'Although our Comitatus is always ready to redress the grievances of our subjects, yet, on account of the length of the journey from your Province hither, we have thought good to send the Illustrious and Magnificent Severinus to you to enquire into your complaints on the spot. He is a man fully imbued with our own principles of government, and he has seen how greatly we have at heart the administration of justice. We therefore doubt not that he will soon put right whatever has been done wrong in your Province; and we have published our "oracles" [the previous letter, containing Severinus' patent of appointment], that all may know upon what principles he is to act, and that those who have grievances against the present functionaries may learn their rights.' 16. KING THEODORIC TO ABUNDANTIUS, PRAETORIAN PRAEFECT. [Sidenote: Formation of a navy.] 'By Divine inspiration we have determined to raise a navy which may both ensure the arrival of the cargoes of public corn and may, if need be, combat the ships of an enemy. For, that Italy, a country abounding in timber, should not have a navy of her own hath often stricken us with regret. 'Let your Greatness therefore give directions for the construction of 1,000 _dromones_ (swift cutters). Wherever cypresses and pines are found near to the sea-shore, let them be bought at a suitable price. 'Then as to the levy of sailors: any fitting man, if a slave, must be hired of his master, or bought at a reasonable price. If free, he is to receive 5 solidi (L3) as donative, and will have his rations during the term of service. 'Even those who were slaves are to be treated in the same way, "since it is a kind of freedom to serve the Ruler of the State[389];" and are to receive, according to their condition, two or three solidi (L1 4s. or L1 16s.) of bounty money[390]. [Footnote 389: 'Quando libertatis genus est servire Rectori.'] [Footnote 390: 'Arrharum nomine.'] 'Fishermen, however, are not to be enlisted in this force, since we lose with regret one whose vocation it is to provide us with luxuries; and moreover one kind of training is required for him who has to face the stormy wind, and another for him who need only fish close to shore.' 17. KING THEODORIC TO ABUNDANTIUS, PRAETORIAN PRAEFECT. [Sidenote: On the same subject.] 'We praise you for your prompt fulfilment of the orders contained in the previous letter. You have built a fleet almost as quickly as ordinary men would sail one. The model of the triremes, revealing the number of the rowers but concealing their faces, was first furnished by the Argonauts. So too the sail, that flying sheet[391] which wafts idle men to their destination quicker than swiftest birds can fly, was first invented by the lorn Isis, when she set off on her wanderings through the world to find her lost son Apochran. [Footnote 391: 'Linum volatile.']