亲眼所见:艾因哈德的《查理大帝传》与中古拉丁欧洲传记的转型

Eyewitness Testimony:Einhard's Vita Caroli Magni and the Transformation of Medieval Latin European Biographies

长期以来,学界比较研究艾因哈德的《查理大帝传》与苏维托尼乌斯的《罗马十二帝王传》,尤其是在加洛林文艺复兴的文化背景之下讨论二者的联系。其实这两部作品在史源限定原则上存在重大差异,尽管借鉴古代传记依类叙事结构的写作原则,艾因哈德引入亲身见闻作为史源限定原则,不仅成功地树立了自己的叙事权威和可信度,而且还将神似与形似巧妙地结合在一起。在艾因哈德复兴了拉丁文君王传记之后,继起的类似传记则转而采纳了编年体例,从而强化传记的叙事与形似色彩,而淡化其神似色彩。中古拉丁君王传记也就具备了独特的写作体裁。

There has been a long history of research on Einhard's Vita Caroli Magni,especially from the perspective of comparison with Suetonius'Vitae Caesarum Duodecem,and there has been,and still is,hot debate about the relationship between them,and consequently,the reliability of Einhard's description.There are significant differences between two works in their individual manner of choosing sources.However,by introducing the rule of eyewitness testimony,Einhard imposed a strict limitation on the choice of sources,which lent authority to the author.The Vita Caroli Magni with its idealization of the virtues of its subject and its search for truth convinced readers of its reliability.Adopting the form of chronicle,later biographer strengthen narrativity and objectivity,and create a new classical form for the medieval secular biography.