Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-lvwk9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-09-08T10:13:54.771Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Appendix: West Frankish deployment of Solomon's dream

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 July 2009

David Pratt
Affiliation:
Downing College, Cambridge
Get access

Summary

The following passages document West Frankish use of Solomon's dream by ecclesiastical writers under Charles the Bald (see above, pp. 159–63, cf. 278–9); generally addressed to the ruler himself, deployment shows consistent sensitivity to his political circumstances.

1. Letter of Lupus of Ferrières to Charles the Bald, written shortly after the quashing of a rumour that Charles had been killed in battle against the Bretons on 22 November 845:

‘Praeterea mementote, quod Salomon ad regendum populum Israel, cui diu in maxima pace praesedit, sapientiam potissimum postulavit’ (‘Moreover, remember that Solomon asked, in preference to all else, for wisdom in order to rule the people of Israel, over whom he presided for a long time in the greatest peace’): Epistolae, ed. Marshall, no. 33, p. 45.

2. Dedicatory verse by Audradus Modicus to Charles's First Bible, made at Tours and presented by the canons in 845:

‘Ante tamen reserat clare primordia cosmi / Et per quam illius esse fuit sophiam … Quoque modo quisquis caveat munitus ab armis / Hostis perversi tela inimica nimis. … Quisquis es instructus mundanis usibus hisce, / Quis Salomone opibus ditior emicuit? / Hoc concessa cui dives sapientia fecit, / Regibus ac cunctis hunc ea proposuit. / Tu quoque, qui es humilis, prudens – intentio sancta – / Se propter sophiam dilige, posce, cape’ (‘Yet earlier [the bible as divine law] reveals clearly the beginnings of the universe, and through [the bible's] wisdom it came into existence … Let anyone who is only defended by arms fear the greatly hostile weapons of the wicked enemy. … Those of you equipped with worldly benefits, gape: who shone forth richer in riches than Solomon? Rich wisdom, when granted to him, did this, and placed him ahead of all kings. You also, who are humble and prudent – a holy intention – love, seek, grasp wisdom on its own account’): Dutton and Kessler, First Bible of Charles the Bald, pp. 110–13, lines 157–8, 163–4 and 179–84 (my translation differs slightly).

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×