Letter 20: Arnold, Archbishop of Mainz, to Hildegard
The Letters
Hildegard to Heinrich, Archbishop of Mainz
This short little missive is vitriolic in its condemnation of Heinrich.
He Who Is says: You have been found wanting, and I say to you: The heaven of the Lord's vengeance has been opened, and now the ropes have been lowered against His enemies [cf. Ps 139.6]. Rise up, however, because your days are short,1 and remember that Nebuchadnezzar fell and that his crown perished
[cf. Dan 4.2Iff). And there have been many others who have fallen when they rashly exalted themselves to heaven. Ach! you piece of dust, why are you not ashamed at exalting yourself to the heights when you ought to be in the muck?
Now, therefore, let madmen blush. But as for you, rise up, and abandon your curse by fleeing from it.
Note 1. Indeed, at this point, Heinrich has only a few months to live.
Arnold, Archbishop of Mainz,1 to Hildegard 1158-60 Arnold, Heinrich's successor as archbishop of Alainz, asks for Hildegard's prayers and support.
Arnold, archbishop of Mainz by the grace of God, sends his grace with fatherly esteem to Hildegard, virgin dedicated to God and mistress of Mount St. Rupert the Confessor.
We know that "the spirit breatheth where he will" [John 3.8], distributing his gifts to each as he wishes [cf. I Cor 12.11]. We say this having no anxiety about you. For if once He made tillers of the field and dressers of sycamore trees into prophets [cf. Amos 7.14], and caused an ass to speak [cf. Num
The Letters of Hildegard ofBingen 22.28ff], how can we be surprised if He teaches you with his inspiration? We must not deny the gifts of God, nor can we. Therefore, dear lady, we ask you to support us in your prayers to the Lord, so that we may at least spend our days in the fear and love of our Creator, and thus, having done well, may merit to have a long life of continuing happiness.
Note 1. Through the patronage of Frederick Barbarossa, Arnold became archbishop after the deposition of Heinrich in 1153. Arnold thus owed his position to the emperor, and Frederick did not hesitate to exact the tribute. lie insisted—despite Arnold's repeated excuses—that the archbishop accompany him on his Italian campaign. To complicate matters, when Arnold sought to exact the war-tribute from the citizens of Mainz, they obstinately refused to comply, and he excommunicated the entire city. The violent conflicts and unceasing confrontations resulted in Arnold's murder on 24 June 1160, at the portal of the church cloister of St. James before the walls of Mainz. It is perhaps
Hildegard's understanding of the dangerous political situation that lends urgency to her response to Arnold's letter.
20r Hildegard to Arnold, Archbishop of Mainz 1158-60 Hildegard's answer to Arnold is quite general in its moral advice, but nevertheless leaves the impression that Hildegard feels that he is not fulfilling the duty of his episcopal office.
O father, the Living Light has given these words to me for you: Why do you hide your face from me? You do this as if you are perturbed and angry at the mystical words which I bring forth not from myself, but as I see them in the Living Light. Indeed, things are shown to me there which my mind does not desire and which my will does not seek, but often I see them under compulsion." Therefore, I pray to God that you not consider His help as something foreign1 to you and that your mind may be devoted to pure knowledge, so that you may gaze into the mirror of salvation. Thus you will live forever.
May the bright light of God's grace never be cut off from you, but may the mercy of God protect you, so that the ancient traitor may not deceive you.
Now, however, may your eye live in God, and may the viridity of your soul never dry up.1' The Living Light says to you: Why do you not stand firm in your awe of me? And why do you overcome and cast aside anything that stands