R25: Eberhard II. von Otelingen an Hildegard von Rupertsberg
Greeting and Praise
The bishop greets Hildegard with humility and celebrates her widespread holy reputation as the good fragrance of Christ.
Eberhard, bishop of Bamberg, to Hildegard. Eberhard, by the grace of God, bishop of the church of Bamberg, though unworthy. To Hildegard, venerable sister and teacher of holy Rupert, devoted in love to serve. And a share in eternal blessedness. With heaven's grace favoring, the praise of your holiness resounds sweetly on the ears of peoples everywhere! So that we can truly say: Because we are the good fragrance of Christ to God.✦ But since the Lord looked down from heaven upon the sons of men.✦
Spiritual Longing and Entrustment
The writer expresses how others are drawn to seek God through Hildegard's fragrance and entrusts a matter of spiritual importance to her.
So that someone might see — if anyone understands, or perhaps seeks the one dwelling in you! Those who have caught the fragrance of this good reputation — of your fragrance.1 To the Lord who is revered and consulted in you. We hasten to meet him with our whole being. For what you have granted to many! You will not deny to one — to me. For when we were passing from the emperor's court through you, because you are filled with the Holy Spirit, we have entrusted to your love what must be set forth.
Trinitarian Doxology and Request
A brief Trinitarian formula leads into a request to receive Hildegard's revelations and a closing blessing invoking God's presence and her prayers.
In the Father, eternity remains. In the Son, equality. In the Holy Spirit, the bond of eternity and equality! And now we long to see laid out what God has revealed to you, just as he revealed it. May the Lord be with you! And may we too be helped by your prayers.
Read the original Latin
Eberhardus babinbergensis episcopus hildegardi. Eberhardus dei gratia babinbergensis ęcclesię episcopus licet indignus. hildegardi uenerabili sorori et magistrę de sancto roberto deuotę dilectionis obsequium. et eternę beatitudinis meritum. Superna fauente gratia tuę sanctitatis preconium circumquaque auribus populorum dulciter resonat! ita ut uere possimus dicere. quia christi bonus odor sumus deo. Sed et quoniam dominus de celo prospexit super filios hominum.
ut uideat si quis intelligat aut forte habitantem in te requirat! huius bonę opinionis tuę fraglantia odorati. ad dominum qui in te ueneratur et consulitur. ex toto occurrimus. Quod enim multis prestitisti! uni mihi non denegabis. Nam cum de curia imperatoris per te transiremus. quia spiritu sancto imbuta es tuę caritati exponendum commisimus.
in patre manet eternitas. in filio equalitas. in spiritu sancto eternitatis equalitatisque connexio! quod et nunc secundum quod deus tibi reuelauit expositum uidere desideramus. Dominus tecum sit! ut et nos orationibus tuis adiuuemur.
Scripture echoes
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin is compressed and syntactically unusual: huius bonę opinionis tuę fraglantia odorati. The phrase tuę fraglantia is an ablative of description or means ('with your fragrance'), and odorati ('having perceived the scent') is a perfect participle functioning substantively. The sense seems to be that others have been drawn to God through the fragrance of Hildegard's reputation, echoing the Pauline 'aroma of Christ' language from the previous section.
Epistolae: Letters to Frederick Barbarossa and Henry II of England companion
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