VISIO SECUNDA, cap. I
The Vision of the Great Wheel
Hildegard beholds a vast cosmic wheel formed by six concentric circles of fire, ether, watery air, and gleaming wind, joined seamlessly together.
Then, in the breast of the image I had just mentioned, which I had seen as it were in the middle of the southern air, as was said before, a wheel of the wondrous vision appeared with its signs, arranged roughly in this way: just as that instrument I had seen twenty-eight years earlier, in the shape of an egg, as a symbolic sign, is shown in the third vision of the book Scivias, so too in its uppermost part, around the circuit of its roundness, there appeared a circle in the likeness of bright fire, and beneath it another circle like a circle of dark fire, where the same circle of bright fire surpassed the circle of dark fire twice over in its density. And these two circles were joined to each other as if they were a single circle. Beneath that same circle of dark fire, there was another circle in the likeness of pure ether, everywhere of the same density as the two circles of fire mentioned above appeared to be. But beneath that circle of pure ether, there was another, like a circle of watery air, of the same density throughout its roundness as the density of the circle of bright fire mentioned above was made known. And beneath that same circle, namely of watery air, there appeared another circle, in the likeness of strong, white, and gleaming air, firm in its rigidity like a sinew in a human body, everywhere throughout its circuit of the same density as the density of the dark fire mentioned above showing through. These two circles too were joined to each other in such a way that they appeared as if they were a single circle. Beneath this circle, namely of strong, white, and gleaming air, there was marked, as it were, another thin air, which seemed to carry above it clouds that were at times lofty and bright, at times low and shadowy, and to spread itself out, as it were, across the whole wheel mentioned above. All six of these circles were joined to one another without any gap between them.
The Human Figure Amid the Wheel
A human form appears at the center of the wheel with outstretched arms, while four fearsome heads—leopard, wolf, lion, and bear—surround it and send forth their breaths.
The highest circle, then, poured its fire over the remaining circles, while the watery one soaked them all as if with its own moisture. And from the beginning of the eastern side of this same wheel, as if toward the end of its western side, a line stretched toward the northern region, as though setting the northern quarter apart from the other quarters. But a sphere was also marked out in the middle of the sign of that thin air I mentioned, standing at an equal distance all around from the sign of the bright, shining white air — its width from side to side matching the depth of the space from the top of the highest circle to the furthest edge of the clouds, or from the edge of the clouds to the crown of that same sphere. In the middle of this wheel an image of a human being appeared, its head above and its feet below, reaching toward that circle of bright, shining white air I described. From the right side, the fingertips of its right hand, and from the left, the fingertips of its left hand, were stretched out toward that circle, extended all around on either side within the circular space — because that same image had spread its arms out in just this way. And facing in those same directions, four heads appeared — something like the head of a leopard and a wolf, and again, as it were, the head of a lion and a bear. For above the head of that image I mentioned, in the sign of pure ether, I saw what looked like the head of a leopard, sending out a breath from its mouth that curved outward some distance on the right side of that same mouth and took the shape of a crab's head with two claws, as if with two feet; while on the left side of its mouth, bending outward just as far, it came to rest as the head of a deer. From the mouth of this crab's head, a second breath extended all the way to the midpoint of the space between the leopard's head and the aforementioned lion; and from the deer's head, another breath reached to the midpoint of the space between the leopard's head and the bear.
The Breath of the Creatures
The leopard, wolf, lion, and bear send forth streams of breath that transform into the heads of crab, deer, serpent, and lamb, all converging upon the wheel and the human figure.
And the breath that went from the right side of the leopard's mouth toward the crab's head, and also the breath that went from the left side of that same mouth toward the stag's head, and the breath that came from the stag's mouth toward the middle of the space between the leopard's and the lion's heads — these extended across. And the breath that stretched from the stag's mouth to the middle of the space between the leopard's and the bear's heads was extended to an equal length. All these heads breathed into the aforementioned wheel and toward this human figure. Under the feet of this same human figure, in the sign of watery air, there appeared what was like a wolf's head, producing a breath from its mouth; this breath also burst forth somewhat at length from the right side of its mouth and, in the middle of the space between the wolf's and the bear's heads, took on the form of a stag's head, and from that stag's mouth another breath, as it were, came into that same midpoint and ended there. From the left side of that same wolf's head, the breath coming from that mouth extended into the middle of the space between the wolf's and the lion's heads, and there rose up into the crab's head with two pincers, as if with two feet, and from that crab's mouth another breath, as it were, came forth and settled in that same midpoint. By whatever measure of space these heads were distant from one another, by the same measure and shape their breaths extended in length on either side, just as was said above about the others, and they sent their own breath-streams into the wheel already shown and toward the human figure standing in it. But on the right side of that figure, in the sign of bright fire, I saw what was like a lion's head, from whose mouth a breath, as it were, came forth and stretched somewhat from both sides of that mouth, and so on the right side it took the form of a serpent's head, but on the left, the form of a lamb's head. And the serpent's head, positioned in the middle of the space between the lion's and the wolf's heads, revealed itself and sent out a breath, as it were, that stretched toward that same midpoint, and joined with the breath that came from the crab's head, which was between the wolf's and the lion's heads.
The Lower Heads and the Seven Planets
The bear's breath also gives rise to lamb and serpent forms, while seven planets are set above the human figure's head, with the sun shining in its own circle.
But the head of the lamb, appearing in the middle of the space between the head of the lion and the head of the leopard, produced what seemed to be a breath, which extended toward that same middle point and, stretching out, met in concert with the breath coming from the head of the crab, which lay between the head of the leopard and the head of the lion. But the length of their breaths extended according to the distances by which these heads were separated from one another, just as was shown above concerning the higher heads and their breaths, and they revealed themselves as blowing toward the aforementioned wheel and the aforementioned human image. On the left side of the same image, in the sign of black fire, what looked like the head of a bear appeared, and it gave out what seemed to be a breath from its mouth, which stretched some distance to the right and to the left of its mouth: on the right it ended in the head of the lamb, but on the left it took on the form of the head of a serpent. Moreover, from the mouth of this head of the lamb, just as another breath, stretched all the way to the middle of the space between the heads of the bear and the leopard, but from the mouth of the head of that serpent, like another breath, extended all the way to the middle of the space between the heads of the bear and the wolf. But the likeness of that breath which came from the right side of the bear's mouth as far as the head of the lamb, and likewise the likeness of that same breath which went from the left side of its mouth as far as the head of the serpent — these corresponded in form. Furthermore, the breath which went from the mouth of the lamb's head all the way to the appointed middle of the space between the heads of the bear and the leopard, and the breath which stretched from the mouth of the serpent's head all the way to the middle of the space between the heads of the bear and the wolf — these were of equal length. All these heads also breathed their breaths toward the aforementioned wheel and toward the aforementioned image of the human figure. And above the head of this image seven planets were marked, set apart from one another: three in a circle of bright fire, one also in the circle of black fire beneath it, but three in the circle of pure ether beneath that, so that toward the south, at the sun's side, and also under its feet, the sun was marked and distinguished in its own circle in the same manner and order.
Rays of the Planets, Sun, and Moon
From the planets, the sun, and the moon, luminous rays stream outward to touch the animal heads, the human form, and the wheel's dividing line, binding heaven and earth together.
And from the middle of the sign of the first and highest planet, which was marked above the head of this figure, certain rays extended outward, as it were: one descended to the sign of the sun, and one to the right foot of the head of the aforementioned crab, which proceeded and shone out from the head of the leopard, while one extended to the right horn of the stag's head, which also went out from that same leopard's head. And from the middle of the sign of the second planet, a ray slanted over the sign of the sun, as it were, and another went out toward the lamb's head, which came from the sign of the lion's head, and still another reached to the aforementioned line, which stretched from the beginning of the eastern part of the aforementioned wheel, as if toward the western end of that same part, toward its northern quarter, with the lamb's head placed up above, which was directed from the sign of the bear's head. The sign of the third planet also stretched one ray from its middle to the sign of the sun, but directed another to the serpent's head, which proceeded from the sign of the lion's head; yet it extended another to the aforementioned line toward the serpent's head, which went out from the sign of the bear's head. The sign of the sun, too, sent out rays, as it were, from itself: one touched the sign of the leopard's head, another the sign of the lion's head, another the sign of the wolf's head, but it did not touch the sign of the bear's head; it aimed another ray toward the sign of the moon, and another over the brain, and fixed it as far as over both heels of the aforementioned figure. And from the middle of the sign of the fifth planet, which is nearest beneath the sun, a sort of ray ascended upward to the sign of the sun, while another extended to the head of the crab, which went out from the sign of the wolf's head; but yet another was directed to the left horn of the sign of the moon. And from the middle of the sign of the sixth planet, which is nearest above the moon, one ray stretched upward toward the sign of the sun, and another was directed to the right horn of the sign of the moon, while still another extended to the stag's head, which proceeded from the sign of the wolf's head. And from the sign of the moon, as if from a single ray, it shone over both eyebrows and over both ankles of the aforementioned figure. But, just as was said above, the sign of the sun was marked in the same way and in the same order as above, with its own rays designating the aforementioned places on the crown of this figure's head, and it was also marked toward its right side, and beneath its feet, in its own circle, designating the same places.
Stars, Streams, and the Measuring Light
Sixteen stars flash their rays, star-filled circles send forth twin streams of light, and from the human figure's mouth a brilliant light extends, measuring and ordering every sign within the wheel.
Around the circumference of the circle in which the likeness of shining fire appeared, sixteen principal stars were also visible — four between the head of the leopard and the lion, four between the head of the lion and the wolf, four between the head of the wolf and the bear, and four between the head of the bear and the leopard. Of these, the eight that stood in the middle between these heads on either side — that is, two between each pair of heads — extended their rays as if toward a sign of thin air opposite them; but the remaining eight, which appeared on either side nearest to the heads of the middle ones just mentioned, directed their rays only toward the dark fire. There were also circles of pure aether, and circles of strong, bright, shining air, as if filled with stars, which sent their flashes of light toward the clouds opposite them. From these, on the right side of the aforementioned image — just as two tongues separated from each other put forth from them — they directed streams, as it were, toward the aforementioned wheel and toward the same image.1 On the left side, however, from the clouds marked in the same place, two tongues, somewhat separated from each other, turned toward the same wheel and toward the image itself, as if streams flowing forth from them. In this way, this image was interwoven with, and surrounded by, these signs. I also saw that from the mouth of the aforementioned image — in whose breast the wheel appeared — a light brighter than the light of day went forth in the likeness of threads, by which the signs of the circles and the signs of the other figures that were set apart in the same wheel, and the individual signs of the limbs of a human form — that is, of the same image, which also appeared within the wheel itself — were measured in a straight and distinct measure, just as it is made manifest in the preceding and subsequent words.
Read the original Latin
Deinde in pectore praefatae imaginis, quam velut in medio australis aeris conspexeram, ut praedictum est, rota mirificae visionis apparuit cum suis signis hujus fere similitudinis, ut instrumentum illud, quod ante viginti octo annos, velut in figura ovi significative videram, quomodo in tertia visione libri Scivias ostenditur, ita ut in ejus summa parte per circuitum rotunditatis suae circulus in similitudine lucidi ignis, et sub illo circulus alius sicut circulus nigri ignis demonstraretur, ubi et idem circulus lucidi ignis eumdem circulum nigri ignis bis densitate sua superabat. Et hi duo circuli quasi unus circulus essent sibi invicem conjungebantur. Sub eodem autem circulo nigri ignis, alius circulus in similitudine puri aetheris erat, ubique tantae densitatis quantae circuli duorum praefatorum ignium apparebant. Sed sub ipso circulo puri aetheris alius velut circulus aquosi aeris tantae densitatis in rotunditate sua, quantae etiam densitas circuli praedicti lucidi ignis manifestabatur. Et sub eodem circulo aquosi scilicet aeris, alius circulus quasi fortis et albi lucidique aeris hujus similitudinis in rigore suo existens, ut nervus in corpore hominis est, ostendebatur, ubique in circuitu suo ejusdem densitatis, cujus densitas, circuli praefati nigri ignis apparens. Hi quoque duo circuli sibi invicem ita copulabantur, ut velut unus circulus essent, apparerent. Sub hoc autem circulo videlicet fortis et albi, lucidique aeris, quasi alius aer tenuis signatus erat, qui ut nubes interdum elatas et lucidas, interdum inclinatas et umbrosas videbatur superius portare, et se quasi per totam praefatam rotam diffundere. Omnes vero isti sex circuli absque omni interstitio ad invicem conjuncti erant.
Supremus vero circulus, velut igne suo caeteros circulos perfundebat; aquosus autem alios omnes quasi humore suo rigabat. Et quasi a principio orientalis partis ejusdem rotae velut ad finem occidentalis partis ipsius linea versus septentrionalem ejus partem extendebatur, quasi septentrionalem plagam a caeteris plagis discernens. Sed etiam globus in medio signi praedicti tenuis aeris signatus erat, qui ubique in circuitu suo aequali spatio a signo fortis et albi lucidique aeris distabat, tantae latitudinis quidem in transversum, quanta profunditas spatii a summitate supremi circuli usque ad extremitatem nubium, seu ab extremitate nubium usque ad summitatem ejdem globi existit. In medio quoque rotae istius imago hominis apparebat, cujus vertex superius et plantae subterius ad praefatum circulum, velut fortis et albi lucidique aeris pertingebant. A dextro autem latere summitas digitorum dexterae manus ejus; a sinistro quoque summitas digitorum sinistrae manus ad ipsum circulum hinc et hinc in rotunditate designatum porrecta erat, quoniam eadem imago brachia sua sic extenderat. Sed et versus easdem partes quatuor capita, scilicet quasi caput leopardi et lupi, ac velut caput leonis et ursi apparebant. Nam supra verticem praedictae imaginis in signo puri aetheris, quasi caput leopardi, ex ore suo velut flatum emittens videbam, qui etiam in dextrali parte ejusdem oris se aliquantum in longum recurvans, in caput cancri cum duabus forficibus, quasi, cum duobus pedibus formabatur; in sinistrali autem parte oris ipsius aliquantum etiam in longum regirans in caput cervi desinebat. Ex ore autem capitis hujus cancri quasi alius flatus exiens usque ad medietatem spatii quod inter capita leopardi et praefati leonis erat procedebat; ex ore vero capitis cervi velut alius flatus veniens usque ad medietatem spatii, quod erat inter caput leopardi et ursi tendebat.
Et flatus qui a dextera parte oris leopardi usque ad caput cancri procedebat, flatus etiam qui a sinistra parte ipsius oris usque ad caput cervi exibat, flatusque qui ex ore capitis cervi usque ad medietatem spatii inter capita leopardi et leonis exstantis tendebat. Flatus quoque qui ex ore capitis cervi usque ad medietatem spatii, quod inter capita leopardi et ursi erat prolongabatur, aequalis longitudinis erant. Omnia quoque capita haec in praefatam rotam et ad imaginem hanc hominis spirabant. Sub pedibus autem ejusdem imaginis hominis in signo aquosi aeris velut caput lupi quasi flatum ex ore suo producens apparebat, qui etiam a dextra ipsius oris aliquantum in longum erumpens in medio medietatis spatii, quod inter capita lupi et ursi erat formam capitis cervi accipiebat, ex cujus etiam ore velut alius flatus veniens in eamdem medietatem finiebatur. A sinistra vero oris ejusdem lupini capitis, flatus qui ab ipso ore procedebat se prolongans in medio etiam medietatis spatii, quod inter capita lupi et leonis erat, in caput cancri cum duabus forficibus quasi cum duobus pedibus surgebat, de cujus quoque ore quasi alius flatus exiens in ipsa medietate residebat. Qua autem spatiorum mensura capita haec ad invicem dietabant, eadem mensura et forma flatus eorum hinc et hinc in longitudine extendebatur, ut et de aliis superius dictum est, ipsaque in rotam praemonstratam, et ad imaginem hominis in ea stantem, spiramina sua mittebant. Sed ad dexteram imaginis ipsius in signo lucidi ignis velut caput leonis aspiciebam, ex cujus ore quasi flatus egrediens ab utraque parte oris ejusdem aliquantum prolongabatur, ac sic etiam in dextra parte in caput serpentis, in sinistra autem in caput agni formabatur. Et caput serpentis in medio medietatis spatii, quod inter caput leonis et lupi erat se ostendens velut flatum emittebat, qui se ad eamdem medietatem extendebat, ac flatui qui de capite cancri egrediebatur, quod inter caput lupi et leonis erat se conjungebat.
Caput autem agni in medio medietatis spatii, quod inter caput leonis et leopardi existebat apparens quasi flatum producebat, qui se ad ipsam medietatem prolongans, flatui qui de capite cancri, quod inter caput leopardi et leonis erat, in conjunctione occurrebat. Sed secundum spatia quibus capita haec a se separata, erant, longitudo flatuum eorum procedebat, quemadmodum et de superioribus capitibus flatibusque eorum praemonstratum est, et in praefatam rotam, et ad praedictam humanam imaginem, ipsa flare se ostendebant. Ad sinistram vero ejusdem imaginis in signo nigri ignis, quasi caput ursi apparebat, quod velut flatum ex ore suo dabat, qui etiam ad dextram et ad sinistram oris ipsius aliquantum se in longum extendens, ad dextram in caput agni desinebat, ad sinistram vero formam capitis serpentis accipiebat. Ex ore autem capitis agni hujus quemadmodum alius flatus usque ad medietatem spatii, quod inter capita ursi et leopardi existebat se prolongabat, sed ex ore capitis serpentis istius sicut alius flatus usque ad medietatem spatii quod inter capita ursi et lupi erat, se extendendo procedebat. Sed similitudo flatus istius qui a dextra parte oris ursi usque ad caput agni veniebat, similitudo quoque ejusdem flatus, qui a sinistra parte ipsius oris usque ad caput serpentis procedebat. Flatus etiam qui ex ore capitis agni usque ad demonstratam medietatem spatii, quod inter capita ursi et leopardi videbatur exibat, flatusque qui ex ore capitis serpentis usque ad medietatem spatii inter capita ursi et lupi exstantis prolongabatur unius et aequalis longitudinis erant. Capita quoque haec omnia in supradictam rotam, atque ad praefatam imaginem hominis flatus dabant. Sed et super caput imaginis hujus septem planetae sursum ab invicem signati erant, tres in circulo lucidi ignis, unus etiam in subjecto illi circulo nigri ignis, tres autem in subjecto illi circulo puri aetheris, ita ut etiam versus austrum ad latus ejus, nec non et sub pedibus ipsius, sol eodem modo ac ordine signatus et distinctus in circulo suo apparet.
Et a medio signi summi primique planetae, qui super caput ejusdem imaginis signatus erat, velut radii quidam exibant, quorum unus ad signum solis descendebat, et unus ad dextrum pedem capitis praedicti cancri, quod a capite leopardi procedebat radiabat, unus vero ad dextrum cornu cervini capitis, quod etiam ab eodem capite leopardi exibat se tendebat. A medio quoque signi planetae secundi, ut radius quidam super signum solis se declinabat, atque alius ad caput agni, quod a signo capitis leonis veniebat egrediebatur, et alius ad praedictam lineam, quae a principio orientalis partis praefatae rotae, velut ad finem occidentalis partis ipsius, versus septentrionalem ejus plagam extendebatur, capite agni illic superius posito, quod a signo capitis ursi exibat dirigebatur. Signum etiam tertii planetae a medio sui quemadmodum radium unum ad signum solis extendebat, alium autem ad caput serpentis, quod a signo capitis leonis procedebat dirigebat; sed alium ad praefatam lineam versus caput serpentis, quod a signo capitis ursi egrediebatur prolongabat. Solis quoque signum quasi quosdam radios de se emittens, alio signum capitis leopardi, alio signum capitis leonis, alio signum capitis lupi, non autem signum capitis ursi tangebat; alium autem radium super signum lunae, alium velut super cerebrum, et usque super utrumque calcaneum praefatae imaginis extendendo figebat. Et a medio signi planetae quinti qui proximus sub sole est, quasi radius quidam sursum ad signum solis ascendebat, quidam vero ad caput cancri quod a signo capitis lupi exibat se extendebat; sed quidam ad sinistrum cornu signi lunae se dirigebat. De medio etiam signi planetae sexti, qui proximus super lunam est, velut radius unus sursum ad signum solis tendebat, et alius ad dextrum cornu signi lunae dirigebatur, alius autem ad caput cervi, quod a signo capitis lupi procedebat extendebatur. A signo quoque lunae quasi radius super utrumque supercilium, ac super utrumque talum praefatae imaginis radiabat. Sed et quomodo supra dictum est, signum solis eodem etiam modo et ordine quo supra verticem imaginis hujus radiis suis ad praefata loca designatum erat, versus quoque dextrum latus ejus, necnon et sub pedibus ipsius in circulo suo ad eadem loca signatum apparebat.
In circuitu quoque circuli, in quo similitudo lucidi ignis videbatur, sedecim etiam principales stellae apparebant, quatuor videlicet inter caput leopardi et leonis, quatuor quoque inter caput leonis et lupi, quatuor inter caput lupi et ursi, quatuor etiam inter caput ursi et leopardi. Quarum octo quae mediae sibi utrimque astantium stellarum inter capita haec erant, scilicet duae inter duo capita quasi radios suos in signum tenuis aeris sibi oppositi extendebant; reliquae autem octo, quae ex utraque parte harum mediarum praefatis capitibus proximae videbantur, velut radios suos tantum ad nigrum ignem dirigebant. Circulus quoque puri aetheris, circulus quoque fortis et albi aeris lucidique, quasi stellis pleni erant, quae fulgores suos ad sibi oppositas nubes mittebant. Unde et ille in dextra parte praefatae imaginis, quemadmodum duas linguas ab invicem separatas de se proferentes, ab eis ut quosdam rivulos in supradictam rotam, et versus eamdem imaginem dirigebant. A sinistra vero parte illius a signatis ibidem nubibus, velut etiam duae linguae a se aliquantum separatae, in eamdem rotam, et ad ipsam imaginem, quasi quibusdam rivulis de se profluentibus se convertebant. Hoc modo imago haec signis istis implexa et circumdata erat. Vidi etiam quod ex ore praedictae imaginis in cujus pectore rota apparebat, lux clarior luce diei, in similitudine filorum exibat, quibus signa circulorum, signaque caeterarum figurarum, quae in eadem rota discreta erant, singulaque signa membrorum formae hominis, scilicet ejusdem imaginis, quae etiam in ipsa rota apparebat, recta et distincta mensura metiebatur: quemadmodum in praecedentibus, et subsequentibus verbis suis manifestatur.
Notes
- 1 ↩The conjunction 'ut' at token 19 is ambiguous between a comparative/similative reading ('as certain streams') and a purpose/result reading. The comparative reading was chosen here, consistent with the overall descriptive character of the passage.
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