The Letters of Cassiodorus | Page 3

XII. These excerpts from Cassiodorus, which occupy folios 66 to 134
of the MS., are preceded by some collections relative to the Civil and
Canon Law. The letters which are copied seem to be carefully and
conscientiously done.
These three MSS. are all in the King's Library.
Besides these MSS. I have also glanced at No. 1,919 in the Bodleian
Library at Oxford. Like those previously described it is, I believe, of
the Thirteenth Century, and professes to contain the whole of the
'Variae;' but the letters are in an exceedingly mutilated form. On an
average it seems to me that not more than one-third of each letter is

copied. In this manner the 'Variae' are compressed into the otherwise
impossible number of 33 folios (149-182).
All these MSS., even the best of them, give me the impression of being
copied by very unintelligent scribes, who had but little idea of the
meaning of the words which they were transcribing. In all, the
superscription V.S. is expanded (wrongly, as I believe) into 'Viro
Senatori;' for 'Praefecto Praetorio' we have the meaningless
'Praeposito;' and the Agapitus who is addressed in the 6th, 32nd, and
33rd letters of the First Book is turned, in defiance of chronology, into
a Pope.

CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION.
CHAPTER I.
LIFE OF CASSIODORUS.
PAGE Historical position of Cassiodorus 1 His ancestry 3-4 His name
5-6 His birthplace 6-9 Date of his birth 9-12 His education 12
Consiliarius to his father 12 Quaestor 14-16 Composition of the
'Variae' 16 Their style 17-19 Policy of Theodoric 20 Date of
composition of the 'Variae' 23 Consulship 25 Patriciate 27 Composition
of the 'Chronicon' 27 " " Gothic History 29-35 Relation of the work of
Jordanes to this History 34 Master of the Offices 36 Praetorian Praefect
39 Sketch of history during his Praefecture 42-50 End of official career
50 Edits the 'Variae' 51 His treatise 'De Animâ' 53 He retires to the
cloister 54 His theological works 60-63 His literary works 64-66 His
death 67 NOTE ON THE TOPOGRAPHY OF SQUILLACE 68-72
CHAPTER II.
THE 'ANECDOTON HOLDERI.'

Content of the MS. 74-75 To whom addressed 76 Information as to life
of Symmachus 77 " " " Boethius 79 Religious position of Boethius 81
Information as to life of Cassiodorus 84
CHAPTER III.
THE GRADATIONS OF OFFICIAL RANK IN THE LOWER
EMPIRE.
Nobilissimi 85 Illustres 86-90 Spectabiles 90-91 Clarissimi 91
Perfectissimi 92 Egregii 92
CHAPTER IV.
ON THE OFFICIUM OF THE PRAEFECTUS PRAETORIO.
Military character of the Roman Civil Service 93 Sources of
information 95 Princeps 96 Cornicularius 97-102 Adjutor 103
Commentariensis 104 Ab Actis 106 Numerarii 108 Inferior Officers
109-114
CHAPTER V.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.
Editions of the 'Variae' 115-118 Literature concerning the 'Variae'
118-121
CHAPTER VI.
CHRONOLOGY.
Consular Fasti 122 Indictions 123 Chronological Tables 126-130
ABSTRACT OF THE 'VARIAE.'
PREFACE 133-140

BOOK I.
CONTAINING FORTY-SIX LETTERS WRITTEN BY
CASSIODORUS IN THE NAME OF THEODORIC.
1. TO EMPEROR ANASTASIUS. Persuasives to peace 141 2. "
THEON. Manufacture of purple dye 143 3. " CASSIODORUS, father
of the author. His praises 144 4. " SENATE. Great deeds of ancestors
of Cassiodorus 145 5. " FLORIANUS. End of litigation 147 6. "
AGAPITUS. Mosaics for Ravenna 147 7. " FELIX. Inheritance of
Plutianus 148 8. " AMABILIS. Prodigality of Neotherius 149 9. "
BISHOP EUSTORGIUS. Offences of Ecclesiastics 149 10. "
BOETIUS. Frauds of moneyers 150 11. " SERVATUS. Violence of
Breones 151 12. " EUGENIUS. Appointment as Magister Officium 151
13. " SENATE. On the same 152 14. " FAUSTUS. Collection of
'Tertiae' 152 15. " FESTUS. Interests of the absent 153 16. "
JULIANUS. Remission of taxes 153 17. " GOTHIC AND ROMAN
INHABITANTS OF DERTONA. Fortification of Camp 153 18. "
DOMITIANUS AND WILIAS. Statute of Limitations, &c. 154 19. "
SATURNINUS AND VERBUSIUS. Rights of the Fiscus 155 20. "
ALBINUS AND ALBIENUS. Circus quarrels 155 21. " MAXIMIAN
AND ANDREAS. Embellishment of Rome 156 22. " MARCELLUS.
His promotion to rank of Advocatus Fisci 156 23. " COELIANUS
AND AGAPITUS. Litigation between Senators 157 24. " ALL THE
GOTHS. Call to arms 157 25. " SABINIANUS. Repair of the walls of
Rome 158 26. " FAUSTUS. Immunity of certain Church property 159
27. " SPECIOSUS. Circus quarrels 159 28. " GOTHS AND ROMANS.
Building of walls of Rome 160 29. " THE LUCRISTANI ON RIVER
SONTIUS. Postal Service 160 30. " SENATE. Injury to public peace
from Circus rivalries 161 31. " THE ROMAN PEOPLE. Same subject
161 32. " AGAPITUS. Same subject 162 33. " " Arrangements for
Pantomime 162 34. " FAUSTUS. Exportation of corn 163 35. " "
Unreasonable delays in transmission of corn 163 36. " THERIOLUS.
Guardianship of sons of Benedictus 164 37. " CRISPIANUS.
Justifiable homicide 164 38. " BAION. Hilarius to have possession of
his