unencumbered with difficulties. M. Buat had supposed that it was
the father of Cassiodorus who held the office first named.
Compare Manso, p. 85, &c., and Beylage, vii. It certainly
appears improbable that Cassiodorus should have been count of the
sacred largesses at twenty years old. - M.]

As the patron of the republic, it was the interest and duty
of the Gothic king to cultivate the affections of the senate ^58
and people. The nobles of Rome were flattered by sonorous
epithets and formal professions of respect, which had been more
justly applied to the merit and authority of their ancestors.
The people enjoyed, without fear or danger, the three blessings
of a capital, order, plenty, and public amusements. A visible
diminution of their numbers may be found even in the measure of
liberality; ^59 yet Apulia, Calabria, and Sicily, poured their
tribute of corn into the granaries of Rome an allowance of bread
and meat was distributed to the indigent citizens; and every
office was deemed honorable which was consecrated to the care of
their health and happiness. The public games, such as the Greek
ambassador might politely applaud, exhibited a faint and feeble
copy of the magnificence of the Caesars: yet the musical, the
gymnastic, and the pantomime arts, had not totally sunk in
oblivion; the wild beasts of Africa still exercised in the
amphitheatre the courage and dexterity of the hunters; and the
indulgent Goth either patiently tolerated or gently restrained
the blue and green factions, whose contests so often filled the
circus with clamor and even with blood. ^60 In the seventh year
of his peaceful reign, Theodoric visited the old capital of the
world; the senate and people advanced in solemn procession to
salute a second Trajan, a new Valentinian; and he nobly supported