page_title: Karolus magnus et Leo papa
section_title: Contents
hierarchical_section_title: Karolus magnus et Leo papa / Contents
caption_attribution_description: English: Pope Leo III Italiano: Papa Leone III Русский: Лев III (папа римский)
context_page_description: Karolus magnus et Leo papa, sometimes called the Paderborn Epic or the Aachen Epic, is a Carolingian Latin epic poem of which only the third of four books is extant. It recounts the meeting of Charlemagne, king of the Franks, with Pope Leo III, in AD 799.
context_section_description: The Paderborn Epic's hunt scene probably describes an actual hunt in the spring of 799, although it is "highly stylized". The importance of women in Charlemagne's court is highlighted by the order of his retinue: Queen Luitgard, followed by sons Charles and Pippin, and then the "brilliant order of girls" (puellarum… ordo coruscus) Rotrude, Bertha, Gisela, Ruodhaid, Theodrada, and Hiltrud. During the hunt, Charlemagne stops to take a nap and dreams that Leo has been attacked and his eyes and tongue cut out.
  Historically, Leo was wounded severely during an attack on 25 April 799, but his eyes and tongue were saved by Charlemange's missi dominici. The poet nevertheless mentions the mutilation five times and seven times describes a miraculous healing. The miracle was used to attest Leo's saintliness amidst accusations of adultery by his enemies. By August 799, Charlemagne's adviser Alcuin of York had burned a letter about Leo's adulteries, perhaps convinced of his innocence by the miraculous healing.
  The meeting at Paderborn was probably the first time that an imperial coronation was discussed for Charlemagne, and it is no coincidence that its verse epic is "replete with imperial phraseology". The poet compares Charlemagne to Aeneas, forefather of the Romans, and calls him augustus and Europae venerandus apex, pater optimus ("revered pinnacle of Europe; best father"). The poet also likens Charlemagne's capital of Aachen to a "second Rome" and a "Rome-to-be".
  The city of the poem is generally identified with Charlemagne's capital, although it is not explicit in the poem and the city might in fact be Paderborn itself, whose church was consecrated in 799. The poet alludes to the conversion of the Saxons and praises terror as a means to an end: "What the contrary mind and perverse soul refuse to do with persuasion / Let them leap to accomplish when compelled by fear" (Quod mens laeva vetat suadendo animusque sinister / Hoc saltim cupiant implere timore coacti).
caption: Pope Leo III is the titular Leo papa discussed in the poem.
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