Recommends Felix for the Consulship, going over again the topics mentioned in the two last letters. It appears that it was the father of Felix who emerged, after a temporary eclipse of the family fortunes, and then showed himself 'the Cato of our times, abstaining from vice himself, and forming the characters of others; imbued also with all Greek philosophy, he glutted himself with the honey of the Cecropian doctrine.' Mention is made of the Consulship of an earlier Felix, A.D. 428, the happy renown of which still lingered in the memories of men. The young Felix is praised for the qualities described in the two previous letters, and also for his power of conciliating the friendship of older men, especially the excellent Patrician Paulinus. 4. KING THEODORIC TO ECDICIUS (OR BENEDICTUS), VIR HONESTUS. [Sidenote: Collection of Siliquaticum.] 'We wish always to observe long-established rules in fiscal matters, the best guarantee against extortion. Therefore, whatever dues in the way of _Siliquaticum_ appertained to Antiochus are now transferred to you by the present authority, and the Sajo is charged to support your claims herein; only the contention must not be mixed up with any private matters of your own.' [The _Siliquaticum_ was a tax of one twenty-fourth--the _siliqua_ being the twenty-fourth of a _solidus_--payable on all sales in market overt by buyer and seller together.] 5. KING THEODORIC TO FAUSTUS, PRAEPOSITUS. [Sidenote: Soldiers' arrears.] 'We are always generous, and sometimes out of clemency we bestow our gifts on persons who have no claim upon us. How much more fitting is it then that the servants of the State should receive our gifts promptly! Wherefore, pray let your Magnificence see to it that the sixty soldiers who are keeping guard in the fastnesses of Aosta receive their _annonae_ without delay. Think what a life of hardship the soldier leads in those frontier forts for the general peace, thus, as at the gate of the Province, shutting out the entry of the barbarous nations. He must be ever on the alert who seeks to keep out the Barbarians. For fear alone checks these men, whom honour will not keep back.' [A singular letter to write in the name of one who was himself a Barbarian invader.] 6. KING THEODORIC TO AGAPITUS, ILLUSTRIS AND PATRICIAN. [Sidenote: Embassy to Constantinople.] 'We have decided to send you on an embassy to the East (Constantinople). Every embassy requires a prudent man, but here there is need of especial prudence, because you will have to dispute against the most subtle persons--artificers of words, who think they can foresee every possible answer to their arguments. Do your best therefore to justify the opinion which I formed of you before full trial of your powers.' 7. KING THEODORIC TO SURA (OR SUNA), ILLUSTRIS AND COMES. [Sidenote: Embellishment of the City.]