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he gives his own endorsement to the one coming to military service for whichever register he himself might choose to be assigned to. And these are the titles of all the registers of the staff: first, the *cornicularius*, distinguished by the splendour of the so-called *comes*, not yet having laid aside his belt and having risen to the honour from the emperor and to the presentation of the so-called *codicilli*, instead of tablets, a privilege which belongs to none of those who hold the first rank in other military units; after the *cornicularius*, two *primiscrinii*, whom the Greeks call 'first of the staff'; two *commentarienses*—for so the law calls those in charge of the recorders of proceedings; two *regendarii*, who 138 direct the public post; two *cura epistularum* of Pontica. 5 But perhaps someone might not unreasonably inquire, seeking the reason, “For what reason, when all the dioceses have the so-called *cura epistularum*, has the bureau of the city, and that of arms and of works, not been allotted one?” It is clear that the one of the city is referred to the Thracian diocese, and the one of works to other provinces, perhaps, in which it might happen that the renewals of works take place; and because they are not very continuous, the orders for the public expense being furnished are made by the *cura epistularum* in those dioceses. For the bureau of arms has definite contributions from the provinces—I mean sinews and horns and the rest—but for the needs arising in wars it serves the orders. 6 And since the multitude of stenographers is great and beyond number, and has not small opportunities for gainful work, those of them who are more rational and sufficient for the service, gathering in fifteen associations, which they call *scholae*, having demonstrated their experience in affairs, pass to the corps of the *Augustales*, if, that is, they wish, and arrive at the complement of the *cornicularius*, however, after the so-called *adiutura*; those remaining on the tablet are referred to the complement of the *primiscrinius*. 7 And concerning this, the "how," being rather precise, has been stated; and after those assigned to the rational services are the so-called *singulares*, active men, sent out to the provinces for the sake of public needs; to whom from of old the most necessary needs, and those contributing to the whole state itself, were entrusted, there crept in, with the prefecture already withering, 140 the bombastic verbiage of the so-called *magistriani*. It has come about that the aforesaid are called *singulares* from their setting out for the provinces using one *veredus*, or at least, clearly, one extra horse; for it is the custom for the Italians to call a single person *singularius*. after whom are the *mancipes*, the makers of the common and servile bread; under whom are the bakers and the generally-called bodies of accountants, who are subordinate to all who have in any way been deemed worthy to have a public allowance; and the Romans call them *rationales*, because according to them accounts are called *rationes*, but the Greeks renamed them *catholici* from their general vigilance concerning the public accounts. thence the grain-procurers, whom Victor the historian in his History of the Civil Wars knows were formerly named *frumentarii*, because they formerly took care of the abundance of the palace. And when Rufinus at that time had overthrown the praetorian prefecture with tyranny, they also perished alongside it. Last of all are those who formerly held the first rank, since they originally filled the service of the Master of the Horse: *ducenarii* and *biarchi* and *centenarii* and *centuriones*, of all of whom we have previously given the Greek meanings; and that they were of the staff of the Master of the Horse, it is possible to know through the *codicilli* issued for them from the court, which speak of certain dignities and not of themselves. 8 Such and so many are the divisions of the registers of the office. For the *cursores*, as if couriers, find their discharge from service 142 at the court;

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οἰκείας ὑποσημειώσεως δίδωσι τῷ πρὸς τὴν στρατείαν ἐρχομένῳ εἰς ὃν αὐτὸς ἕλοιτο ταχθῆναι κατάλογον. αἱ δὲ προσηγορίαι τῶν πάντων καταλόγων τῆς τάξεως αὖται· ὁ κορνικουλάριος πρῶτος, τῇ τοῦ λεγομένου κόμιτος ἐμπρέπων λαμπρότητι, μήπω τὴν ζώνην ἀποθέμενος καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλείας τιμὴν καὶ τὴν τῶν λεγομένων κωδικίλλων, ἀντὶ τοῦ δέλτων, ἐπίδοσιν ἀνελθών, οὐδενὶ τῶν ἐν ἄλλοις στρατεύμασι πρωτευόντων ταύτης τῆς προνομίας ὑπαρχούσης· μετὰ δὲ τὸν κορνικουλάριον πριμισκρίνιοι δύο, οὓς Ἕλληνες πρώτους τῆς τάξεως καλοῦσιν· κομμενταρήσιοι δύο οὕτως δὲ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν ὑπομνηματογράφων πραττομένων ὁ νόμος καλεῖ· ῥεγενδάριοι δύο, οἱ 138 τὸν δημόσιον δρόμον ἰθύνοντες· κοῦρα ἐπιστουλάρουμ Ποντικῆς δύο. 5 Ἀλλ' ἴσως ἄν τις οὐκ ἔξω λόγου πύθοιτο τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπιζητῶν «τίνος χάριν, πασῶν τῶν διοικήσεων ἐχουσῶν τοὺς καλουμένους κοῦρα ἐπιστουλάρουμ, τὸ πόλεως σκρινίον τό τε τῶν ὅπλων καὶ τῶν ἔργων οὐκ εἴληχε;» δῆλον ὅτι τὸ μὲν τῆς πόλεως εἰς τὴν Θρᾳκικὴν διοίκησιν ἀναφέρεται, τὸ δὲ τῶν ἔργων εἰς ἄλλας τυχὸν ἐπαρχίας ἐν αἷς ἂν συμβαίη τὰς ἀνανεώσεις γίνεσθαι τῶν ἔργων· ὅτι δὲ οὐ σφόδρα συνεχεῖς, ὑπὸ τῶν ἐν ταῖς διοικήσεσιν ἐκείναις κοῦρα ἐπιστουλάρουμ τὰ προστάγματα τῆς ἐπιδιδομένης ἀπὸ τοῦ δημοσίου δαπάνης γίνεται. τὸ γὰρ τῶν ὅπλων σκρινίον ὡρισμένας μὲν ἔχει τὰς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπαρχιῶν συντελείας νεῦρα λέγω καὶ κέρατα καὶ τὰ λοιπά, πρὸς δὲ τὰς ἀνακυπτούσας χρείας ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις ὑπουργεῖ τοῖς προστάγμασιν. 6 Πολλῆς δὲ οὔσης καὶ ὑπὲρ ἀριθμὸν τῆς τῶν ταχυγράφων πληθύος καὶ οὐ μικρὰς ἐχούσης ἀφορμὰς ἐπὶ κέρδους ἐργασίας, οἵ τοι τούτων καὶ λογικώτεροι καὶ πρὸς τὴν ὑπηρεσίαν ἀρκοῦντες ἐν πεντεκαίδεκα συναγωγαῖς, ἃς καλοῦσι σχολάς, συλλεγόμενοι, τὴν οὖσαν αὐτοῖς πεῖραν τοῖς πράγμασιν ἐπιδειξάμενοι ἐπὶ τὸ τάγμα τῶν Αὐγουσταλίων, εἴ γε ἄρα θέλωσιν, παρίασι καὶ εἰς τὸ τοῦ κορνικουλαρίου πλήρωμα καταντῶσιν, μετὰ μέντοι τὴν λεγομένην βοηθοῦραν· οἱ μένοντες ἐπὶ τῆς δέλτου εἰς τὸ τοῦ πριμισκρινίου ἀναφέρονται πλήρωμα. 7 Καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτου ἀκριβέστερον ὂν τὸ «πῶς» εἴρηται, μετὰ δὲ τοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖς λογικαῖς λειτουργίαις τεταγμένους εἰσὶν οἱ λεγόμενοι σιγγουλάριοι, ἄνδρες ἐντρεχεῖς, ἐπὶ τὰς ἐπαρχίας δημοσίων ἕνεκα χρειῶν ἀποστελλόμενοι· ὧν ἀνέκαθεν τὰς ἀναγκαιοτάτας καὶ εἰς αὐτὴν συντελούσας τὴν ὅλην πολιτείαν χρείας ἐγχειριζομένων, παρεισέδυ, τῆς ἐπαρχότητος ἤδη μαραινομένης, 140 ἡ τῶν λεγομένων μαγιστριανῶν κομποφακελορρημοσύνη. σιγγουλαρίους δὲ τοὺς εἰρημένους καλεῖσθαι συμβέβηκεν ἐκ τοῦ ἑνὶ βεραίδῳ χρωμένους ἤ γ' οὖν ἑνὶ δῆλον ὅτι παρίππῳ ἐπὶ τὰς ἐπαρχίας ὁρμᾶν· σιγγουλάριον γὰρ τὸν μονήρη Ἰταλοῖς ἔθος καλεῖν. μεθ' οὓς μάγκιπες οἱ τοῦ δημώδους καὶ ἀνδραποδώδους ἄρτου δημιουργοί· ὑφ' οἷς ἀρτοποιοὶ καὶ οἱ λεγόμενοι καθολικῶς συστήματα διαψηφιστῶν, οἳ πᾶσι τοῖς ὅπως οὖν σίτησιν δημοσίαν ἔχειν ἠξιωμένοις ὑπακούουσιν· καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι μὲν αὐτοὺς ῥατιωναλίους καλοῦσιν, ὅτι κατ' αὐτοὺς ῥατίωνες οἱ λογισμοὶ λέγονται, οἱ δὲ Ἕλληνες καθολικοὺς μετωνόμασαν ἐκ τῆς καθ' ὅλου περὶ τοὺς δημοσίους λογισμοὺς ἀγρυπνίας. ἔνθεν σιτῶναι, οὓς Οὐΐκτωρ ὁ ἱστορικὸς ἐν τῇ Ἱστορίᾳ τῶν Ἐμφυλίων φρουμενταρίους οἶδε τὸ πρὶν ὀνομασθῆναι, ὅτι τῆς τοῦ παλατίου εὐθηνίας τὸ πρὶν ἐφρόντιζον. Ῥουφίνου δὲ τηνικαῦτα τὴν ὕπαρχον ἀρχὴν τυραννίδι κρημνίσαντος, καὶ αὐτοὶ παραπώλοντο. τελευταῖοι πάντων οἱ τὸ πρὶν πρωτεύοντες, οἷα τὴν τοῦ ἱππάρχου κατ' ἀρχὰς πληροῦντες θεραπείαν· δουκηνάριοι καὶ βίαρχοι καὶ κεντηνάριοι καὶ κεντουρίωνες, ὧν πάντων τὰς Ἑλληνικὰς σημασίας προαποδεδώκαμεν· ὅτι δὲ τῆς τοῦ ἱππάρχου ἐτύγχανον τάξεως, γνῶναι δυνατὸν διὰ τῶν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς ἐκ τῆς αὐλῆς προφερομένων κωδικίλλων, οἳ περὶ ἀξιωμάτων τινῶν καὶ οὐ περὶ αὐτῶν διαγορεύουσιν. 8 Τοιαῦται μὲν καὶ τοσαῦται τομαὶ τῶν καταλόγων τῆς ἀρχῆς. κούρσωρες γάρ, οἷον εἰ ταχυδρόμοι, τὴν τῆς στρατείας 142 ἀπαλλαγὴν ἐπὶ τῆς αὐλῆς εὑρίσκουσιν·