Ciampi: I. Cassiodori nel V. e nel VI. secolo. Imola, 1876. Cf. Du Pin, V. 43–44. Ceillier, XI.
207–254. Teuffel, 1098–1104. A. Ebert, I. 473–490.Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus Senator^979 , whose services to classical literature can not be
over-estimated, was descended from an old Roman family, famous for its efficiency in state affairs.
He was born about 477, at Scyllacium in Bruttium, the present Squillace in Calabria, the extreme
southwest division of Italy. His father, whose name was Cassiodorus also, was pretorian prefect to
Theodoric, and senator. The son, in recognition of his extraordinary abilities, was made quaestor
when about twenty years of age, and continued in the service of Theodoric, as private secretary
and indeed prime minister, being also with him on terms of friendship, until the latter’s death, Aug.
30, 526. He directed the administration of Amalasontha, the daughter of Theodoric, during the
minority of her son Athalaric, and witnessed her downfall (535), but retained his position near the
throne under Theodatus and Vitiges. He was also consul and three times pretorian prefect. He
labored earnestly to reconcile the Romans to their conquerors.
But about 540 he withdrew from the cares and dangers of office, and found in the seclusion
of his charming paternal domains in Bruttium abundant scope for his activities in the pursuit of
knowledge and the preservation of learning. He voluntarily closed one chapter of his life, one, too,
full of honor and fame, and opened another which, little as he expected it, was destined to be of
world-wide importance. Cassiodorus the statesman became Cassiodorus the monk, and unwittingly
exchanged the service of the Goths for the service of humanity. The place of his retirement was
the monastery of Viviers (Monasterium Vivariense), at the foot of Mt. Moseius,^980 in southwestern
Italy, which he had himself founded and richly endowed. Upon the mountain he built another
monastery (Castellense) in which the less accomplished monks seem to have lived, while the society
of Viviers was highly cultivated and devoted to literature. Those monks who could do it were
employed in copying and correcting classical and Christian MSS., while the others bound books,
prepared medicine and cultivated the garden.^981 He moved his own large library to the monastery
and increased it at great expense. Thus Viviers in that sadly confused and degenerate time became
an asylum of culture and a fountain of learning. The example he set was happily followed by other
monasteries, particularly by the Benedictine, and copying of MSS. was added to the list of monastic
duties. By this means the literature of the old classical world has come down to us. And since the
initiation of the movement was given by Cassiodorus he deserves to be honored as the link between
the old thought and the new. His life thus usefully spent was unusually prolonged. The year of his
death is uncertain, but it was between 570 and 580.
The Works of Cassiodorus are quite numerous. They are characterized by great erudition,
ingenuity and labor, but disfigured by an incorrect and artificial style. Some were written while a
statesman, more while a monk.^982
- The most important is the Miscellany,^983 in twelve books, a collection of about four
hundred rescripts and edicts issued by Cassiodorus in the King’s name while Quaestor and Magister
(^979) Senator was a part of his proper name. Cassiodorius is a variant of Cassiodorus.
(^980) Var. xii. 15 (Migne, LXIX. col. 867).
(^981) De Instit. div. litt. c. 28, 30, 31 (Migne, LXX. cols. 1141-1147).
(^982) The order here followed is that of Migne.
(^983) Variarum libri duodecim, in Migne, LXIX. col. 501-880.