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Chapter 200HildE.1.200

R200: Hildegard von Rupertsberg an Hazecha von Krauftal

True Vision and Burning Need

Hildegard announces her reply in true vision, responding to an urgent plea for admonition and praising the faithful guards who defend the spiritual city.

Hildegard's reply. In a true vision! I have heard the words you were seeking from me with burning desire, on account of a great and urgent need for admonition. I have heard. It is a very glorious praise. Where faithful teaching holds these ranks in place. That is, those guards of the tower who are stationed with shields and breastplates and other arms, so that they may fight against those who wish to destroy the tower. And those who thus fortify their city with upright soldiers.

The Cost of Neglect

Hildegard warns that those who fail to guard their spiritual city are worse than prudent peasants and concludes this point without further words.

…lest its walls be seized by enemies. And lest its gate be opened to treacherous spies. And that they themselves not be killed. These men are in blessedness. But those who don't act this way are more squalid than peasants. …who wisely manage their estates through their own efforts and through their herds! …lest they fail in their own pastures. About these things there's nothing more to be said.

The Soul Ascending Like Incense

Using Song of Songs imagery, Hildegard portrays the soul that contradicts its own will in exile and rises like fragrant smoke to God.

Who is this who ascends through the wilderness like a column of smoke?✦ From the spices of myrrh and frankincense!✦ And all the powder of pigment?✦1 Nor that.2 How beautiful are your steps in your shoes!✦ Daughter of the prince.✦ This is whoever in the exile of this world — which is understood through the wilderness — contradicts her own will.3

Fragrant Mortification, Endless Desire

Mortification of the flesh rises as spice-fragrance before the Lord, producing virtues and unceasing spiritual desire, especially among heavenly citizens.

And it rises up to God through its own works, sighing. As it is written. The fragrance of spices rises in the sight of the Lord when one chooses the mortification of the flesh for oneself. From this fragrance of spices and from the mortification of the flesh, all virtues grow in that person! And the soul is never filled with these things. Those are the ones who do this! This is said about the heavenly citizens, the angels and the saints. How beautiful are your steps.

Neither Cold Nor Warm

Hildegard warns the 'daughter of the prince' against lukewarmness, comparing such uselessness to locusts swept away by the wind.

This is the pursuit in which you walk in that mortification of yours. Daughter of the prince. But from the mouth of the prophet, this one must be cast away, who is neither cold nor warm. because such a one labors at nothing, neither in earthly things nor in heavenly things! but I compare it to locusts, which don't properly fly with flying creatures, nor properly walk with animals on the earth! but which, like a whirlwind that quickly fades, pass by without any usefulness.

The Tower of Charity

Hildegard calls the listener to hear a parable about the city’s tower, which is charity with harmony, flowing from the highest God and lacking no necessity.

O daughter of the sacred name, open your ears and hear with a diligent heart the signs set forth in this parable. That is, how great is the glory in the highest praise concerning the towers of this city — how they are thus established. The tower of that city is charity with harmony.4 And why is it called a tower? Because from the most high God — the very fountain leaping forth, encircling all the earth — it flowed. Because God himself has arranged all creatures in full charity, so that no lack should exist among them. So that no necessity exists in them.5 From this, learn that holy men in whom charity dwells do not fail in any necessity.

Charity’s Fragrance and Protection

Charity surrounds the heart with peace like balsam, repels the devil, and where it is absent the city is left without a tower and easily destroyed.

because their hearts are surrounded by gentleness and peace, like the flowing fragrance of balsam. And so the ancient serpent cannot tear them apart. For like a stinking odor is cut off from the fragrance of balsam, so the devil flees from love. And he hides himself in a cave away from it. But where holy people, in whom love does not dwell, are gathered in the name of the Lord, there the city is without a tower, And they are compared to beautiful houses that are without height. From this turmoil the money of justice and of rule is stripped away, because they have no firm dwellings.

Obedience, Faith, and Hope

Love adorns all virtues; in its tower, obedience, faith, and hope stand as armored soldiers, with obedience shielded and faith clothed in a breastplate.

And so they are often destroyed for that very reason. since a tower protects a city.6 So love adorns and sustains all the virtues. The soldiers of love who are stationed in the tower. Obedience.7 Faith and hope are.8 Obedience is surrounded with a shield, because it is always submissive. And faith is clothed with a breastplate.

God’s Humble Descent in Love

Faith hopes in unseen goods and looks to God through obedience, for God is love; through humility He descended to free captives who did not know Him.

Since it proves all the good things that eyes have never seen.✦ Hope, however, embraces heaven with all its splendor through faith! But faith, through obedience, always looks toward God. Doing so, as he commanded him. For God is love.✦ Because every work of his is devout! But through humility he descended from heaven, to set free his captives who had abandoned love.✦ When they did not know him.

Following Abraham in Self-Denial

By setting aside our own will we walk in Christ’s footsteps, gather around Him like birds around an eagle, and imitate Abraham leaving his homeland.

He did this through humility. And he left us the same example. How so? When we set aside our own will in the duties of this age, we walk in his footsteps. But when we are gathered into one flock in his name, just as other birds gather around an eagle. We imitate Abraham, who left behind his own people and the land of his birth!✦

Upright Soldiers of the Tower

Through humble obedience we fortify the tower, becoming upright soldiers who overcome pleasure, anger, and worldly desire.

And in a foreign matter, he accomplished the circumcision according to God's command. But when through a person—through someone like us—we obey his commands, in blessings we are multiplied like the stars of heaven, just as God also promised to Abraham through his angel. Because we seek what is not ours, according to his incarnation, counting ourselves as nothing, Laboring in the spiritual life, When we do this, we fortify our tower on every side with upright soldiers through humility. And we are upright soldiers when we overcome the pleasure of this age. And we conquer the fury of anger.

Guarding the City with Mercy

Upright soldiers endure poverty for Christ, reject hatred and envy, show mercy to sinners, and guard the walls of holy life from enemies and contradiction.

And we endure our poverty for the love of Christ. And we cast away from us the hostile murders of hatred and envy. And when other sinners like ourselves come along, we don't despise them, nor do we pass harsh judgment on them. And we don't seek false testimony against the righteous and the innocent. These are the upright soldiers. They guard our city on every side. So that the wall of holy rule and of our way of life might not be broken through by enemies — that is, by those whose conduct is hateful and envious. And so that the door of peace might not be refused because of contradiction.

Ambushers of Self-Will

When obedience fails, enemies enter freely; those who prefer their own reasoning over the teachings of the holy fathers are ambushers destroying the city.

Because if this happens, the bolt of our door is thrown open,9 and our enemies walk freely into our city.10 And so that we may not be among those who are always wandering in their hearts, saying:11 We refuse to accept what human reason sets before us and chooses!12 because the things we set forth and choose are more useful and more just. These are the ambushers who destroy our city through their own schemes. because those things drawn from our ancient holy teachers regarding fasting—13

Awaken, Barren City

Hildegard calls the daughter of holiness to awake, because her tower is empty, her guards sleep, and selfish will leads them into crookedness.

They are established in keeping watch and in prayer, and in other virtues. Let them be rejected! And they choose their own will in place of God, who created them. O daughter of holiness! Listen now. Your tower is empty, without worthy soldiers. And the guards of your city have fallen asleep. And especially, because of the selfishness of their own will, they have been led into crookedness.14

Ropes, Mice, and Ruined Customs

Though the ship’s ropes of holy custom are not yet broken, foolish curiosity and corrupting 'mice' tear apart religious observance.

Your tower and your city are so barren they can barely stand. So rise from your sleep! Because the ropes of your ship — that is, the custom of holy living — have not yet been broken. In great foolishness you seek rumors about customs — rumors that seize upon you, rumors that are fitting for you. But this isn't good for you! Because just as in deserted dwellings there are large and small and blind mice that gnaw the garments of men, so through these things every holy custom is torn apart. The larger mice are the restless minds of impiety.

Ardor of the Holy Spirit

Hildegard recalls the great ardor of the Holy Spirit in which they were planted and urges steadfast attention to the rule of Benedict and the other teachers.

But I've given in to the foolishness that is a departure from the way of truth — and that's a nighttime thing, they signify! But the blind show the vanity of this age, which is blind toward the light of justice. That's why it's written in the gospel: Every kingdom divided against itself✦ will be desolated. Now look at how great an ardor of the Holy Spirit you were planted in! and that he doesn't want to lack his ministry in you. And first, attend diligently to the rule of blessed Benedict and the other teachers with a careful heart, so that you may not perish!

Watchful Masters, Not Foolish Farmers

Masters are warned not to be like foolish farmers, but to consider carefully how they lead their household, lest they be called useless stewards.

but so that you may live forever. But as for you, all you masters, be careful not to become like those foolish farmers. When they've seen a plough moving straight by itself, they rejoice. But when it goes crookedly, they are wearied by having to set it straight again. Be careful too that the master of the household doesn't say to you: You're useless to me. Because you're not properly carrying out your stewardship! But carefully consider what's needed.15

Sheltering the Flock with Care

Hildegard urges leaders to anticipate adversity and protect their subjects with every anxiety and all possible care.

And whatever adversity your subjects may face! And protect them with every anxiety — with all the care you can give.

Read the original Latin

Responsum hildegardis. In uera uisione! hęc uerba quę propter ammonitionem magnę necessitatis ardenti desiderio a me querebas. audiui. Ualde gloriosa laus est. ubi fidele magisterium has acies habet. scilicet quę cum clipeis et loricis atque alijs armis custodes turris positi sunt ut contra illos pugnent qui turrim ipsius destruere uolunt. et quę ciuitatem suam probis militibus ita muniunt.

ne muri ipsius ab inimicis comprehendantur. et ne ostium eius perfidis speculatoribus aperiatur. ipsique non interficiantur. Isti homines in beatitudine sunt. Qui autem sic non faciunt squalidiores rusticis sunt. qui per seipsos et per pecora sua uillas suas sapienter procurant! ne in pascuis suis deficiant. De his dicendum non est.

Quę est ista quę ascendit per desertum sicut uirgula fumi. ex aromatibus mirrę et thuris! et uniuersi pulueris pigmentarij? Nec illud. Quam pulcri sunt gressus tui in calciamentis! filia principis. hoc est. Qui in exilio huius seculi quod per desertum intelligitur uoluntati suę contradicit.

et in operibus suis suspirando ad deum ascendit. sicut scriptum est. Ascendit fumus aromatum in conspectu domini mortificationem carnis sibi eligit. unde et de fumo aromatum et de mortificatione carnis omnes uirtutes in eo crescunt! quibus numquam saturatur. Illi qui hoc facit! de supernis ciuibus angelorum et sanctorum dicitur. Quam pulcri sunt gressus tui.

id est studium in quo in ista mortificatione ambulas. filia principis. Sed ab ore prophetę iste abiciendus est qui nec frigidus nec calidus est. quia nec in terrenis nec in celestibus quicquam laborat! sed eum locustis assimilo. quę nec cum uolatilibus recte uolant. nec cum animalibus in terra recte ambulant! sed quę similes turbini qui cito deficit sine utilitate uadunt.

O filia sacri nominis aures tuas aperi et diligenti corde proposita signa huius parabolici sermonis audi. uidelicet quam magna gloria in summa laude de turribus huius ciuitatis ita constitutę sint. Turris ciuitatis istius caritas cum concordia est. Et quare turris nominatur? Quia de altissimo deo ipsa fons saliens omnem terram circuiens fluxit! quoniam ipse deus omnes creaturas in plena caritate ita disposuit. ut nulla necessitas in eis sit. Vnde disce quod sancti homines in quibus caritas habitat in nulla necessitate deficiunt.

quia corda eorum mansuetudine et pace uelut fluenti odore balsami circumdantur. quapropter et antiquus serpens eos discerpere non potest. quoniam ut fetens odor ab odore balsami segregatus est. ita diabolus caritatem fugit. et in cauernam se ab ea abscondit. Ubi autem sancti homines in quibus caritas non habitat in nomine domini congregati sunt ciuitati quę sine turri est. et pulcris domibus quę sine celsitudine sunt assimilantur. unde in hac confusione pecunia iusticię et regulę quia firma habitacula non habent despoliantur.

ideoque etiam sepe destruuntur. quoniam ut turris ciuitatem. ita caritas omnes uirtutes ornat et sustinet. Milites caritatis qui in turrim positi sunt. obedientia. fides et spes sunt. Obedientia clipeo circumdatur quia semper subdita est. et fides lorica induitur.

quoniam omnia bona quę oculis numquam uidit probat. Spes autem celum cum omnibus ornamentis suis per fidem amplectitur! sed fides per obedientam deum semper aspicit. ita faciens ut ei precepit. Deus enim caritas est. quia omne opus suum pium est! sed per humilitatem de celo descendit ut captiuos suos liberaret qui caritatem reliquerunt. quando ipsum non cognouerunt.

Hoc per humilitatem fecit. et idem exemplum nobis reliquit. Quomodo? Quando propriam uoluntatem nostram in officijs huius seculi relinquimus. post uestigia eius ambulamus. quando autem in nomine eius in unum gregem congregamur. quemadmodum ad aquilam alia uolatilia congregantur. abraham imitamur qui populum suum et regionem patrię suę reliquit!

atque in aliena re circumcisionem secundum preceptum dei perfecit. Sed quando per hominem per hominem qui nobis similis est preceptis obedimus. in benedictionibus sicut stellę celi multiplicamur uelut etiam deus abrachę per angelum suum repromisit. quia alienam rem secundum incarnationem suam requirimus pro nichilo nos computantes. in spiritali uita laborantes. Cum hoc facimus turrim nostram probis militibus per humilitatem undique munimus. probique milites sumus cum uoluptatem huius seculi superamus. et furorem irę uincimus.

et paupertatem nostram propter amorem christi toleramus. et inimicalia homicidia odij et inuidię a nobis abicimus. et cum alios peccatores similes nobis non spernimus nec in iusta iudicia super eos iudicamus! et super iustos et innocentes falsum testimonium non querimus. Hi probi milites sunt. qui ciuitatem nostram undique custodiunt. ita ut murus sanctę regulę et conuersationis nostrę ab inimicis uidelicet odiosis et inuidiosis moribus non perfodiatur. et ne ostium pacis per contradictionem repudietur.

quoniam si hoc fit. clausula ostij nostri reseratur. et inimici nostri in ciuitatem nostram secure ambulant. Et ne simus cum illis qui semper erranti corde sunt dicentes. hoc quod hominis racionalitas nobis ponit et eligit nolumus! quia quę nos ponimus et eligimus utiliora et iustiora sunt. Isti insidiatores sunt qui ciuitatem nostram per insidias suas destruunt. quia quę de antiquis sanctis medicis nostris in ieiunando.

in uigilando et in orando siue in alijs uirtutibus constituta sunt. repudiant. et uoluntatem suam pro deo qui ipsos creauit eligunt. O filia sanctimonię! nunc audi. Turris tua sine probis militibus uacua est. et custodes ciuitatis tuę obdormierunt. et maxime propter proprietatem uoluntatis suę in inaquositatem ducti sunt.

quod turris et ciuitas tua tam aridę sunt quod uix consistunt. Itaque de somno tuo surge. quia funes nauis tuę scilicet consuetudo sanctę conuersationis nondum rupti sunt. In magna enim stulticia rumores morum te occupantes qui tibi conueniant queris. sed hoc tibi non expedit! quia sicut in desertis habitaculis magni et parui et ceci mures sunt qui uestimenta hominum corrodunt. ita per hec omnis consuetudo sancta discinditur. Maiores mures inquietę mentes impietatis sunt.

parui uero stulticiam quę a uia ueritatis nocturnalis est significant! ceci autem uanitatem huius seculi quę a luce iusticię ceca est ostendunt. Unde in euangelio scriptum est. Omne regnum in seipsum diuisum! desolabitur. Nunc aspice in quanto ardore spiritus sancti plantata sis. et quod ministerio suo in te carere non uult. et primum regulam beati Benedicti ceterorumque magistrorum diligenti corde adtende ut non pereas!

sed ut in eternum uiuas. Vos autem o cuncti magistri preuidete ne stultis agricolis illis similes sitis. qui cum aratrum per seipsum recte ambulantem uiderint gaudium habent. cum autem curue incedit tedium habent id recte uertere. Cauete etiam ne pater familias uobis dicat. inutiles mihi estis. quia uillicationem uestram non recte perficitis! sed sollicite considerate quę necessitas.

et quę aduersitas subditorum uestrorum sit! et cum omni sollicitudine eas protegite.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Song.3.6 — Who is this coming up from the wilderness like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?
  2. ↩Song.3.6 — Who is this coming up from the wilderness like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?
  3. ↩Song.3.6 — Who is this coming up from the wilderness like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?
  4. ↩Song.7.1 — Return, return, O Shulammite, return, return, that we may gaze upon you. Why would you gaze upon the Shulammite as upon the dance of the two camps?
  5. ↩Song.7.1 — Return, return, O Shulammite, return, return, that we may gaze upon you. Why would you gaze upon the Shulammite as upon the dance of the two camps?
  6. ↩1Cor.2.9 — But as it is written: What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived—all that God has prepared for those who love him.
  7. ↩1John.4.8 — The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
  8. ↩Eph.4.8 — Therefore it says, 'When he ascended on high he led captivity captive, and he gave gifts to men.'
  9. ↩Gen.12.1 — Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your land and from your kindred and from your father's house to the land that I will show you.
  10. ↩Mark.3.24;Luke.11.17 — If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. Luke.11.17 — But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and house falls upon house."

Notes

  1. 1 ↩'pulueris pigmentarij' is unusual; 'puluis pigmentarius' refers to a scented or cosmetic powder. The sense is of fragrant aromatic powder, continuing the perfume imagery from the Song of Songs allusion.
  2. 2 ↩'Nec illud' is abrupt and elliptical. It may function as a negation of the preceding line or as a rhetorical pause. The sense is uncertain: 'not that either' or 'nor [only] that.'
  3. 3 ↩The relative clause structure is compressed: 'Qui in exilio huius seculi quod per desertum intelligitur uoluntati suę contradicit.' The antecedent of 'Qui' is the soul identified in the preceding sentences. 'Contradicit uoluntati suę' means she sets herself against her own will — i.e., practices self-denial or mortification of will in the wilderness of earthly exile.
  4. 4 ↩cum concordia rendered as 'with harmony' — the connective force of cum here could be temporal, causal, or concessive; the translation treats it as a simple accompaniment.
  5. 5 ↩ut here could express purpose or result; rendered as purpose ('so that') following the most natural reading in context.
  6. 6 ↩The Latin clause is fragmentary — quoniam ut turris ciuitatem — lacking a finite verb. The supplied translation supplies 'protects' to complete the comparative sense, following the tower/city imagery in the surrounding context.
  7. 7 ↩Single-word fragment, likely functioning as a heading or appositive label in the source.
  8. 8 ↩The clause is syntactically complete but semantically elliptical — the predicate complement is absent from the source. The translation preserves the fragmentary quality.
  9. 9 ↩clausula rendered as 'bolt' in the sense of a bar securing a door; could also mean 'lock' or 'fastening.'
  10. 10 ↩secure rendered as 'freely' (i.e., without fear or resistance); could also mean 'safely' or 'unmolested.'
  11. 11 ↩erranti corde rendered as 'wandering in their hearts' — ablative of respect with participial errans; the phrase captures persistent interior waywardness.
  12. 12 ↩hominis racionalitas rendered as 'human reason' — the rational faculty proper to a human being, placed in contrast to divine guidance in the surrounding context.
  13. 13 ↩The sentence appears truncated in the source (ending with the ablative gerund ieiunando). The translation renders the most plausible intended sense as an incomplete clause and marks it for review.
  14. 14 ↩inaquositatem is a rare/medieval noun; rendered as 'crookedness' or 'iniquity' — sense approximate.
  15. 15 ↩The form 'quę' appears to be a truncated or abbreviated form of quae (nominative feminine singular or neuter plural). The sense is 'what necessity requires' or 'what is necessary.'

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