During the last ten years of the eighth century, however, Charles was obliged to devote himself exclusively to affairs of the South. The Pope, Leo III, had been attacked by a band of Roman rowdies and had been left for dead in the street. Some kind people had bandaged his wounds and had helped him to escape to the camp of Charles, where he asked for help. An army of Franks soon restored quiet and carried Leo back to the Lateran Palace which ever since the days of Constantine, had been the home of the Pope. That was in December of the year 799. On Christmas day of the next year, Charlemagne, who was staying in Rome, attended the service in the ancient church of St. Peter. When he arose from prayer, the Pope placed a crown upon his head, called him Emperor of the Romans and hailed him once more with the title of "Augustus" which had not been heard for hundreds of years.
不过，到了公元8世纪的最后10年，查理曼不得不将其全部精力放到解决欧洲南部的诸多纠纷之上。教皇利奥八世受到一群罗马暴徒的袭击，暴徒们以为他死了，将他的尸体随便扔在大街上。一些好心的路人为教皇包扎伤口，并帮助他逃到查理曼的军营。一支法兰克军队被迅速派出，平定了罗马城的骚乱。利奥八世在法兰克士兵的护卫下回到拉特兰宫，这里从康士坦丁时代开始，便一直是历代教皇的住所。到公元799年12月，即教皇被袭事件发生后第二年的圣诞节，查理曼当时呆在罗马，正在出席在圣彼得古教堂举行的盛大祈祷仪式。当查理曼念完祷词准备起身之际，教皇把一顶事先准备好的皇冠戴在他头上，宣布他为罗马皇帝，并且以好几百年没有使用过的"奥古斯都"的伟大称号，带领众人向他热烈欢呼。
Once more Northern Europe was part of a Roman Empire, but the dignity was held by a German chieftain who could read just a little and never learned to write. But he could fight and for a short while there was order and even the rival emperor in Constantinople sent a letter of approval to his "dear Brother."
现在，欧洲北部再度成为罗马帝国的一部分了。不过帝国的至高尊严，此时却为一个只认得简单几个字而从未学会过书写的日尔曼酋长所拥有。不过，他精于作战，在一段时期内恢复了欧洲的和平与秩序。过不多久，甚至连他的对手，君士坦丁堡的东罗马皇帝也写信给这位"亲爱的兄弟"，向他表达亲睦与赞许。
Unfortunately this splendid old man died in the year 814. His sons and his grandsons at once began to fight for the largest share of the imperial inheritance.
很不幸，这位精明能干的老人死于公元814年。查理曼一死，他的儿孙立即为争夺最大份额的帝国遗产，相互攻伐，激战连连。
