R197: Äbtissin A. von St. Glossinde in Metz an Hildegard von Rupertsberg
Salutation and Confidence in Grace
The abbess of Saint Glodesindis greets Hildegard as a beloved sister and expresses confident trust in her grace and goodwill.
Abbess of Saint Glodesindis. Hildegard. To her dearest sister in Christ, Lady Hildegard. A. Abbess, though unworthy, of Saint Glodesindis in Metz. Greetings in true salvation. Because we place great confidence in your grace and goodwill!
Danger, Insufficiency, and a Plea for Guidance
The abbess confesses the great danger and insufficiency she feels in ruling many souls, and earnestly begs Hildegard's instruction on whether to persevere in obedience or yield her office.
We don't want to hide from you that we are in great danger. Since we are compelled to rule over the souls of many, they are not sufficient for us. That is why we ask and beseech your holiness more earnestly in the Lord Jesus that you would take care to confirm our ignorance by your letters and to exhort us what we should do, or to stand in the obedience enjoined on us, or to yield.
Succession, Farewell, and Request for Prayer
The abbess asks that another succeed her, commends herself to Hildegard's prayers, and requests a swift written reply.
May another succeed me, and do better! If the Lord Jesus will deign to reveal anything to you from there.1 Farewell. And pray to God for me!2 And write back to me quickly with your approval.3
Read the original Latin
Abbatissa sancte Glodesindis. hildegardi. Carissimę sibi in christo sorori dominę. hildegardi. A. abbatissa quamuis indigna sanctę Glodesindis in meti! salutem in uero salutari. Quia de gratia uestra et beniuolentia multum presumimus!
nolumus uos latere quod in periculo magno positę sumus. dum multorum regere animas cogimur. quę nobis non sufficimus. Inde est quod sanctitatem uestram rogamus attentius et obsecramus in domino iesu. quatenus inscitiam nostram litteris uestris confirmare et exhortari curetis. quid facere debeamus. uel stare in obedientia nobis iniuncta. uel cedere.
ut alia succedat et melius agat! si quid dominus iesus inde uobis reuelare dignabitur. Valete. et pro deo deum pro me orate! et beneplacitum uestrum mihi cito rescribite.
Notes
- 1 ↩inde is anaphoric; referent uncertain — likely pointing to a matter previously mentioned in the letter. Rendered as 'from there' to preserve the ambiguity of the Latin.
- 2 ↩et pro deo deum pro me orate: the phrase pro deo ... deum is unusual — possibly 'for the sake of God, pray to God for me' or a pleonastic devotional intensifier. Rendered concisely to preserve the earnest tone without over-interpreting.
- 3 ↩beneplacitum uestrum: uestrum could be genitive plural ('your good pleasure') or accusative singular neuter attributive agreeing with beneplacitum ('your good pleasure'). Rendered as 'your approval' to cover the likely sense of the abbess's consent or good will.
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