A letter to emperor Justinian

Translated letter:

The kindness of Your Piety delights us so much in permitting us freely to ask for whatever we may desire from among your share of belongings in order to enhance our glory. For the heavenly powers have assigned such treasures to you that you richly abound in their gifts, and you grant with a benevolent spirit things which are necessary to those who hope for them.

And so, reverently saluting Your Clemency, I have directed the bearer of these letters to the favor of Your Excellency. In this way you may command, with God’s grace, that the marble statues and other necessary items which we previously ordered Calogenitus to secure for us shall reach us by means of the present bearer. We therefore may acknowledge ourselves to be esteemed by Your Revered Piety.

You cause our prayers to be fulfilled; we are adorned with your glory. For it is known that you surpass whatever praises we can address to you.

It is fitting that, with your help, the Roman world of yours should also shine brilliantly — that world which Your Serenity’s love embellishes.

Original letter:

Ita nos gratia vestrae pietatis oblectat, ut quicquid ad decorem nostrum potest proficere, libenter a vestris velimus partibus postulare: quia talia vobis divina tribuerunt, ut et vos eius affluenter muneribus abundetis et sperantibus benigno animo quae sunt necessaria concedatis.

Et ideo mansuetudinem vestram reverenter salutans harum portitorem illum ad excellentiae vestrae beneficia destinavi, ut marmora vel alia necessaria quae quondam Calogenitum comparare feceramus, per praesentium portitorem ad nos pervenire domino favente iubeatis, ut cognoscamus nos a pietate vestra re vera diligi, quorum facitis vota compleri. vestra enim gloria est noster ornatus, quando vos praestitisse cognoscitur quod nostris laudibus adplicatur. decet enim ut et orbis iste Romanus iuvamine vestro resplendeat, quem amor vestrae serenitatis illustrat.

Historical context:

The queen thanks the emperor for a gift of statues which she had asked for.

Printed source:

Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Actorum Antiquissimorum, XII, Cassiodorus, Variarum, Book X, 8, p. 303.  The translation was done by Marcelle Thiebaux, who graciously allowed us to publish it here from The Writings of Medieval Women, (New York:  Garland, 1987), 22.

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