of Erbach, who claims descent from Einhard as the husband of Imma, the reputed daughter of
Charlemagne. The count put it in the famous chapel of his castle at Erbach in the Odenwald.
Einhard was in stature almost a dwarf, but in mind he was in the esteem of his contemporaries
a giant. His classical training fitted him to write an immortal work, the Life of Charlemagne. His
position at court brought him into contact on terms of equality with all the famous men of the day.
In youth he sat under Alcuin, in old age he was himself the friend and inspirer of such a man as
Servatus Lupus. His life seems to have been on the whole favored, and although a courtier, he
preserved his simplicity and purity of character.
His Writings embrace:
- The Life of the Emperor Charlemagne.^1183 This is one of the imperishable works in
literature. It is a tribute of sincere admiration to one who was in many respects the greatest statesman
that ever lived. It was Einhard’s ambition to do for Charlemagne what Suetonius had done for
Augustus. Accordingly he attempted an imitation of Suetonius in style and as far as possible in
contents,^1184 and it is high praise to say that Einhard has not failed. The Life is the chief source of
knowledge about Charlemagne personally, and it is so written as to carry the stamp of candor and
truth, so that his private life stands revealed and his public life sufficiently outlined. Einhard began
it soon after Charlemagne’s death (814) and finished it about 820. It quickly attained a wide-spread
and enthusiastic reception.^1185 It was looked upon as a model production. Later writers drew freely
upon it and portions were rendered into verse.^1186 It is not, however, entirely free from inaccuracies,
as the critical editions show.
- The Annals of Lorsch.^1187 Einhard edited and partly rewrote them from 741 to 801,^1188
and wrote entirely those from 802 to 829. These annals give a brief record of the events of each
year from the beginning of Pepin’s reign till the withdrawal of Einhard from court. - Account of the removal of the relics of the blessed martyrs Marcellinus and Petrus.^1189
This is a very extraordinary narrative of fraud and cunning and "miracles." In brief it very candidly
states that the relics were stolen by Deusdona, a Roman deacon, Ratleik, Einhard’s representative
and Hun, a servant of the abbey of Soissons. But after they had been safely conveyed from Rome
they were openly exhibited, and very many "miracles" were wrought by them, and it was to relate
these that the book was written. - The Passion of Marcellinus and Petrus^1190 is a poem of three hundred and fifty-four
trochaic tetrameters. It has been attributed to Einhard, but the absence of all allusion to the removal
of the relics of these saints renders the authorship very doubtful.^1191
(^1183) Vita Caroli Imperatoris, in Migne, XCVII. col. 27-62. Cf. Jaffé’s ed., pp. 507-541.
(^1184) The critical editions of the Vita bring this fact out very plainly. Cf Ebert, l.c. 95.
(^1185) .Pertz collated sixty MSS. of it.
(^1186) Cf. Bähr, l.c. 210.
(^1187) Annales Laurissenses et Eginhard, in Migne, CIV. col. 367-508. Mon. Germ. Script. I. 134-218.
(^1188) These are known as The Annales Laurissenses because the oldest and comletest MS. was found in the monastery of
Lorsch. Their original text is printed alongside of Einhard’s revision.
(^1189) Historia translationis BB. Christi martyrum Marcellini et Petri in Migne, Ibid. col. 537-594.
(^1190) De passione M. et P. Ibid. col. 593-600.
(^1191) So Ebert, l.c. 103.