Letter 5060: To the excellent Bonosus -- who, after completing his palatine military service, has demonstrated his integrity...

To Bonosus, a most excellent man, distinguished after his service in the palatine corps by a twofold integrity of administration, the august command [of the emperor] assigned the audit of the bridge and of the new basilica; a charge which he could fulfill with the utmost good faith and vigilance, if he alone held the right of conducting an examination of this kind. For Cyriades, a most distinguished man, count and engineer, who some time ago handled the expenses of both works, having been admitted into a partnership in the audit, often, as it is said, dissents from the investigation of the most excellent Bonosus. From this it comes about that the inquiry, which could be vigorously pressed forward by one man, is delayed by a certain contriving of an interposed contention; and therefore the honorable man Bonosus fears that it may turn to his discredit that the outcome of so great a business is still wavering. For this reason he begs that, if there is anyone who thinks that the most distinguished Cyriades ought to be the auditor of that work which the same Cyriades earlier had charge of, this annoyance be taken away from him; but if he himself seems suited to this business, the whole of the investigation should pertain to him alone. Therefore, out of love for the commonwealth, whose advantages you embrace among your chief and foremost concerns, deign to confer with the most renowned and illustrious man, the prefect, so that the shortfall of such great expenditures may be uncovered once the disputes have been removed. For I hope it will come to pass that, with new expenditures ceasing, the sum of what has been laid out may suffice for the completion of both works.

Bonoso optimo viro et post militiam palatinam gemina administrationis integritate conspicuo discussionem pontis ac basilicae novae praeceptio augusta maudavit; quod munus summa fide et vigilantia possit implere, si solus istiusmodi examinis ius ha- 20 beret. nam Cyriades v. c. comes et mechanicus, qui dudum impensas operis utrius- que tractavit, in societatem discussionis admissns [est] saepe, nt dicitur, a Bonosi 2 optimi viri investigatione dissentit. hinc fit, ut inquisitio, quae per unum strenue posset agitari, artificio quodam interpositi certaminis diflferatur; atqne ideo metnit vir honestns Bonosus, ne sibi invidiae sit, quod tanti negotii adhuc nntat effectus. qua- 25 propter orat, ut si quis est, qui v. c. C^niadem putat eius operis, quod idem Cyriades ante curavit, etiam discussorem esse debere, sibi haec molestia detrahatnr; si vero ipse huic negotio videtur adcommodus, ad se tantum disquisitionis summa pertineat. 3 ergo amore reipublicae, cuius utilitates inter praecipua et prima conplecteris, clarissimo et inlustri viro praefecto dignare confeiTC, quatenns lacuna tantornm sumptuum 30 remotis contentionibns detegatur. spero enim fore, nt cessantibus novis expensionibus utrinsque operis perfectioni usurpatornm summa sufficiat. tissimorum P 2 m., iniunxeras ut n^gotium lectissimorum Af, mppU: negotium dedisti, ut processus lectissi- morum iuuenum vel simile quid ticiani VM eipidi P 2 m//i P 4 quarum V t m.^ quia M poiidi P 1 m. 14 qui] quid V tibi beneflciii»que] PF^ tibi beneflciis F, foH. scrih, qui tibi beiie- flcii instar usque debebit cyriades PV, panchiriades Af, cum cyriades F operas P 22 est del, lurettM 23 stren- uue V 25 qua pporat V, qua in ro petit M 28 adsentatum V, ad se unum M 30 dignare conferre PVMy aupple: dignare adstruere, eatenus necessarias in aedificationem expensas flscum debere con- ferre, quatenus et q, s. vel Bimile quid 31 contentionibus] Af, intentionibus PV iiobis P l m. V 32 Bequitur in M epist. 98 LXXVn (LXXV).