Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 4 (1897).djvu/546

 522 APPENDIX The fragment of an Italian (Ravennate) chronicle, known as Anonymuh Vai.f.sii, Part ii., and recording the reigns of Odovacar and Theodoric, has been noticed already' in vol. iii., A])j)endix 1, in connexion with the Chronica Italica. The chronicler made use of the Vita Severini of Eugijjpius. He writes from an Imjjerial point of view, speaks loyall}- of Zeno, and constantly describes Theo- doric by the title Pntricius, which kcejjs in mind that king's theoretical depend- ence on the Roman Empire. The language is full of barbarisms, and there seems very little probability in the conjecture of Waitz that the author is no other than Bishop Maximian of Ravenna, whose jiortrait has been immortalized in mosaics in the Church of San A^itale. The fragment is perhajjs not continu- ous, but a number of extracts, bearing on Odovacar and Theodoric, strung together from the original chronicle (cp. CipoUa, op. cit. infra, p. 80 sqq.). It seems likely that the anonymous author wrote during the civil wars which followed the fall of the Ostrogothic kingdom.''*' Recentl}- a very complete study, especially of the Mss. , has appeared by C. Cipolla, in the Bul'lettino dell' Institute storico italiano. No. ii. (1892, p. 7-98). Cp. especialh- sect. iv. p. 80 sqq. [For editions see above, vol. iii. p. 480. References to various mono- graphs will be found in the article of Cipolla.] Ennodius, the son of Gallic j^arents, was born a.d. 474, in Liguria, died a.d. 521. He may have been grandson of Ennodius, proconsul of Africa under Honorius and Theodosius II. His father's name may have been Firminur. He liad a secular education in the Latin classics, and was consecrated by Epiphanius of Ticinum (whose life he wrote) before a.d. 496. He went to Milan, to fill a clerical post, before a.d. 499, and from Milan most of his letters are written. The life of Epiphanius was composed between a.d. 501 and 504 (see Vogel's l)reface to his ed. p. xviii.-xix.). All the works of Ennodius are included in the large edition of Vogel in the Men. Germ. Hist., 1885. They form a very valuable supplement to Cassiodorus for the historj' of Italy imder Theodoric. [Monograph : Fertig, Ennodius und seine Zeit, 1858.] Cassiodorus has had the misfortune of being called out of his name. His full name was Flavins Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus Senator, and in accordance with the custom of the time he was always known b}- the last name, i^enatoi: We do not find him called Cassiodorus till the eighth century (by Paul the Deacon, Hist. Lang. i. 25) ; and even the name has l)een corrupted, modern scholars following Maffei in writing Cassiodorius. But 3Iommsen, who at first approved, has now condemned, this fashion, and adopts the true form in his edition of the works of Cassiodorus. This name points to the derivation of the writer's family from Syria. They settled at Sc.vllace and by the middle of the fifth century had become the most influential i)eople in Bruttii. The father of Senator filled financial offices under Odovacar, administered Sicily, and embraced the cause of Theodoric, who rewarded him by the less di.stinguished ]wst of corrector of Bruttii and Lucania. The inferiority of this ]jost to the posts which he had already occupied may have been comjiensated for by the circumstance that the appointment was an exception to the rule that no man should be governor of his native province. But he was soon raised to be prretorian pr;efect (after a.d. 500). The son was born c. 490. At an early age (twelve or thirteen ?) he became con- siliariv.s to his father, and he became quaestor between the 3-ears 507 and 511 (cp. Mommsen, Prouem. p. x.) and drew up state papers for the king. Then, like his father, he was appointed corrector of his native jnoviiice ; became consul ord. in a.d. 514 ; and was promoted to be nutgistcr officioruiii, before a.d. 526. In a.d. 533 Amalasuentha created him praetorian prefect, a post which he retained under Theodahat and Witigis. The dates of his chief works are : Chronicle, a.d. 519 ; Gothic History in twelve Books, between a.d. 526 and 533 (so Mommsen ; L^sener init it earlier, 518-21) ; publication of his Variae, a.d. .537. He also wiote various theological works (including a compilation of Church History from Socrates, Sozomen and Theodoret, entitled Historia tripartita ; in this work he had a colla- borator, Epiphanius). He survived a.d. 573. He had thrown himself thoroughly ^ Mommsen, Chron. Min. i. 261.