Theodulf
composed in simple and easy Latin verse--somewhat after the style of the
_Propria qu? maribus_ our own childhood--the description of a supposed
tree of science, which he had drawn and painted, on the trunk and
branches of which were the figures and names of the seven liberal arts.
At the foot sat Grammar--the basis of all learning--holding on her hand
a lengthy rod (ominous for the tender student). On the right Rhetoric
stretched forth her hand. On the left was Dialectic. Philosophy sat on
the summit; the rest being disposed according to their relative
importance. The whole was explained in the _Carmina de septem artibus_,
in which the bishop, who was one of the famous poets of the age, strove
in flowery language to render these dry-as-dust studies acceptable to
the youthful understanding. Theodulf was a great scholar, and assisted
Alcuin in the revision of the Bible, one copy of which he himself had
written whilst still Abbat of Fleury, about 790. At the beginning of
this Bible is a poem in golden letters on purple, and a preface in
prose, also in golden letters, giving a synopsis of the several books.
The text differs somewhat from the Alcuin Bible, as it is that of Jerome
before Alcuin's revision. This MS. is now at Paris.
Pages:
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98