R217: Magister Udo von Paris an Hildegard von Rupertsberg
Greeting to Hildegard
Udo, master of Paris, sends a humble greeting and prayer to Hildegard, noble virgin of Christ.
Udo, master of Paris. To Hildegard. To Lady Hildegard. Noble virgin of Christ! 5. The humble and unworthy master of Paris, in name and in the position he holds. Prayer. And whatever is deemed worthy of such great holiness and nobility of person.
Hildegard's Exalted Humility
Udo praises Hildegard's humble service to Christ and her revelation of heavenly secrets, while warning of the danger of imprudent disclosure through the example of Hezekiah.
Because you, my lady, have made yourself the handmaid of Christ, he himself has raised you above yourself. He himself has raised you above yourself. And it is believed that you have been revealed, in part, to have disclosed to you the secrets of the virginal bridal chamber, while still placed in the flesh.1 So that you may be believed as one of those about whom it is sung. "The king has brought me into his chamber."✦2 But because she is a prophetic and faithful soul, she speaks and repeats to me what is secret.3 And Hezekiah, the king who opened the storehouses of spices and the treasures of the temple to the messengers of the Babylonians—✦4 in this, he gravely offended God.
On Discernment and Humility
Udo counsels that blessed souls who contemplate heavenly things should seek discernment through temptation rather than revelation, and should learn what to speak and what to keep silent, for certain women are watching.
Blessed are those who so far surpass us sinners that they search into heavenly things. In their own ways, let them seek the spirit of discernment from among those who have made progress through temptation rather than through revelation, God granting it.5 And here below, among other people as well, let them learn about their own visions. Let them learn what to speak about and what to keep silent about. For in this way, God arranges their gift through humility. Certain women are watching closely.6 And they do not bring forth things that would disturb apostolic and ecclesiastical teaching. Pay attention to these things, prudent woman!
Praise for the God-Fearing Woman
Udo affirms that the God-fearing woman will be praised, acknowledges Hildegard's visions and new song as gifts beyond human learning, and notes that these revelations point to the glory of the saints.
because a woman who fears God will be praised.✦ It is said that raised up among the heavenly realms, you will see many things.7 And you will bring forth many things through Scripture. And you will bring forth the measures of a new song!✦8 since you have learned none of these things.9 Concerning these things, we are not at all surprised! Because they do not go beyond your purity and holiness, without which such things cannot be grasped by a human being.10 Yet we can know that whatever is revealed there concerning the saints points to glory!11
Request for Teaching on Divine Matters
Udo asks that all things be done in humility, and requests Hildegard's teaching on whether fatherhood and divinity are God, as many contend otherwise.
Whatever is done here by them, let it take the form of humiliation. But we, though far from you, confident in you, ask you for certain things, namely, because many contend that fatherhood and divinity are not God. what you think about this in heavenly matters, explain it to us.
Closing Appeal
Udo urges Hildegard to send her response without delay and wishes her love to be strong.
And don't delay sending it. May your love be strong.
Read the original Latin
Udo parisiensis magister. hildegardi. Dominę hildegardi. eximię uirgini christi! V. parisiensis humilis et indignus magister nomine et loco quo fungitur. orationem! et quicquid tantę sanctitatis et nobilitatis persone condignum censetur.
Quia tu domina ancillam te fecisti christi. ipse te super te eleuauit. et secreta tibi uirginalis thalami adhuc in carne positę reuelasse ex parte creditur. ut una ex his credaris de quibus canitur. Introduxit me rex in cubiculum suum. Sed quia prophetica et fidelis anima dicit et ingeminat secretum meum mihi. et ezechias rex qui cellas aromatum et thesauros templi nuncijs babiloniorum aperuit. deum in hoc grauiter offendit.
beati illi qui nos peccatores in tantum precellunt ut celestia rimentur. in uijs suis spiritum discretionis ex his qui per temptationem magis quam per reuelationem deo dante prouentum profecerunt prestolentur. et inferius etiam apud homines de uisionibus suis discant. quę proferant uel quę reticeant. Sic namque deo donum ipsorum per humilitatem disponente. quedam subsigillant. nec ea proferunt quę apostolicam et ęcclesiasticam institutionem permoueant. Hęc prudens femina adtende!
quia mulier timens deum ipsa laudabitur. Dicitur quod eleuata in celestibus multa uideas. et multa per scripturam proferas. atque modos noui carminis edas! cum nichil horum didiceris. Super his nequaquam miramur! quia non excedunt mundiciam et sanctimoniam tuam sine quibus talia ab homine non capiuntur. Scire autem possumus quicquid ibi de sanctis reuelatur innuat gloriam!
quicquid hic ab eis agitur. exigat humiliationis formam. Nos autem quamuis a te longe positi simus fidutiam in te habentes. quedam a te petimus. scilicet quoniam plurimi contendunt. quod paternitas et diuinitas deus non sit. quid inde in celestibus sentias. nobis exponere.
et transmittere non differas. Valeat dilectio tua.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Song.1.4 — Draw me after you—let us run together! The king has brought me into his chambers. We will rejoice and be glad in you; we will remember your love more than wine. The upright love you.
- ↩2Kgs.20.13;Isa.39.2 — Hezekiah listened to them, and he showed them all the house of his treasures — the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine oil, the armory, and everything found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. Isa.39.2 — Hezekiah was glad because of them, and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine oil, all his armory, and everything that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.
- ↩Prov.31.30 — Charm is deceitful, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
- ↩Ps.95.1 — Come, let us sing to the LORD; let us shout to the Rock of our salvation.
Notes
- 1 ↩uirginalis thalami (virginal bridal chamber) carries mystical nuptial imagery; rendered literally to preserve the theological weight.
- 2 ↩Direct quotation of Song of Songs 1:4 (Vulgate). Preserved as a scriptural quote per incipit policy.
- 3 ↩secretum meum mihi — the 'secret' is spoken by the soul to the speaker; the reflexive mystical language is preserved.
- 4 ↩Allusion to 2 Kings 20:13 / Isaiah 39:2, where Hezekiah shows his treasures to Babylonian envoys.
- 5 ↩prestolentur: jussive subjunctive, rendered as exhortatory 'let them wait for / look for'
- 6 ↩subsigillant: rare verb; sense uncertain — possibly 'watch secretly,' 'mark down,' or 'observe with suspicion.' Rendered tentatively as 'watching closely.'
- 7 ↩eleuata: the participle's syntactic role is ambiguous — it could be nominative (agreeing with an implied subject) or ablative absolute ('having been raised'). The nominative reading is preferred here as the more natural fit with uideas.
- 8 ↩modos noui carminis: 'modos' could refer to musical modes, poetic measures, or rhythmic patterns. The precise sense depends on whether the context envisions liturgical song or prophetic poetry.
- 9 ↩cum: function ambiguous — could be causal ('since'), temporal ('when'), or concessive ('although'). Causal reading preferred as most natural with the indicative didiceris. didiceris: form is ambiguous between perfect subjunctive and future perfect indicative; perfect subjunctive ('you have learned') fits the causal reading.
- 10 ↩mundiciam et sanctimoniam tuam: tuam likely modifies both nouns (your purity and holiness), though agreement with only sanctimoniam is syntactically possible. The prophetic speaker is addressing Hildegard, attributing these qualities to her.
- 11 ↩autem: function ambiguous — could be adversative ('yet/but'), continuative ('moreover'), or mildly contrastive. Adversative reading preferred here to mark a shift from the preceding thought. innuat: subjunctive type ambiguous — could be indirect question ('suggests') or result clause ('points to'). The indirect question reading is preferred.
Epistolae: Letters to Frederick Barbarossa and Henry II of England companion
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