seem also from the Formula of Cassiodorus (Var. vi. 6) that in his
time the Magister Officiorum still had the charge of the Cursus
Publicus.]

[Sidenote: Death of Theodoric, Aug. 30, 526.]

Such was the position of Cassiodorus when, on the 30th of August, 526,
by the death of Theodoric, he lost the master whom he had served so
long and so faithfully. The difficulties which beset the new reign are
pretty clearly indicated in the letters which Cassiodorus published in
the name of the young King Athalaric, Theodoric's grandson, and which
are to be found in the Eighth Book of the 'Variae.' Athalaric himself
being only a boy of eight or ten years of age, supreme power was
vested in his mother Amalasuentha, with what title we are unable to
say, but apparently not with that of Queen. This Princess, a woman of
great and varied accomplishments, perhaps once a pupil, certainly a
friend, of Cassiodorus, ruled entirely in accordance with the maxims
of his statesmanship, and endeavoured with female impulsiveness to
carry into effect his darling scheme of Romanising the Goths. During
the whole of her regency we may doubtless consider Cassiodorus as
virtually her Prime Minister, and the eight years which it occupied
were without doubt that portion of his life in which he exercised the
most direct and unquestioned influence on State affairs.

[Sidenote: Services of Cassiodorus to the Regent Amalasuentha.]

His services at the commencement of the new reign will be best
described in his own words: 'Nostris quoque principiis[53]' (the
letter is written in Athalaric's name) 'quanto se labore concessit,
cum novitas regni multa posceret ordinari? Erat solus ad universa