Confronting Crisis in the Carolingian Empire

"This book presents a new translation of the 'Epitaph for Arsenius' by Paschasius Radbertus (Radbert), a monk of Corbie. A daring defence of Charlemagne's cousin Wala, onetime abbot of Corbie, the 'Epitaph' is about ideals of religious and political leadership, articulated by an author who was an actor in his own narrative. To newcomers and seasoned scholars alike, Radbert offers a fascinating window onto a rapidly changing Carolingian world. Nicknamed 'Arsenius' by his monks, after a late-antique monastic pioneer, Wala played a leading part in the two rebellions against Louis the Pious, Charlemagne's son and successor, in 830-3, before dying in exile in 836. In a now-hostile political climate, Radbert set about repairing Wala's damaged reputation, arguing that his abbot had not been unfaithful to the emperor. He did so in the form of a spirited conversation between himself and several fellow monks, who recall the deeds and motives of their beloved abbot. Radbert's Epitaph deserves to be better known, and should become a major resource as a teaching text on Carolingian politics. Mayke de Jong and Justin Lake, renowned scholars of Carolingian history and Latin philology, make the challenging Latin original accessible to both students and specialists. They also provide a comprehensive commentary and footnotes dealing with the historical and intellectual context and language, which are important contributions to scholarship in their own right."--Back cover.