'It is most suitable that Rome should gather back her children to her bosom, and in her venerable Senate should enrol a son of Gaul. 'Felix showed his excellent disposition first in this, that while still a young man he hastened to "the native land of all the virtues" [Rome]. Success followed his choice; we promoted him as he deserved. While still a young man, deprived of his father's care, he showed the rare gift of continence; he subdued avarice, the enemy of wisdom; he despised the blandishments of vice; he trampled under foot the vanities of pride. 'We have now determined to reward him with the Consulship. Do you who can with indiscriminate pleasure rejoice in both the blessings of the Republic [in the Consuls of the East and West] join your favouring vote. He who is worthy of so high an office as the Consulship may well be chosen by the judgment of both' [Emperor and King]. [An important letter, as showing the extent to which concurrent choice of Consuls was vested in Rome, or rather Ravenna, and Constantinople.] 2. KING THEODORIC TO FELIX, VIR ILLUSTRIS, CONSUL ORDINARIUS, A.D. 511 (4TH OF THE INDICTION). [Sidenote: On the same subject.] An address on his elevation to the Consulship, touching on nearly the same topics as the preceding. Theodoric delights in bestowing larger favours on those whom he has once honoured [a favourite topic with Cassiodorus]. Felix has come back from Gaul to the old fatherland[248]. Thus the Consulship has returned to a Transalpine family, and green laurels are seen on a brown stock. [Footnote 248: 'Cum soli genitalis fortuna relicta, velut quodam postliminio in antiquam patriam commeasses.'] Felix has shown an early maturity of character. He has made a wise use of his father's wealth. The honour which other men often acquire by prodigality he has acquired by saving. Cassiodorus evidently has a little fear that the new Consul may carry his parsimony too far, and tells him that this office of the Consulship is one in which liberality, almost extravagance, earns praise[249]; in which it is a kind of virtue not to love one's own possessions; and in which one gains in good opinion all that one loses in wealth. [Footnote 249: 'Ubi praeconium meretur effusio.'] 'See the sacred City all white with your _vota_ (?). See yourself borne upon the shoulders of all, and your name flitting through their mouths, and manifest yourself such that you may be deemed worthy of your race, worthy of the City, worthy of our choice, worthy of the Consular _trabea_.' [The letter makes one suspect a certain narrowness and coldness of heart in the subject of its praise.] 3. KING THEODORIC TO THE SENATE. A.D. 511. [Sidenote: On the same subject.]