R5: Hadrian IV. an Hildegard von Rupertsberg
Salutation and Recognition of Holiness
Pope Adrian IV greets Hildegard as beloved daughter and prioress, rejoicing that her goodness has become a fragrance leading many into life.
Adrian, pope. To Hildegard. Adrian, bishop, servant of the servants of God. To Hildegard. Beloved daughter in Christ, prioress of Saint Rupert. Greeting and apostolic blessing. We rejoice, daughter, and we exult in the Lord. Because the reputation for goodness you've been given is spread so far and wide that for many you've become a fragrance leading into life.
A Fire Already Kindled
Using the image of a column of smoke rising through the desert, the pope marvels that Hildegard's mind is already so kindled by divine love that she needs no further exhortation, yet adds gentle encouragement.
and let her be acclaimed by the crowd of the faithful peoples in praise of you. Who is this! who rises through the desert like a column of smoke?✦ Whence, since we consider your mind to have been so thoroughly kindled by the fire of divine love that you have no need of any exhortation to work well! we have considered it superfluous to multiply words of exhortation to you! and your mind sufficiently supported by divine virtue to support it with some additional words. Nevertheless, because fire also grows greater when a breeze blows upon it,
The Call to Persevere
The pope urges Hildegard to persevere like a swift horse, recalling Christ's promise that the one who conquers will eat from the tree of life in God's paradise.
And a swift horse is urged on with spurs. For this course we've decided it should be set forth for your religious life. Namely, so that it may not slip from your memory. Because the palm and the glory are owed not to the one who begins but to the one who finishes! The Lord says:✦ To the one who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life!✦ which is in the paradise of my God.✦
The Serpent's Threat and the Narrow Way
Warning that the serpent who expelled humanity from paradise now seeks to destroy great desires and sift the apostles, the pope urges Hildegard to join the few who are chosen, persevere in holy conduct, and instruct her sisters in good works.
Consider, therefore, daughter, that the serpent who first drove the human being out of paradise1 He wants to destroy great desires, in order to test Job. And with Judas having been devoured.✦ He seeks power to sift the apostles.✦ And because you know that many are called.✦ But few are chosen.✦ So gather yourself within the number of the few.✦ So persevere in holy conduct right to the end.✦ Instruct with good works the sisters entrusted to your care for their salvation.
Joy Unseen and Glory to God
Looking toward the joy no eye has seen nor ear heard, the pope expresses desire for words of admonition, rejoices that Hildegard is filled with the spirit of God's miracles, and gives glory to divine grace.
so that, as the Lord makes a way, you may be able to arrive with them together at that joy. What no eye has seen,✦ nor ear heard,✦ nor has it risen into the human heart.✦ Beyond this, however, we want to hear some words of admonition about you. because you are said to be filled with the spirit of God's miracles, and so we rejoice greatly, and we give glory to divine grace.
Read the original Latin
Adrianus papa. hildegardi. Adrianus episcopus seruus seruorum dei! hildegardi. dilectę in christo filię prepositę sancti Roberti! salutem et apostolicam benedictionem. Gaudemus filia et exultamus in domino. quod honestatis tuę opinio ita longe lateque diffunditur ut multis fias odor uitę in uitam!
et a turba fidelium populorum in tui preconium exclametur. Quę est ista! quę ascendit per desertum tanquam uirgula fumi? Vnde cum animum tuum usque adeo estimemus diuini amoris igne succendi ut ad bene operandum exhortatione aliqua non indigeas! superuacaneum duximus exhortatoria tibi uerba multiplicare! animumque tuum uirtute diuina sufficienter innixum. aliqua uerborum suppositione fulcire. Uerutamen quia et ignis aura flante fit grandior.
et uelox equus calcaribus urguetur. ad cursum id tuę religioni duximus proponendum. ut uidelicet a memoria tua non excidat. quia non incipienti sed perficienti palma debetur et gloria! dicente domino. Vincenti dabo edere de ligno uitę! quod est in paradyso dei mei. Cogita itaque filia quoniam ille serpens qui primum hominem a paradyso deiecit.
magnos perdere cupit ut iob. et deuorato iuda. ad cribrandos apostolos expetit potestatem! et quia scis multos esse uocatos. paucos autem electos. ita intra numerum paucorum te collige. ita usque ad finem in sancta conuersatione persiste. ita creditas dispositioni tuę sorores salutis operibus instrue!
ut cum eis pariter ad illud gaudium ualeas prestante domino peruenire. quod nec oculus uidit. nec auris audiuit. nec in cor hominis ascendit. De cetero autem commonitoria uerba de te audire desideramus. quia spiritu miraculorum dei imbuta diceris. unde plurimum gaudemus. et diuinę gratię gloriam damus.
Scripture echoes
- ↩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?
- ↩Rev.2.7 — The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
- ↩Rev.2.7 — The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
- ↩Rev.2.7 — The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
- ↩Acts.1.18 — This man, therefore, acquired a field with the wages of his injustice, and falling headlong, he burst open, and all his bowels gushed out.
- ↩Luke.22.31 — Simon, Simon—look—Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat.
- ↩Matt.22.14 — For many are called, but few are chosen.
- ↩Matt.22.14 — For many are called, but few are chosen.
- ↩Matt.7.14 — Because the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
- ↩Matt.24.13 — But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
- ↩Isa.64.4 — You meet those who rejoice and do righteousness; in your ways they remember you. But behold, you were angry, and we sinned — in those ways we have been for long, and can we be saved?
- ↩Isa.64.4 — You meet those who rejoice and do righteousness; in your ways they remember you. But behold, you were angry, and we sinned — in those ways we have been for long, and can we be saved?
- ↩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.
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin sentence appears to be incomplete — it introduces a subordinate clause ('that the serpent who first drove the human being out of paradise') without a main verb or conclusion. The translation preserves this fragmentary state.
Epistolae: Letters to Frederick Barbarossa and Henry II of England companion
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