Complete Works of Cassiodorus, Vol. I

inferior. And truly, this is the chief ornament of your virtues, MOST INTEGRITOUS MAN: what in others were human, moral, and political virtues, in you are (to say it in a word) thoroughly Christian. Permit the Court, the people, and your own family to think and preach this of you. You were the first to undertake to restrain this within the laws of modesty: which Tacitus says is no less arduous for many than governing a province. Next, you yourself fled pomp, ostentation, and applause in public: than which nothing is more effective for earning and increasing fame. Furthermore, as a Minister to the Author and Leader, you learned to attribute your illustrious deeds to Him; far from emulation against colleagues, far from contention against others. From this proceeds that courtesy towards all, a humanity grave without arrogance, venerable without pride: so that the spirit of TELLERIUS, no less than his house, seems to be open to everyone. Hence it happened that, whereas the highest dignity usually excites rivals for others, it has turned the minds, zeal, and applause of all more fully toward you. And certainly, what place is there for envy where everything is spent on modesty and beneficence? Rather, he who
Var. lib. 1. epist. 4.

kept great things within the limits of modesty made himself desired to be even greater. Your election by the King, made so wisely, was immediately followed by the acclamation of all Orders. You alone seemed to offer violence to yourself for the sake of the Prince’s obedience, when the highest honor of Chancellor was bestowed upon you while you were practically deprecating it. This, you said, will be the supreme title of honor applied by an excellent Prince to one about to die shortly. On the contrary, this will be the most ample harvest of merits, which exercises a vibrant old age for the utility of Public Law; which does not increase your dignity, but the dignity of the highest Office through you. For nothing, if it is permissible to speak thus, does this honor add to TELLERIUS, except a new vote of confidence from LOUIS THE GREAT, except the supreme crown of modesty. Truly, as Cassiodorus did, you have always been
Lib. 9. epist. 25.

so moderate in prosperity that the equality and constancy of your great soul has never been elevated by any successfully proceeding course of affairs, nor by any breath of popular air.

You recognize, I believe, MOST ILLUSTRIOUS MAN, the image of yourself in Cassiodorus; and furthermore, even while you feign otherwise, everyone else recognizes it.