A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

His Education 581
the Roman fashion.
On festivals he used to walk in processions
clad in a garment woven with gold, and shoes
studded with jewels, his cloak fastened with a golden
clasp, and wearing a crown of gold set with precious stones.
At other times his dress differed little from that of a private
person.
V. Education and Religion
He was ready and fluent in speaking, and able to ex- Ability to
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press himself with great clearness. He did not confine
himself to his native tongue, but took pains to learn foreign ^-^^" ^^^
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languages, acquiring such knowledge of Latin that he ^''^^'^ ^sused
to repeat his prayers in that language as well as in
his own. Greek he could better understand than pronounce.
In speaking he was so voluble that he almost
gave one the impression of a chatterer. He was an ardent
admirer of the liberal arts, and greatly revered their professors,
whom he promoted to high honors. In order to
learn grammar, he attended the lectures of the aged Peter
of Pisa, a deacon; and for other instruction he chose as
his preceptor Albinus, otherwise called Alcuin, also a
deacon—a Saxon by race, from Britain, the most learned
man of his day, with whom the King spent much time in
learning rhetoric and logic, and more especially astronomy.
He learned the art of computation, and with deep thought
and skill very carefully calculated the courses of the
planets.
1
Karl also tried to write, and used to keep his tablets
11
He could
1 • • 11
and writmg books under
1
the
-11
pillow
r
of
• 1
his couch, that
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when he had leisure he might practice his hand in forming
letters; but he made little progress in a task too long deferred,
and begun too late in life.
The Christian religion, in which he had been brought