1894; condensed
English translation by T. Hodgkin, 1886).

(b) _Chronica_, written at the request of Theodoric's son-in-law
Eutharic, during whose consulship (519) it was published. It is a dry
and inaccurate compilation from various sources, unduly partial to the
Goths (ed. T. Mommsen in _Mon. Germ. Hist.: Auct. Ant._ xi. pt. i.,
1893).

(c) Panegyrics on Gothic kings and queens (fragments ed. L. Traube in
_Mon. Germ. Hist.: Auct. Ant._ xii.).

2. (a) _De Anima_, a discussion on the nature of the soul, at the
conclusion of which the author deplores the quarrel between two such
great peoples as the Goths and Romans. It seems to have been published
with the last part of the _Variae_.

(b) _Institutiones divinarun et humanarunt litterarum_, an
encyclopaedia of sacred and profane literature for the monks, and a
sketch of the seven liberal arts. It further contains instructions for
using the library, and precepts for daily life.

(c) A commentary on the Psalms and short notes (_complexiones_) on the
Pauline epistles, the Acts, and the Apocalypse.

(d) _De Orthographia_, a compilation made by the author in his
ninety-third year from the works of twelve grammarians, ending with
his contemporary Priscian (ed. H. Keil, _Grammatici Latini_, vii.).

The Latin translations of the _Antiquities_ of Josephus and of the
ecclesiastical histories of Theodoret, Sozomen and Socrates, under the
title of _Historia Tripartita_ (embracing the years 306-439), were
carried out under his supervision.

Of his lost works the most important was the _Historia Gothorum_,
written with the object of glorifying the Gothic royal house and
proving that the Goths and Romans had long been connected by ties of
friendship. It was published during the reign of Athalaric, and
appears to have brought the history down to the death of Theodoric.
His chief authority for Gothic history and legend was Ablavius
(Ablabius). The work is only known to us in the meagre abridgment of
Jordanes (ed. T. Mommsen, 1882).

COMPLETE WORKS.--_Editio princeps_, by G. Fornerius (Paris, 1579); J.
Garet (Rouen, 1679; Venice, 1729), reprinted in J.P. Migne,
_Patro