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Article THE RING OF CHARLEMAGNE. ← Page 6 of 8 →
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The Ring Of Charlemagne.
PART IV . From this event Alcuin grew daily more aud more in favour ivith tlie monarch ; to whom , indeed , he had been an object of high esteem since his arrival at court . The Emperor allowed himself to be swayed only by his counsel , and to place trust in none other . He frequently locked himself up for whole days ivith his learned adviser , taking his opinion on the progress of public affairs , and occasionally queshim the influences of
tioning on mysterious the stars—a subject ivhich he studied with scrupulous attention , and wonderful sagacity . It was in the pursuit of these studies that Charles was initiated in the primary elements of the art of writing . He learned , under the guidance of Alcuin , to trace his thoughts on his tablets . But the conqueror began to grow uneasy with the continuance of these peaceful practices , and longed to exchange the frivolous pursuits of the pen for the hardy of had
exploits war . He brought under obedience to his laws and discipline a vast extent of conquest . But a head was wanting to the colossus of his acquisitions—his Cisalpine States still lacked a capital . He often spoke to Alcuin of the project he had conceived of erecting his imperial dwelling under the shadow of the holy cross—of constructing his palace in the vicinity of some splendid cathedral , in order , as it were , to base the authority of man upon the eternal power of God . But where should he build this palace ?—where erect this cathedral ? The victorious Charles had no particular predilection for any place . He had passed the winter of 782 at Thiersville , and the ensuing winter at
Heristall . He had celebrated in each of these cities the festivals of Christmas and Easter . - Should he then select Heristall ?—or Thiersville ?—or the miserable village of Aix ? He was engrossed in debating these propositions , and his mind remained in the long aud wearisome uncertainty thereby produced , when his faithful councillor , the sage Alcuin , who never quitted the royal vicinity , began to weary of being the perpetual object of his
master ' s bounty and watchfulness . In fact , since the adventure of the ring , which he had so courageously taken from the mouth of the dead , Alcuin did not belong to himself . Day and night the Emperor , captivated by his wit and elegance , retained him in his immediate presence , loading him with favours , and promising more ; heaping encomiastic eulogiums upon his every word and action , and extolling him above tlie most learned sages of antiquity .
Alcuin began to reflect seriously on the possible results and conse- * quences of such a position as that he now enjoyed ; so high , almost so fabulous , and certainly so envied . He searched the depths of his con-, science , and found remorse at bottom . He often recalled to memory with dread the chamber ofthe dead , and the recollection ofthe Emperor asleep beside the corpse as frequently occurred to him . He retraced the minutest details of that nocturnal scene , when devoted loyalty led him to the commission of sacrilege . He looked upon the ring which he had then taken from Saphira with terror—that ring ivhich he had plundered from the tomb !—and could not bear to see it any longer .
Another thought then succeeded . This ring , endowed with so strange a power , ivhich , in the hands of one woman , had nearly compromised the destinies of the empire , aud tarnished , in the eyes of nations , the august renown of Charles , might it not still , passing into the possession of some new favourite , renew all the dangers , all the perils of the past , and
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Ring Of Charlemagne.
PART IV . From this event Alcuin grew daily more aud more in favour ivith tlie monarch ; to whom , indeed , he had been an object of high esteem since his arrival at court . The Emperor allowed himself to be swayed only by his counsel , and to place trust in none other . He frequently locked himself up for whole days ivith his learned adviser , taking his opinion on the progress of public affairs , and occasionally queshim the influences of
tioning on mysterious the stars—a subject ivhich he studied with scrupulous attention , and wonderful sagacity . It was in the pursuit of these studies that Charles was initiated in the primary elements of the art of writing . He learned , under the guidance of Alcuin , to trace his thoughts on his tablets . But the conqueror began to grow uneasy with the continuance of these peaceful practices , and longed to exchange the frivolous pursuits of the pen for the hardy of had
exploits war . He brought under obedience to his laws and discipline a vast extent of conquest . But a head was wanting to the colossus of his acquisitions—his Cisalpine States still lacked a capital . He often spoke to Alcuin of the project he had conceived of erecting his imperial dwelling under the shadow of the holy cross—of constructing his palace in the vicinity of some splendid cathedral , in order , as it were , to base the authority of man upon the eternal power of God . But where should he build this palace ?—where erect this cathedral ? The victorious Charles had no particular predilection for any place . He had passed the winter of 782 at Thiersville , and the ensuing winter at
Heristall . He had celebrated in each of these cities the festivals of Christmas and Easter . - Should he then select Heristall ?—or Thiersville ?—or the miserable village of Aix ? He was engrossed in debating these propositions , and his mind remained in the long aud wearisome uncertainty thereby produced , when his faithful councillor , the sage Alcuin , who never quitted the royal vicinity , began to weary of being the perpetual object of his
master ' s bounty and watchfulness . In fact , since the adventure of the ring , which he had so courageously taken from the mouth of the dead , Alcuin did not belong to himself . Day and night the Emperor , captivated by his wit and elegance , retained him in his immediate presence , loading him with favours , and promising more ; heaping encomiastic eulogiums upon his every word and action , and extolling him above tlie most learned sages of antiquity .
Alcuin began to reflect seriously on the possible results and conse- * quences of such a position as that he now enjoyed ; so high , almost so fabulous , and certainly so envied . He searched the depths of his con-, science , and found remorse at bottom . He often recalled to memory with dread the chamber ofthe dead , and the recollection ofthe Emperor asleep beside the corpse as frequently occurred to him . He retraced the minutest details of that nocturnal scene , when devoted loyalty led him to the commission of sacrilege . He looked upon the ring which he had then taken from Saphira with terror—that ring ivhich he had plundered from the tomb !—and could not bear to see it any longer .
Another thought then succeeded . This ring , endowed with so strange a power , ivhich , in the hands of one woman , had nearly compromised the destinies of the empire , aud tarnished , in the eyes of nations , the august renown of Charles , might it not still , passing into the possession of some new favourite , renew all the dangers , all the perils of the past , and