Charlemagne Quotes
Charlemagne's words come from his own decrees and from the monk Notker the Stammerer, who collected stories about him later in the 9th century. Each quote below gives its source.
3 real Charlemagne quotes, with sources
“Right action is better than knowledge; but in order to do what is right, we must know what is right.”Charlemagne — De litteris colendis (letter on the study of letters, c. 780–800), tr. T. H. Huxley
“If only I could have a dozen churchmen as wise and as well taught in all human knowledge as were Jerome and Augustine!”Charlemagne — Notker the Stammerer, Deeds of Charlemagne 1.9 (tr. Lewis Thorpe)
“By the King of the heavens I think nothing of your nobility and your beauty. Others can admire you.”Charlemagne — Notker the Stammerer, Deeds of Charlemagne 1.3 — to idle noble pupils (tr. David Ganz)
Famous quotes Charlemagne never said
“To have another language is to possess a second soul.”No medieval source records Charlemagne saying this. The attribution is modern.
Who was Charlemagne?
King of the Franks who united much of Western Europe and was crowned Emperor by the Pope on Christmas Day, 800. Though he struggled to write himself, he sparked a revival of schools, books and learning known as the Carolingian Renaissance. Read more on Wikipedia.
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What is Charlemagne's most famous quote?
One of the best known is “Right action is better than knowledge; but in order to do what is right, we must know what is right.” (De litteris colendis (letter on the study of letters, c. 780–800), tr. T. H. Huxley)
Did Charlemagne really say “To have another language is to possess a second soul.”?
No. No medieval source records Charlemagne saying this. The attribution is modern.
Where do these Charlemagne quotes come from?
Charlemagne's words come from his own decrees and from the monk Notker the Stammerer, who collected stories about him later in the 9th century. Each quote below gives its source.
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