KING ALFRED THE GREAT
King Alfred the Great (849, ruled 871-899) was one of the best kings ever to rule mankind. He defended Anglo-Saxon England from Viking raids, formulated a code of laws, and fostered a rebirth of religious and scholarly activity. His reign exhibits military skill and innovation, sound governance and the ability to inspire men and plan for the future, piety and a practical commitment to the support of religion, personal scholarship and the promotion of education.
"Desire for and possession of earthly power never pleased me overmuch, and I did not unduly desire this earthly rule, but that nevertheless I wished for tools and resources for the task that I was commanded to accomplish, which was that I should virtuously and worthily guide and direct the authority which was entrusted to me. You know of course that no one can make known any skill, nor direct and guide any authority, without tools and resources; a man cannot work on any enterprise without resources. In the case of the king, the resources and tools with which to rule are that he have his land fully manned: he must have praying men, fighting men and working men. You also know that without these tools no king may make his ability known. Another aspect of his resources is that he must have the means of support for his tools, the three classes of men. These, then are their means of support: land to live on, gifts, weapons, food, ale, clothing, and whatever else is necessary for each of the three classes of men. Without these things he cannot maintain the tools, nor without the tools can he accomplish any of the things he was commanded to do. Accordingly, I sought the resources with which to exercise the authority, in order that my skills and power would not be forgotten and concealed: because every skill and every authority is soon obsolete and passed over, if it is without wisdom; because no man may bring to bear any skill without wisdom. For whatever is done unthinkingly, cannot be reckoned a skill. To speak briefly: I desired to live worthily as long as I lived, and to leave after my life, to the men who should come after me, the memory of me in good works."
-- from Alfred's translation of Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy, chapter XVII. [Keynes & Lapidge, pp 132-33.] This is an interpolation by Alfred, not in Boethius. As Alfred says in his preface, he has sometimes translated word for word, and sometimes sense for sense. In a footnote (p. 298), Keynes & Lapidge caution that this paragraph should not be taken as King Alfred's personal credo. However, it rings true for me, and I acknowledge the man behind the words.
"The just man builds on a modest foundation and gradually proceeds to greater things."
-- Asser cites this saying when he is describing King Alfred's method of learning (chapter 88). Keynes and Lapidge say that the source of this quotation is unknown. I can imagine that this saying originated with Alfred himself. It perfectly expresses his practical approach to development of his kingdom. In this saying "the just man" is to be understood, in more modern language, as meaning "the man of sound judgement".
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King Alfred the Great (849, ruled 871-899) was one of the best kings ever to rule mankind. He defended Anglo-Saxon England from Viking raids, formulated a code of laws, and fostered a rebirth of religious and scholarly activity. His reign exhibits military skill and innovation, sound governance and the ability to inspire men and plan for the future, piety and a practical commitment to the support of religion, personal scholarship and the promotion of education.
"Desire for and possession of earthly power never pleased me overmuch, and I did not unduly desire this earthly rule, but that nevertheless I wished for tools and resources for the task that I was commanded to accomplish, which was that I should virtuously and worthily guide and direct the authority which was entrusted to me. You know of course that no one can make known any skill, nor direct and guide any authority, without tools and resources; a man cannot work on any enterprise without resources. In the case of the king, the resources and tools with which to rule are that he have his land fully manned: he must have praying men, fighting men and working men. You also know that without these tools no king may make his ability known. Another aspect of his resources is that he must have the means of support for his tools, the three classes of men. These, then are their means of support: land to live on, gifts, weapons, food, ale, clothing, and whatever else is necessary for each of the three classes of men. Without these things he cannot maintain the tools, nor without the tools can he accomplish any of the things he was commanded to do. Accordingly, I sought the resources with which to exercise the authority, in order that my skills and power would not be forgotten and concealed: because every skill and every authority is soon obsolete and passed over, if it is without wisdom; because no man may bring to bear any skill without wisdom. For whatever is done unthinkingly, cannot be reckoned a skill. To speak briefly: I desired to live worthily as long as I lived, and to leave after my life, to the men who should come after me, the memory of me in good works."
-- from Alfred's translation of Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy, chapter XVII. [Keynes & Lapidge, pp 132-33.] This is an interpolation by Alfred, not in Boethius. As Alfred says in his preface, he has sometimes translated word for word, and sometimes sense for sense. In a footnote (p. 298), Keynes & Lapidge caution that this paragraph should not be taken as King Alfred's personal credo. However, it rings true for me, and I acknowledge the man behind the words.
"The just man builds on a modest foundation and gradually proceeds to greater things."
-- Asser cites this saying when he is describing King Alfred's method of learning (chapter 88). Keynes and Lapidge say that the source of this quotation is unknown. I can imagine that this saying originated with Alfred himself. It perfectly expresses his practical approach to development of his kingdom. In this saying "the just man" is to be understood, in more modern language, as meaning "the man of sound judgement".
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