R92: Hildegard von Rupertsberg an Ludwig von St. Eucharius in Trier
A Garden Overturned and Restored
Hildegard introduces a vision of a garden first dried by mist, then abandoned, dug up, and replanted with roses, lilies, and aromatic herbs.
Hildegard's reply. In a true vision! I saw and heard these things. A certain man was diligently cultivating a garden. but a mist, coming upon it, was drying it out. And that man abandoned the same garden, uncultivated. Afterward he overturned the same garden by digging it up. and placed roses and lilies and other good aromatic herbs in it.
From Garden to Field of Obedient Labor
A whirlwind scatters the garden’s flowers, and the gardener resolves to turn it into a field of wheat and barley, symbolizing God’s call to steadfast, anxious, disciplined leadership.
But then a whirlwind swept through and stirred up the flowers of those herbs. Then the same man said to himself, I'll turn this garden into a field where I'll sow wheat and barley. Now you who are called father! Listen. This garden was your beginning. Because at first, through various changes, it was somewhat clouded.1 But afterward, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, you turned that toward the better path. and in the Holy Spirit you took delight, as in good herbs. Weariness, however, sometimes wore you down. just as a whirlwind bends flowers. Now it has pleased God to appoint you as a farmer. so that with great anxiety you look around on every side, and set the plow straight into the ground. because it won't help you to grow sluggish through weariness.
The Character of a Devout Father
Hildegard urges imitation of the saints, love of the good, gentle correction of the wayward, patient endurance of the hard-hearted, and moderation in all things.
You'll do this by following the examples of the saints. And in their ways you'll learn the character of a devout father. Love what is good and upright. But rebuke the vain and the wayward. And bear patiently with those who are hard as stone. Don't come down on them with harshness or with the fury of anger, like the north wind. But do everything with moderation. Do this.
Rule, Restraint, and the Creator’s Works
She warns against scattering Christ’s flock, calls for self-restraint and obedience to sound teaching, and recalls God’s creation of waters, fruits, and mountains.
Do not scatter the flock of Christ. Restrain yourself as well. And live according to the rule of the most learned of masters! And learn to instruct from the bravest of men.2 Who brought forth the waters and divided them into streams. And who makes the earth sprout and the fruit trees bloom. And who raised up the mountains. And set them above the valleys.
Blessed Strength and the Streams of Scripture
Hildegard praises God’s creative power and blessedness, and urges immersion in the Scriptures and the saints’ way of life.
And God, who established the firmament with all its ornaments! And who sent forth the winds to blow. And set fire to fly with the air. This same person is also blessed. Because all blessedness comes from him! And he is called 'man' because he created all things. And he brought forth manfully all things that are virtuous and strong. So immerse your mind in the streams of the Scriptures, in the way of life of the saints, and in how they lived.
Virtues as Sun, Moon, Wind, and Fire
She exhorts him to reject false riches, let virtues flourish, and be sun, moon, wind, air, and fire to his brothers through teaching, variety, vigor, gentleness, and holy discourse, persevering so that he may live forever.
And keep your body from the devil's riches, but let virtues sprout through good teaching. And climb the mountain of virtues. And do this through humility. And among your brothers bring forth flowers, as from trees. Be also a sun through your teaching. A moon through variety.3 A wind through vigorous leadership.4 Air through gentleness. Fire through the beautiful discourse of teaching. Begin these things in the beautiful dawn! And complete them in glowing red light. Persist vigorously in these things as well, so that you may live forever.
Read the original Latin
Responsvm hildegardis. In uera uisione! uidi et audiui hęc. Quidam uir hortum studiose colebat. sed nebula superueniens illum arefaciebat. et uir ille eundem hortum incultum dimisit. Postea eundem hortum fodiendo euertit. et rosas et lilia ac alia bona aromata in illo posuit.
Sed iterum flores herbarum istarum de superueniente turbine commouebantur. Tunc idem uir intra se dicebat. Agrum de horto isto faciam. in quo triticum et hordeum seminabo. Nunc tu qui pater nominaris! audi. Hortus iste inicium tuum erat. quod primum per uariam uicissitudinem aliquantum nebulosum fuit.
sed postea per ammonitionem spiritus sancti illud ad meliorem partem conuertisti. et in spiritu sancto uelut in bonis herbulis delectabaris. Tedium tamen te interdum fatigauit. quemadmodum turbo flores inclinat. Nunc deo placuit quod agricolam te constituit. ut cum magna sollicitudine undique circumspicias. et aratrum recte in terram ponas. quoniam tibi non proderit quod per tedium torpeas.
Hęc secundum exempla sanctorum facies. et in eorum moribus mores pij patris disces. Bonos et rectos ama. uanos autem et delinquentes corripe. et eos qui duri sunt ut lapides pacienter tollera. nec cum duricia nec cum impetu irę sicut aquilo super eos cadas. sed ut omnia cum moderatione facias. Sic fac.
ne gregem christi dispergas. Teipsum quoque coherce. et secundum regulam doctissimi magistri uiue! et de fortissimo uiro instruere. qui aquas produxit et eas in riuulos diuisit. et qui terram facit germinare et pomifera florere. et qui montes exaltauit. et eos super ualles posuit.
et qui firmamentum cum omnibus ornamentis suis constituit! et qui eduxit uentos flare. et ignem cum aere uolare. Idem uir etiam beatus est. quia omnis beatitudo ab ipso procedit! et uir nominatur quoniam omnia creauit. et omnia quę uirtuosa et fortia sunt uiriliter protulit. Ergo sensum tuum riuulis aquarum scripturarum et conuersatione sanctorum et quomodo uiuebant imbue.
et corpus tuum prohibe ne diuicias diaboli! sed uirtutes per bonam doctrinam faciat germinare. atque montem uirtutum ascende. et hoc per humilitatem facito. et in fratribus tuis flores uelut de arboribus producito. Esto quoque sol per doctrinam. luna per differentiam. uentus per strenuum magisterium.
aer per mansuetudinem. ignis per pulcrum doctrinę sermonem. Hęc in pulcra aurora incipe. et in rutilante lumine ea perfice. in quibus etiam strenue persiste ut in eternum uiuas.
Notes
- 1 ↩quod rendered as causal 'because' (rather than relative 'which') to fit the explanatory force of the sentence in context.
- 2 ↩Fortissimo rendered as 'bravest' to capture the sense of strength/valor; could also mean 'most valiant' or 'most courageous.' The infinitive instruere is taken as complementary to an implied hortatory sense.
- 3 ↩Imperative 'esto' (be) is understood from the previous sentence.
- 4 ↩Imperative 'esto' (be) is understood from the previous sentence.
Epistolae: Letters to Frederick Barbarossa and Henry II of England companion
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