Alfred le Grand
849-899 9th century Feast day: October 26
Giving people back the words they need; wisdom sought by a man of action.
Who was Alfred le Grand?
King of Wessex, he defended his realm against the Danish invasions, then, once peace returned, attacked what he took to be the deeper evil: ignorance. He learned Latin as a grown man and translated into English himself the books he judged most necessary to his people. His prefaces keep the voice of a man who governed knowing his own smallness.
In their own words
Sometimes word for word, sometimes sense for sense, as I had learned it.
I desired to live worthily while I lived, and after my life to leave to those who came after me my memory in good works.