The Society for Ancient Languages
Week Thirteen
EPISTULAE SIDONII |
THE LETTERS OF SIDONIUS |
SIDONIVS AGRICOLAE SVO SALVTEM |
SIDONIUS TO HIS DEAR AGRICOLA, GREETING |
| I. Saepenumero postulavisti ut, quia Theudorici regis Gothorum commendat populis fama civilitatem, litteris tibi formae suae quantitas, vitae qualitas significaretur. Pareo libens, in quantum epistularis pagina sinit, laudans in te tam delicatae sollicitudinis ingenuitatem. Igitur vir est et illis dignus agnosci qui eum minus familiariter intuentur: ita personam suam deus arbiter et ratio naturae consummatae felicitatis dote sociata cumulaverunt; mores autem huiuscemodi, ut laudibus eorum nihil ne regni quidem defrudet invidia. | 1. Seeing that report commends to the world the graciousness of Theodoric, King of the Goths, you have often asked me to describe to you in writing the dimensions of his person and the character of his life. I am delighted to do so, subject to the limits of a letter, and I appreciate the honest spirit which prompts so nice a curiosity. Well, he is a man who deserves to be studied even by those who are not in close relations with him. In his build the will of God and Nature's plan have joined together to endow him with a supreme perfection; and his character is such that even the jealousy which hedged a sovereign hs no power to rob it of its glories. |
| IV. Si actionem diurnam, quae est forinsecus exposita, perquiras: ante- lucanos sacerdotum suorum coetus minimo comitatu expetit, grandi sedulitate veneratur; quamquam, si sermo secretus, possis animo advertere quod servet istam pro consuetudine potius quam pro ratione reverentiam. Reliquum mane regni administrandi cura sibi deputat. Circumsistit sellam comes armiger; pellitorum turba satellitum ne absit, admittitur, ne obstrepat, eliminatur, sicque pro foribus immurmurat exclusa velis, inclusa cancellis. Inter haec intro- missis gentium legationibus audit plurima, pauca respondet; si quid tractabitur, differt; si quid expedietur, accelerat. | 4. And now you may want to know all about his everyday life, which is open to the public gaze. Before dawn he goes with a very small retinue to the service conducted by the priests of his faith, and he worships with great earnestness, though (between ourselves) one can see that this devotion is a matter of routine rather than of conviction. The administrative duties of his sovereignty claim the rest of the morning. Nobles in armor have places near his throne; a crowd of guards in their dress of skins is allowed in so as to be at hand, but excluded from the presence so as not to disturb; and so they keep up a hum of conversation by the door, outside the curtains but within the barriers. Meanwhile deputations from various peoples are introduced, and he listens to a great deal of talk, but replies shortly, postponing business which he intends to consider, speeding that which is to be promptly settled. |
| VI. Si in convivium venitur, quod quidem diebus profestis simile privato est, non ibi impolitam congeriem liventis argenti mensis cedentibus suspiriosus minister imponit; maximum tunc pondus in verbis est, quippe cum illic aut nulla narrentur aut seria. Videas ibi elegantiam Graecam abundantiam Gallicanam celeritatem Italam, publicam pompam privatam diligentiam regiam disciplinam. De luxu autem illo sabbatario narrationi meae supersedendum est, qui nec latentes potest latere personas. | 6. When one joins him at dinner (which on all but festival days is just like that of a private household), there is no unpolished conglomeration of discolored old silver set by panting attendants on sagging tables; the weightiest thing on these occasions is the conversation, for there are either no stories or only serious ones. To sum up: you can find there Greek elegance, Gallic plenty, Italian briskness; the dignity of state, the attentiveness of a private home, the ordered discipline of royalty. But as to the luxury of the days of festival I had better hold my tongue, for even persons of no note connot fail to note it. |
| VIII. Cum ludendum est, regiam sequestrat tantisper severitatem, hortatur ad ludum libertatem communionemque. Dicam quod sentio: timet timeri. Denique oblectatur commotione superati et tum demum credit sibi non cessisse collegam, cum fidem fecerit victoriae suae bilis aliena. Quodque mirere, saepe illa laetitia minimis occasionibus veniens ingentium negotiorum merita fortunat. Tunc petitionibus diu ante per patro- ciniorum naufragia iactatis absolutionis subitae portus aperitur; tunc etiam ego aliquid obsecraturus feliciter vincor, quando mihi ad hoc tabula perit, ut causa salvetur. Sed iam quid meas istud ad partes, qui tibi indicanda non multa de regno sed pauca de rege promisi? Simul et stilo finem fieri decet, quia et tu cognoscere viri non amplius quam studia personamque voluisti et ego non historiam sed epistulam efficere curavi. Vale. | When it is the time for play he throws
off for awhile the stern mood of royalty and encourages fun and freedom and
good-fellowship. My own opinion is that he dreads being feared. Further, he is delighted
at seeing his defeated rival disgruntled, and it is only his opponent's ill-temper which
really satisfies him that the game has not been given him. Now comes something to surprise
you; the exultation which comes upon him on these trivial occasions often speeds the
claims of important transactions. At such times the haven of a prompt decision is thrown
open to petitions which have for a long time previously been in distress through the
foundering of their advocates. I myself at such times, if I have a favor to ask, find it
fortunate to be beaten by him, for I lose my pieces to win my cause. But I have already exceeded my part, for I promised to tell you a little about the king, not a long story about his rule; it is also fitting that my pen should come to a stop because you desired to hear only of the tastes and personality of the great man and because I took it upon myself to write a letter, not a history. Farewell. |