'Lawsuits must not be dragged on for ever. There must be some possibility of reaching a quiet haven. Wherefore, if the petitioners have rightly informed us that the controversy as to the farm at Mazenes has been decided in due course of law by Count Annas, and there is no reasonable ground for appeal[219], let that sentence be held final and irreversible. We must sometimes save a litigious man from himself, as a good doctor will not allow a patient to take that which is injurious to him.' [Footnote 219: 'Nec aliqua probatur appellatione suspensa.'] 6. KING THEODORIC TO AGAPITUS, PRAEFECTUS URBIS. [One of the MSS. reads _Pontifici_, but this is clearly wrong. The language is not at all suitable to be addressed to a Pope, and there was no Pope Agapetus till 535, nine years after the death of Theodoric.] [Sidenote: Mosaics ordered for Ravenna.] 'I am going to build a great Basilica of Hercules at Ravenna, for I wish my age to match preceding ones in the beauty of its buildings, as it does in the happiness of the lives of my subjects. 'Send me therefore skilful workers in Mosaic' [of which kind of work we have a very good description as follows]. _(Cassiodorus on Mosaic)._ 'Send us from your city some of your most skilful marble-workers, who may join together those pieces which have been exquisitely divided, and, connecting together their different veins of colour, may admirably represent the natural appearance[220]. From Art proceeds this gift, which conquers Nature. And thus the discoloured surface of the marble is woven into the loveliest variety of pictures; the value of the work, now as always, being increased by the minute labour which has to be expended on the production of the Beautiful.' [Footnote 220: 'Et venis colludentibus illigata naturalem faciem laudabiliter mentiantur.'] 7. KING THEODORIC TO FELIX, VIR CLARISSIMUS. This letter will be best understood by a reference to the following pedigree: N. | __________________________________________ | | | FELIX = A daughter. NEOTHERIUS PLUTIANUS [a spendthrift]. [a minor, whose guardian is Venantius]. [Sidenote: The inheritance of Plutianus.] Apparently Felix is accused by Venantius, the guardian of his young brother-in-law Plutianus, of having, on behalf of his wife, made an unfair division of the family property (which had been originally given to the father of these lads by Theodoric, as a reward for his services). In doing this he has availed himself of the spendthrift character of Neotherius, the elder brother, who was probably already of age. Felix is severely blamed, and ordered to hand over what he has fraudulently appropriated to the official, who is charged with the execution of this mandate.