2 157. PAUL THE DEACON. 677
susceptible of rational explanation. It is from this modest, simple, conscientious History that multitudes have learned to love the Venerable Bede.
§ 157. Paul the Deacon.
I. PAULUS WINFRIDUS Diaconus: Opera omnia in Migne, Tom. XCV.,
col. 413-1710. Editions of Paul's separate works : llixtoria Langobardorum in : Monumenta Germanize, historica. Scriptores rerum langobardorum et italicarum. Saec. VI.-IX. edd. L. Bethmaun et G. Waitz, Hannover, 1878, pp. 45-187. Historia romana in : Monum. Germ. hist, auctor. antiquissimor. Tom. II. ed. H. Droysen, Berlin, 1879. Gesta episcoporum Mettensium in : Mon. Germ. hist. Script. Tom. II. ed. Pertz, pp. 260-270. Homilice in : Martene et Durand, Veterum scriptorum collectio, Paris, 1733, Tom. IX. Carmina (both his and Peter's) in : Poetie latini ocvi Carolini, ed. E. Diimmler, Ber lin, 1880, I. 1. pp 27-86. Translations: Die Langobardengeschichte, iibertsetzt von Karl von Spruner, Hamburg, 1838 ; Paulus Diaconus und die iibrigen Gcschichtschrciber der Langobarden, iibersetzt von Otto Abel, Berlin, 1849.
II. FELIX DAHN: Paulus Diaconus. I. Abtheilung, Leipzig, 1876. Each
of the above mentioned editions contains an elaborate introduction in. which the life and works of Paul are discussed, e. g. Waitz ed. Hist. pp. 12-45. For further investigations see BETHMANN : Paulus Dia conus' Leben und Schriftcn, and Die Geschichtschreibung der Langobarden, both in Pertz's "Archiv der Gesellsch. fiir altere deutsche Geschichtskunde," Bd. X. Hannover, 1851 ; BAUCH : Utber die historia romana des Paulus Diaconus, eine Quellenuntersuchung, Gottingen, 1873; R. JACOBI: Die Qucllen der Langobardengcschichte dcs Pcudus Diaconus, Halle, 1877; and MOMMSEN: Die QueUen der LangobardengescJdchte des Paulus Diaconus in : Neues Archiv der Gesellsch. fiir altere Geschichtskunde, Bd. V. pp. 51 sqq. Du PIN, VI. 115-116. CEILLIER, XII. 141-148. EBERT, II. 36-56.
PAUL the Deacon (Paulus Diaconus), the historian of the Lombards, was the son of AVarnefrid and Theudelinda. Hence he is frequently called PAUL WARNP:FRID. He was descended from a noble Lombard family and was born in Forum Julii (Friuli, Northern Italy), probably between 720 and 725. His education was completed at the court of King Liutprand in Pavia. His attainments included a knowledge of Greek, rare in that age. Under the influence of Ratchis, Liutprand's sue-
678 FOUKTH PEKIOD. A. D. 590-1049.
cessor (744-749), he entered the church and became a deacon. King Desiderius (756—774) made him his chancellor,1 and entrusted to his instruction his daughter Adelperga, the wife of Arichis, duke of Benevenlo. In 774 the Lombard king dom fell, and Paul after residing for a time at the duke's court entered the Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino. There he contentedly lived until fraternal love led him to leave his beloved abode. In 776 his brother, Arichis, having pro bably participated in Hruodgaud's rebellion, was taken prisoner by Charlemagne, carried into France, and the family estates were confiscated. This brought the entire family to beggary.2
Paul sought Charlemagne ; in a touching little poem of twenty -eight lines, probably written in Gaul in 782, he set the pitiful case before him3 and implored the great king's clemency.
He did not plead in vain. He would then at once have re turned to Monte Cassino, but Charlemagne, always anxious to retain in his immediate service learned and brilliant men, did not allow him to go. He was employed as court poet, teacher of Greek, and scribe, and thus exerted great influence. His heart was, however, in his monastery, and in 787 he is found there. The remainder of his life was busily employed in literary labors. He died, April 13, probably in the year 800, with an unfinished work, the history of the Lombards, upon his hands.
Paul was a Christian scholar, gentle, loving, and beloved ; ever learning and disseminating learning. Although not a great man, he was a most useful one, and his homilies and histories of the Lombards are deservedly held in high esteem.
His WORKS embrace histories, homilies, letters, and poems.
1 Fabricius in Migne, XCV. col. 413. 2 Ebert, I c. p. 37.
3 Migne, I. c. col. 1599, Carmen VIII. cf. lines 9, 10 :
" Illius in patria conjux miseranda per cranes Mendicat plateas, ore iremente, cibos"