15. King Theodoric to Benenatus, Senator.

New rowers to be selected. Their qualifications.

'Being informed by the Illustrious and Magnificent Count of the Patrimony that twenty-one of the Dromonarii [rowers in the express-boats] have been removed by the inconvenient incident of death, we hereby charge you to select others to fill their places. But they must be strong men, for the toil of rowing requires powerful arms and stout hearts to battle with the stormy waves. For what is in fact more daring than with one's little bark to enter upon that wide and treacherous sea, which only despair enables a man successfully to combat?'