A letter from Peter Damian (1064)

Translated letter:

To the most excellent duke, Adelaide, Petrus sinner-monk, the force of prayer. Whatever I wrote to the venerable bishop of Turin about the injury to chastity which that same queen of virtues suffers from clerics, I had determined to write to you before, except that I feared the malicious reaction of those insulting clerics. For they would expostulate and say: Behold, how impiously, how inhumanly this one prepares to confound us who wishes to speak not cautiously and modestly with bishops, nor with ecclesiastical men about our business, but what should be treated in a sacristy he does not fear to publish to women. Fearing this, I changed the person, and what I had intended for you, I sent rather to him. For he holds the cathedra of the one church truly in your rule which extends over two kingdoms of Italy and Burgundy, not the brief confines many bishops oversee. Therefore it seemed not unworthy that I write chiefly to you about the incontinence of clerics in whom I feel the suitable virtue to correct it is clearly not lacking. Especially what I would say to the praise of God since virile strength rules in a feminine breast and you are more rich in good will than earthly power. Whence since according to the speech of the gentile poet, “This one has need of a protector whom I have taken on as a defender” [Terence, Eunuchus, 4.6.770], I exhort and ask that you join with the lord bishop so you can conquer the battle line of lust raging against Christ supported by the fortification of mutual virtue. But when I strive to ally you to the battle against the devil, it recalls to my memory that war which Deborah the prophet, wife of Lapidoth, is found to have had with Barak, son of Abinoam, leading the army against Sisera. About her, indeed, it is read that “she judged the people, and the sons of Israel came up to her for every judgment” [Judges 4:4-5]. By whose example you also rule the land without virile help, and they flow to you who desire to have a decision of legal sentence on their suits. But strive so that she and you may live under the palm between Rama and Bethel. Rama is interpreted “the highest,” Bethel “the house of God.” Dwell therefore under that palm, and contemplate always the victory of the cross of Christ over you. Sit also between Rama and Bethel, that you not adhere only to earthly things but you converse always with the apostles in the dining hall and with the holy widow Anna in the temple. About whom the evangelist says, that “she did not leave the temple, keeping fasts and praying night and day” [Luke 2:37]. And since Deborah is interpreted “bee,” you also a honey-maker turn the sweetness of divine praise on your lips continually. “How sweet, he says, is your speech in my jaws, more than honey and the honeycomb to my mouth” [Ps.118:103]. Certainly, if I may pass over many things, this drop seemed to me to flow from the honey-comb of honey, when this word of true humility happened to come forth from your mouth: “What a wonder, father, if God almighty deigned to confer on me, the lowest of his handmaids, power however small among men, who sometimes makes wondrous virtue inhere in lowly grass?” You showed therefore that you are a bee, when you distill the sweetness of the honeycomb from your mouth, as it is written: “Since honey comes from the mouth of the knowing, the sweetness of honey is his tongue, his lips the dripping honeycomb” [Cant.4:11]. Sisera truly is interpreted “the exclusion of joy” because the word is surely most aptly suited to the enemy of the human race, who excluded the first man from the joy of paradise which he enjoyed. But this is not the time to unknot the mysteries of allegory. Deborah said to Barak: “The lord God of Israel ordered you, go and lead the army to the mount of Tabor, and take with you ten thousand fighters from the sons of Naphtali and the sons of Zabulun; I will lead to you in the place of the river Kishon, Sisera, prince of Jabin’s army, and his chariots and the whole multitude and I will deliver them into your hands. And Barak said to her: If you come with me, I shall go; if you will not come, I shall not go”[Judith 4:4-5]. She said to him: I shall indeed go with you, but in that case victory will not be attributed to you since Sisera will be given into the hands of a woman” [Judges 4:6-9]. We pass through the doubtless naked words of the history succinctly, lest if we delay too long expounding the figures, we bring tedium on the readers. Let this alone suffice from these things to have said, that Barak is interpreted “glittering light.” For glittering indeed has some light, but it does not last long; for as soon as he begins he leaves off. For so are some rectors of churches who begin to glitter somewhat, when they are enflamed to correcting the evils of their subjects as if by zeal for revenge/retribution, but they are quickly extinguished, since broken by some adversity or enervated by the torpor of sloth, they swiftly abandon it. Whence that Barak assuming the figure of the shepherd enervated by sloth, says to Deborah: “If you come with me, I shall go; if you will not come, I shall not go.” Wherefore, as that man with a woman, that is Barak with Deborah, undertook battle against Sisera supporting themselves with mutual aid, and utterly defeated him with his troops and nine hundred armed chariots, so you [two], namely you and the bishop of Turin, take up arms against Sisera the leader of lust, cut his throat among the sons of Israel, that is ruling among the clerics of the church, with the sharp blade of modesty. So that the bishop, rather all bishops, who remain in the boundaries of your administration, coerce the clerics with priestly discipline, and you extend the force of earthly power. God indeed knew essentially three women, though there are many who did not come yet to his notice. For he knew virgins with Mary, widows with Anna, wives with Susanna. Truly the women of those clerics, who can not contract matrimony by legal right, we can rightly call not wives but concubines or rather prostitutes. Therefore since they do not deserve to be recognized by God, they are deservedly considered to be excluded from the temple of God. For if Mary [Miriam] the sister of Aaron who disparaged Moses with light speech, was soon filled with leprosy and removed from the camp for seven days, by what right are these permitted to enter the church, who bring the filth of passion into that church, appropriate the vessels of the Lord for their own usage, and if I may speak openly, compel the ministers of the altar to minister to their own lust? Act therefore, be a virago of the Lord, and like a Deborah with Barak, that is with all the bishops joined together, pursue Sisera to extermination. And as Jael, the wife of Heber, placed the nail of the tent on Sisera’s brain and struck it with a hammer and fixed it [to the ground], so you by the sign of the cross, stab the head of the devil, and crush the author of lust, who excludes priests from heavenly joys. For such victory makes God very happy who triumphs sometimes through women with quite glorious praise. Judith indeed was an example of a widow’s continence when she scorned the bed of Holofernes shining with gold and purple, and girded with very strong arms in her mind, boldly cut off the drunken head with a dagger. Who also that she might deserve to take this strength from the Lord, had previously seized the diffident and timid priest, namely Ozias who fixed the term of five days for God, contradicted those things by which austerity he was worthy saying: “This is not a speech that provokes mercy but rather that arouses wrath and enflames fury. Have you put a time for the mercy of the Lord and fixed a day for him in your judgment?” [Judith 8:12-13] When Esther exposed herself virilely to death for the salvation of the people, she compelled Haman avidly thirsting for the blood of Israelites to die by hanging. A wise woman, who lived in Abela, threw the head of Sheba son of Bichri which had been cut off to Joab, prince of the army and so averted imminent danger of siege from the city. Another woman in Thebez dropped a piece of a millstone from the rampart of a tower and crushed the head and brains of the enemy Abimelech. Abigail wife of Nabal removed the threat of destruction from her home when she offered the angry David a gift, scorning the foolishness of her husband. You also can avert the sword of divine fury from your home and from those in the regions you rule, if you labored to overcome the lust in the ark of ecclesiastical height supported by negligent bishops. For this seems to be happening now in the territories of Christians which was read about in cornfields of the Philistines. For as the old story tells: “Samson took three hundred foxes and attached tails to tails and bound torches in the middle; which burning with fire he sent out to run hither and thither. Which immediately reached the cornfields of the Philistines. And when they were set afire the flames consumed the fruits and the standing corn and even the vineyards and olives.” [Judges 15:4-5] This history clearly designates principally heretics who are comprised in the number three hundred, since they confess in words the faith of the holy trinity, but while they cover themselves under the veil of orthodox faith in the first façade of their speech, they hide the fire of perverse doctrine at their backs, with which they burn the fruits of all good works. Even as heretics are designated by these foxes, I say, so the incontinent clerics with their concubines can not unfittingly be compared to them, who walk as if with loose feet, while they pretend to the beauty of feigned honesty. But with the lit torches joined in their tails, as if unheeded, as much as they can they are joined by the hidden fire of immodest love. So these little foxes joined by fire between them, united by the torches of desire, consume all the corn of the Philistines, since they destroy the spiritual fruits of the church, and set fire to the good works of the faithful people with the fire of divine displeasure as much as to themselves. About which first it is said mystically through the psalmist: “He gave over their flocks to hail and their possessions to fire” [Ps.77:48]. Since as good priests commend the offerings and vows of the faithful to God, so those who are unworthy at the sacred altars mostly weigh [them] down horribly. That bad priests are compared to foxes, the prophet Ezechiel also testifies, saying: “Your prophets, Israel, were as foxes in the desert” [Ezech.13:4]. And these things suffice for now about clerics. About the churches, however, which are adjacent to you, I would admonish, that you not diminish the goods of their wealth for the custom of whatever evil, but with you present, many bishops and rectors of the monasteries speak with us, there was not one of them who complained that any harm had been done either by you or by your agents, except bishop August(ens), who yet complained not that something of his was diminished by you, but rather that nothing was conferred on his church by your generosity. Happy, I say, is the wealthy one at this time, to whom their nearly equal fellow-villagers can impute only this crime. Certainly in the monastery of Fruttuaria, where I was a guest for almost ten days I learned clearly how human, how sweet was your rule over the churches. Where the brothers serve God doubtless so secure under the shade of your protection, like featherless chicks warmed under the maternal wings.(1) And how fittingly the name of Fruttuaria is imposed on that place that is provided for, we believe, not by the industry of human sense but by divine disposition. For since Ephraim is interpreted fertility, that mountain is doubtless Ephraim, where certainly true Israelites are. Who while they cultivate the fields of their minds with the continuous judgments of sacred scriptures as if with certain hoes, rich crops of spiritual corn break out, which are put angelically into heavenly storehouses. That mount, I say, is truly Ephraim, where there is the power of an army, where there is the battle line of strong warriors. There unallied war is waged continuously against the devil, and close combat is encountered in arms, here the battle line of the Israelites, there the army of the Chaldeans. There the very fat Agag is cut in pieces by the hand of sobriety and Eglon the king of Moab is butchered, pierced in the thigh by the sword of chastity. Which Eglon is interpreted calf of grief to signify a victim of perdition. There the kings of the Midianites, Zebah and Zalmunna are destroyed by the sword of the true Gideon, there the head of pride is cut off in Goliath, Saul is reproved for disobedience, fraud is caught in Achitophel with every sacrilegious deception, a huge heap of stones is piled over avarice in Achan son of Zerah. There Jesus, not Benun, truly conquers the kings of the Ammorites and makes his soldiers trample on their brains. There clearly Beseleel makes an ark for the God of Israel from acacia trees which are not known to rot, he constructs a tabernacle, erects a gold candelabra with seven lights, and forms mystic ornaments of priests with gold and glittering jewels. There Solomon builds a temple to the Lord from precious stones, and such silence of stone and cement rules that he permits no hammer, no axe, no iron-making tool to sound there. There Zorobabel son of Salathiel and Joshuah son of Josedec girded with another multitude of virtues install the walls of Jerusalem so against the battle lines of the enemies, they yet do not fail to oppose those wishing to impede the work. On both sides, therefore, shrewdly intent, on both sides prepared, while one hand works on the wall, another continually holds the quivering sword and while here the structure of the building is completed, there the barbarism of attacking enemies is repulsed. And what more shall I say except since that is an artisan’s workshop in which the drachma of the woman in the gospel is daily beaten with the hammers of regular [of the Rule] discipline, and thus reformed in the image of its creator to which it had been formed at the beginning. Indeed there is the artisan/maker of the worldly machine to whom they said, by the witness of the evangelist Mark: “From where does he have all these? And what is the wisdom that is given to him and the powers which work through his hands? Is he not the son of the artisan/carpenter and of Mary, the brother of Jacob and Joseph and Juda and Simon?” [Mark 6:2-3] He, I say, the son of the artisan, himself no less an artisan moves the bellows with his own hands, namely his servants, inwardly empty of the mass of earthly things and dried of every dampness of earthly love. About which artisan the divine voice says through Isaiah: “Behold I created the artisan blowing coals on the fire and bringing forth a vessel” [Isai.54:16]. Whence also Jeremiah says: “All these princes decline, walking with fraud, [they are] bronze and iron; all are corrupted. The bellows fail, lead is consumed in fire; the metal caster casts in vain, for their evils are not consumed. Call them false silver, since the Lord rejected them” [Jerem.6:28-30]. And so through them he blows the power of the holy Spirit that cold hearts may warm with love for the creator by their words or examples. There Jesus clearly enters into his disciples often with closed gates to whom he offers speech not only through the greeting of peace but also the sacrament flows in through the inspiration of the holy Spirit. In that refectory he celebrates the paschal feast daily with those disciples and while he vomits the power of mystic speech he enflames them to the ardor of his love. The reward in the work is to see how the examination of the Lord’s bees continually run here and there, occupied with different offices, strive to carry out whatever they were charged with. They carry different weights, they pile in the honey, and enclose that nectar whence the wondrous honeycombs of sweetness and grace are placed on the dishes of the highest king. There in the sight of David king of Israel the priests and levites and the nathanites(2) resound with harps, trumpets, cymbals and lutes and other kinds of music, and they alternate turns of their watches playing the instruments of mystic song saying: “We confess to the Lord that he is good, that his mercy is in the world” [Ps.105:1]. I pray almighty God, of Fruttuaria, that he absolve me from the chain of this flesh before he permits you truly to hear from him in what state of religion I have seen you cast down. For the rest, venerable sister, strive always to rise from good to better and as you are prohibited through the apostle to hope in the uncertainty of wealth, so also do not distrust the piety of divine mercy. And since I know you are apprehensive about the repeated doubling of marriage(3), the Lord, tested by the Sadducees about a woman who had been married to seven brothers, by which of them would she be claimed in the resurrection before the others, answered thus: “In the resurrection they neither marry nor are they married, but they will be like the angels of God in heaven” [Matth.22:30, Luke 20:35-36]. For if the much-married [women] have nothing to do with the kingdom of God, he would never answer the truth: “They will be like the angels in heaven,” but would say rather: They will be like evil spirits in hell. So in this word of the saviour it is clearly stated that if the religious life does not fail otherwise, plurality of repeated marriage does not exclude from the kingdom of heaven. For Jesus is such a spouse that whoever he embraces with the arms of his charity is repaired immediately in the purity of flowering chastity. And I say these things not to summon boldness for future remarriages, but in order not to remove the medicine of hope or penance for those already done. Be discerning towards those who are wanting with a certain art of balanced examination, so you do not seethe precipitously towards punishment nor be entirely remiss in sparing. That immoderate zeal not enflame you to revenge, nor excessive piety hold you back from the vigor of discipline to be exerted. Truly since when an injury is done the spirit is disturbed, it is scarcely right to promulgate a judgment at that point. Just as water allows vision to one looking through it when it is quiet, but if it is disturbed, it obscures, so the human spirit does not apply an unhindered line of right judgment at that point of disturbance. Whence it is necessary that the judgment be deferred to later, so that the quiet mind can make the judgment which the disturbed could not, with an equitable spear of justice. In which clearly it pertains not a little to edification to observe king David, how quiet, how grave and discerning he was in promulgating judgment. Who though Joab and Shimei doubtless offended, since as long as he lived wrath or fury could have a place in him, he tolerated them with aequanimity. But when he neared death and was urged by no goads of long quieted wrath, he ordered his son to punish them after his death, then namely when he was removed from human things the punishment of the offenders could not please him. “You know, he said, what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me and what he did to the two princes of the army of Israel, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, whom he killed shedding the blood of war in peace”[3Reg.2:5]. And after a little: “Do therefore according to your wisdom and do not let his white head go in peace to hell” [3Reg.2:6]. About Shimei truly he said: “You have also with you Shimei son of Gera twin son [Benjaminite] of Bahurim, who cursed me with a terrible curse when I went to the camp” [3Reg.2:8]. And shortly after he added: “Lead his white head with blood to hell” [3Reg.2:9]. Where it is to be noted how laudable and admirable is the discretion of this man that as long as he could be angered he would not punish, putting aside all matter of fury and wrath lest he forego justice altogether, he practiced the discipline of punishment. For when the punisher has nothing of his own, then punishment is drawn by right judgment. Whence David did not feast on vengeance, since he was not tortured by injury; immoderate zeal did not enflame him, nor inordinate piety make him remiss. So the discerning punisher thus punishes the injury inferred not raging, nor does he indulge it loosely. You also, venerable sister and lady, imitate the example of this holy king, so that you never abandon the practice of piety and of justice, so according to apostolic precept mercy exalts judgment. And thus every calculation of your judgment tends to the glory of almighty God, so that when the office of stewardship committed [to you] is completed, he who holds your spirit now in his hands, may draw you from earthly to the principate of heavenly glory. Further I commend the monastery of Fruttuaria more and more to your care as the bedchamber of Jesus, whom I ask, to so bestow the vigilant watches of your protection that through you that heavenly spouse of yours may rest softly in it. Almighty God bless you and your sons, clearly of royal nature, and lead them not only to increase in age but also in holiness. Lord Adral, rector of the monastery of Breme, a religious and prudent man, be greeted from me through you most courteously. Who, if he wishes that I also write something to him, may command me to write.

Original letter:

Adalaidi excellentissimae duci, P peccator monachus orationis instantiam. Quicquid de castitatis iniuria, quam eadem regina virtutum a clericis patitur, venerabili Taurinensi episcopo scripsi, tibi scribendum ante decreveram, nisi eorundem clericorum insugillantium calumpniam formidassem. Expostularent enim ac dicerent : Ecce, quam inpie, quam inhumane parat nos iste confundere, qui non cum episcopis non cum aecclesiasticis viris super nostro negotio caute vult ac modeste disserere, sed quod in sacrario tractandum erat, non veretur feminis publicare. Hoc itaque metuens personam mutavi, et quod tibi concoeperam, illi potius destinavi. Ille tamen unius aecclesiae cathedram tenet, in ditione vero tua, quae in duorum regnorum Italiae scilicet et Burgundiae porrigitur, non breve confinium plures episcopantur antistites. Ideoque non indignum videbatur de clericorum incontinentia scriberem, cui videlicet ad corrigendum idoneam sentio non deesse virtutem . Presertim quod ad laudem Dei dixerim, cum virile robur femineo regnet in pectore, et ditior sis bona voluntate quam terrena potestate. Unde quia iuxta poetae gentilis eloquium, Opus est huic tutore, quem defensorem paro, hortor et peto, ut tu domno iungaris episcopo, quatinus mutuae virtutis fulti munimine furentis in Christum luxuriae valeatis aciem debellare. Sed dum vos confoederare ad praelium contra diabolum studeo, illud michi bellum in memoriam revocatur, quod Debborra prophetes, uxor Lapidoth, cum Barach filio Abinoemn habuisse contra Sisaram ducem exercitus reperitur. De illa quippe legitur quia iudicabat populum, ascendebantque ad eam filii Israel in omne iudicium. Ad cuius exemplum tu quoque terram sine virili regis auxilio, et ad te confluunt, qui litibus suis imponere legalis sententiae calculum concupiscunt. Sed satage, ut sicut illa et tu quoque habites sub palma inter Rama et Bethel. Rama siquidem interpretatur excelsa, Bethel domus Dei. Habita ergo et tu sub palma, semperque super te crucis Christi contemplare victoriam. Sede etiam inter Rama et Bethel, ut non solo, hoc est terrenis, inhaereas, sed cum apostolis in cenaculo et cum Anna sancta vidua converseris semper in templo. De qua dicit evangelista, quia non discedebat de templo, ieiuniis et orationibus serviens nocte ac die. Et quia Debbora interpretatur apis, tu quoque mellifica et divinae laudis dulcedinem in tuis labiis iugiter versa. Quam dulcia, inquit, faucibus meis eloquia tua, super mel et favum ori meo. Certe ut multa praeteream, tanquam ex quodam mellis favo visa est michi haec stilla diffluere, cum hoc verae humilitatis verbum de tuo contigit ore prodire: Quid mirum, pater, si Deus omnipotens michi vilissimae ancillae suae quantulamcunque conferre dignatus est inter homines potestatem, qui contemptibili cuilibet herbae mirabilem aliquando praebet inesse virtutem? Ostendisti ergo te apem, dum favi distillas ex ore dulcedinem sicut scriptum est: Quia de ore prudentis procedit mel, dulcedo mellis lingua eius, favus distillans labia eius. Sisara vero exclusio gaudii interpretatur, quod profecto vocabulum inimico humani generis aptissime congruit, qui primum hominem a paradisi gaudio quo fruebatur, exclusit. Sed quia non est huius temporis immoraria in enodandis allegoriae mysteriis, dixit Debborra ad Barach: Precipit tibi Dominus Deus Israel, vade et deduc exercitum in montem Thabor, tollesque tecum decem milia pugnatorum de filiis Neptalim et de filiis Zabulon; ego autem adducam ad te in locum torrentis Cison Sisaram principem exercitus Iabin, et currus eius atque omnem multitudinem, et tradam eos in manu tua. Dixitque ad eam Barach: Si venis mecum, vadam; si nolueris venire, non pergam. Quae dixit ad eum: Ibo quidem tecum, sed in hac vice tibi victoria non reputabitur, quia in manu mulieris tradetur Sisara. Quae nimirum nuda hystoriae verba succincte transcurrimus, ne si figuras exponendo diutius immoremur, tedium legentibus ingeramus . Hoc tantum ex his dixisse sufficiat, quia Barach coruscatio interpretatur. Coruscatio vero habet quidem lucem, sed non diutius permanentem; mox enim ut incipit, desinit. Ita sunt nonnulli rectores aecclesiarum, qui quodammodo tunc coruscare incipiunt, cum ad corrigenda mala subiectorum quasi zelo se ultionis accendunt, sed protinus extinguntur, quia qualibet adversitate fracti vel torpore desidiae resoluti cito deficiunt. Unde et ille Barach desidis ac resoluti pastoris figuram gerens aiebat ad Debborram: Si veneris mecum, vadam; si nolueris venire, non pergam. Quapropter sicut vir ille cum femina, Barach videlicet cum Debborra, mutuis se fulcientes auxiliis contra Sisaram praelium suscaeperunt, eumque cum suis agminibus et nongentis falcatis curribus funditus debellarunt, ita vos, tu scilicet et Taurinensis episcopus, contra Sisaram luxuriae ducem arma corripite, eumque in filios Israel, hoc est in clericos aecclesiae dominantem, mucrone pudicitiae iugulate. Quatinus et episcopus, immo omnes episcopi, qui in amministrationis tuae finibus commorantur, sacerdotali clericos disciplina coerceant, et tu in feminas vigorem terrenae potestatis extendas. Tres quippe tantummodo feminas Deus novit, quae his plures sunt, in eius adhuc notitiam non venerunt. Novit enim virgines cum Maria, viduas cum Anna, coniuges cum Susanna. Illorum vero clericorum feminae, qui matrimonia nequeunt legali iure contrahere, non coniuges sed concubinas potius sive prostibula congrue possumus apellare. Ideoque quia a Deo non merentur agnosci, de templo Dei merito censentur excludi. Nam si soror Aaron Maria, quia Moysi levi sermone detraxit, mox lepra perfunditur, septemque diebus a tabernaculo removetur, quo iure istae ingredi permittentur aecclesiam, quae eidem aecclesiae sordes libidinis inferunt, vasa Domini in proprios usus adsciscunt, et ut apertius loquar, ministros altaris propriae luxuriae ministrare compellunt? Age ergo, esto virago Domini, et quasi Debborra cum Barach, hoc est coniunctis simul episcopis, Sisaram ad internitionem usque persequere. Et sicut Iahel uxor Aber tabernaculi sui clavum super Sisarae cerebrum posuit malleoque percussit ac tympus utrumque transfixit, ita tu signo crucis diaboli verticem transfode, auctoremque luxuriae, qui clericos a caelestibus gaudiis excludit, elide. Talis enim victoria Deum valde laetificat, qui aliquando per feminas gloriosiori laude triumphat. Iudith quippe continentiae vidualis exemplum dum deauratos ostroque nitentes Olofernis thalamos sprevit, fortioribus armis in mente praecincta, etiam caput ebrium audenter impresso pugione truncavit. Quae etiam ut hanc meruisset a Domino percipere fortitudinem, diffidentem ac timidum antea corripuerat sacerdotem, Oziam scilicet qui Deo quinque dierum praefixerat terminum, ea qua dignus erat austeritate redarguit dicens: Non est iste sermo, qui misericordiam provocet, sed potius qui iram excitet et furorem accendat. Posuistis vos tempus miserationi Domini, et in arbitrium vestrum diem constituistis ei? Hester dum pro salute populi sui morti se viriliter obicit, Aman Israelitarum sanguinem avide sitientem suspendio interire compellit. Mulier sapiens, quae degebat in Abela, caput Sibae filii Bocri ad Ioab militiae principem proiecit abscisum, et sic imminens obsidionis avertit a civitate periculum. Altera mulier in Thebes fragmen molae de propugnaculo turris inmersit, et Abimelech fortiter oppugnantis caput cerebrumque simul optrivit. Abigail uxor Nabal a domo sua cedis interitum removet, dum viri sui contempnendo stultitiam irascenti David exenium praebet. Tu quoque a domo tua et ab his, quibus premines regionibus, poteris divini furoris avertere, si etiam episcopis neglegentibus luxuriam in ipsa aecclesiastici culminis arce subnixam elaboraveris expugnare. Hoc enim videtur fieri nunc in finibus Christianorum, quod factum legitur in segetibus Philistinorum. Nam sicut vetus narrat hystoria: Coepit Samson trecentas vulpes, caudasque earum adiunxit ad caudas, et faces ligavit in medio; quas igne succendens dimisit, ut huc illucque discurrerent. Quae statim perrexerunt in segestes Philistinorum. Quibus succensis confortate iam fruges et adhuc stantes in stipula concrematae sunt in tantum, ut vineas quoque et oliveta flamma consumeret. Haec plane historia licet principaliter designet hereticos, qui quasi trecentenario numero continentur, quia sanctae trinitatis fidem verbotenus confitentur, sed dum sub velamento ortodoxae fidei in prima sermonis sui fronte se palliant, ignem pravae doctrinae in posterioribus, quo fruges omnium bonorum operum exurantur, occultant. Quamvis, inquam, per has vulpes designentur heretici, his tamen incontinentes clerici cum suis pelicibus possunt non inconvenienter aptari, qui quasi solutis pedibus gradiuntur, dum honestatis aliquando speciem simulate praetendunt. Sed cum accensis facibus combinantur in caudis, quia quasi postposito et, in quantum valent, occulto igne inpudici conglutinantur amoris. Hae itaque vulpeculae igne interveniente coniunctae, et libidinis facibus combinatae, omnia Philistinorum sata consumunt, quia spiritales fructus aecclesiae destruunt, et quantum ad se bona opera fidelis populi divinae indignationis igne succendunt. De quo igne mystice per psalmistam dicitur: Tradidit grandini iumenta eorum, et possessiones eorum igni. Quoniam sicut boni sacerdotes Deo quorumlibet fidelium oblationes et vota commendant, ita plerumque qui sacris altaribus indigni sunt, horribiliter gravant. Quod autem mali sacerdotes vulpibus comparentur, Hiezechiel quoque propheta testatur dicens: Quasi vulpes in desertis prophetae tui erant, Israel. Et de clericis quidem interim ista sufficiant. De aecclesiis autem, quae tibi adiacent, ammonerem, ne more pravorum quorumlibet divitum earum bona minueres, sed cum te presente plures nobiscum colloquerentur episcopi monasteriorumque rectores, nullus eorum fuit, qui vel a te vel a tuis procuratoribus ullam sibi molestiam conquaereretur inferri, preter Augustensem duntaxat episcopum, qui tamen non a te sibi de suis aliquid imminutum, sed conquestus est potius aecclesiae suae nil ex tua liberalitate collatum. Felix, inquam, dives hoc tempore, cui suppares convicanei hoc solum valent crimen inferre. In Fructuariensi certe monasterio, ubi per decem fere dies hospicium tenui, quam humanus quamque suavis tuus principatus esset aecclesiis, evidenter agnovi. Ubi nimirum ita securi sub tuae protectionis umbraculo Deo deserviunt fratres, ac si sub maternis alis pulli confoveantur inplumes. Et quam convenienter illi loco Fructuariae est nomen impositum, quod non humani sensus industria, sed divina credimus dispositione provisum. Nam quia Effraim interpretatur foecunditas, ille proculdubio mons est Effraim, ubi nimirum veri Israelitae consistunt. Qui dum arva mentium assiduis sacrae scripturae sententiis quasi quibusdam ligonibus excolunt, uberes illic spiritalium segetum proventus erumpunt, quae caelestibus horreis angelitus inferantur. Ille, inquam, vere mons est Effraim, ubi robur exercitus, ubi fortium cuneus bellatorum . Ibi contra diabolum assidue geritur infoederabile bellum, et comminus in arma congreditur, hinc agmen Israelitarum, illinc exercitus Chaldeorum. Illic Agag pinguissimus per manum sobrietatis in frusta conciditur, et Eglon rex Moab transfixo femore castitatis gladio trucidatur. Qui Eglon interpretatur vitulus moeroris, ut victimam significet perditionis . Illic Madianitarum reges, Zebee et Salmana, veri Gedeonis gladio perimuntur, illic in Golia superbiae caput absciditur, Saul inoboedientia reprobatur, in Acitofel fraus cum omni sacrilega duplicitate suspenditur, in Achar filio Charmi super avariciam ingens lapidum congeries cumulatur. Ibi Iesus, non ille Benun, veraciter Amorreorum superat reges, suosque milites facit eorum calcare cervices. Illic plane Beselehel de lignis sethim, quae putrescere nesciunt, Deo Israel arcam fabricat, tabernaculum construit, aureum cum septem lucernis candelabrum erigit, mystica quoque auro gemmisque nitentia sacerdotum ornamenta componit. Illic Salomon templum Domino ex lapidibus pretiosis aedificat, tantumque latomis ac cementariis silentium imperat, ut non ibi malleum, non securim, non ferramentum aliquod tinnire permittat. Ibi Zorobabel filius Salathiel et Iosue filius Iosedech cum caetera multitudine virtutum armis accincti, sic Yerusalem muros instaurant, ut tamen adversus hostium cuneos opus impedire volentium pugnare non desinant. Utrobique igitur sollerter intenti, utrobique parati, dum una manus exercetur ad murum, altera vibratum tenet iugiter gladium, et dum hinc aedificii structura perficitur, illinc ingruentium hostium barbaries propulsatur. Et quid amplius eloquar, nisi quia illa est officina fabrilis, in qua mulieris evangelicae dragma cotidie malleis disciplinae regularis extunditur, et sic ad sui conditoris imaginem, ad quam principio condita fuerat, reformatur. Et revera illic mundanae machinae faber, cui videlicet evangelista Marco testante dicebant: Unde huic haec omnia? Et quae est sapientia, quae data est illi, et virtutes tales, quae per manus eius efficiuntur? Nonne iste est fabri filius et Mariae, frater Iacobi et Ioseph et Iudae et Symonis? Ille, inquam, fabri filius, qui et ipse nichilominus faber illic propriis manibus agitat folles, servos scilicet suos, rerum temporalium mole paenitus vacuos et ab omni terreni amoris humore siccatos. De quo fabro per Ysaiam divina vox ait: Ecce ego creavi fabrum sufflantem in ignem prunas, et proferentem vas in opus suum. Unde et Hyeremias: Omnes, inquit, isti principes declinant, ambulantes fraudulenter, aes et ferrum; universi corrupti sunt. Defecit sufflatorium, in igne consumptum est plumbum; frustra conflavit conflator, malitiae enim eorum non sunt consumptae. Argentum reprobum vocate eos, quia Dominus proiecit illos. Per hos itaque vim sancti Spiritus efflat, ut eorum verbis vel exemplis in amore conditoris sui frigida corda fervescant. Illic plane Iesus sepe ad discipulos suos ianuis clausis ingreditur, quibus non modo per salutationem pacis praebet alloquium, sed etiam per insufflationem sancti Spiritus influit sacramentum. In illo coenaculo pasca cotidie cum eisdem discipulis celebrat, et dum virtutem mystici sermonis eructuat, eos ad ardorem suae dilectionis inflammat. Opere pretium est cernere, quomodo examen apum Domini per alvearium suum iugiter huc illucque discurrant, ac diversis officiis occupatae, quod illis iniunctum est, certatim implere contendant. Onera siquidem diversa comportant, mella constipant, illudque nectar includunt, unde favi miri dulcoris et gratiae summi regis ferculis apponantur. Illic in conspectu David regis Israel sacerdotes et levitae simul et Nathinnei nablis, tubis, cynaris et cytharis cunctisque musicorum generibus concrepant, ac mystici carminis organa modulantes excubiarum suarum vices alternant dicente: Confitemini Domino, quoniam bonus, quoniam in saeculum misericordia eius. Omnipotentem Deum precor, o Fructuaria, ut ante me de vinculo carnis huius absolvat, quam te ab eo in quo te vidi, religionis statu deiectam, veraciter audire permittat. De caetero, venerabilis soror, contende semper de bonis ad meliora conscendere, et sicut per apostolum prohiberis in incerto divitiarum sperare, ita etiam noli ex divinae clementiae pietate diffidere. Et quia te novi de iterata coniugii geminatione suspectam, temptatus a Saduceis Dominus de muliere, quae septem fuerat fratribus nupta, cui foret illorum in resurrectione prae ceteris vendicanda, sic respondit: In resurrectione neque nubent neque nubentur, sed erunt sicut angeli Dei in caelo. Nam si multivirae ad regnum Dei nullatenus pertinerent, nequaquam hic veritas responderet: Erunt sicut angeli in caelo, sed potius diceret: Quia erunt sicut maligni spiritus in inferno . In hoc itaque salvatoris verbo manifeste colligitur, quia si religiosa duntaxat vita non desit, a regno caelorum frequentati coniugii pluralitas non excludit. Iesus enim talis est sponsus, ut quamcunque suae karitatis ulnis amplectitur, protinus in ea floridae castitatis mundicia reparetur. Et haec loquor, non ut adhibeam multinubis adhuc futuris audaciam, sed ut iam factis spei vel paenitentiae non subtraham medicinam. Esto circa delinquentes quadam librati examinis arte discreta, ut nec ad vindictam praecipitanter inferveas, nec ad parcendum sis omnino remissa. Quatinus nec ad ulciscendum inmoderatus te zelus accendat, nec nimia pietas ab exerendae te disciplinae vigore cohibeat. Sane quia mox ut infertur iniuria, perturbatur animus, vix rectum ilico valet promulgare iudicium. Sicut enim intuentis visum aqua, dum quiescit, admittit, si turbatur, optundit, sic humanus animus in ipso perturbationis articulo inoffensam recti iudicii lineam non attendit. Unde necesse est, ut in posterum sententia differatur, quatinus aequata iustitiae lance, iudicium quod perturbata nequiverat, mens quieta suspendat. In quo plane non minimum ad aedificationem pertinet intueri, rex David quam quietus, quam gravis in promulgatione iudicii fuerit et discretus. Qui nimirum Ioab et Semei se graviter offendentes, donec vixit et in eo ira vel furor habere locum potuit, aequanimiter toleravit. Cum vero iam propinquaret ad obitum, et nullis olim sopitae iracundiae stimulis urgeretur, praecaepit filio, ut post mortem suam in illos vindicaret, tunc videlicet cum eum humanis iam rebus exemptum, offendentium poena delectare non posset. Tu, inquit, nosti quae fecerit michi Ioab filius Sarviae, quae fecerit duobus principibus exercitus Israel, Abner filio Ner et Amasae filio Iether, quos occidit et effudit sanguinem belli in pace. Et paulo post: Facies ergo iuxta sapientiam tuam, et non deduces canitiem eius pacifice ad inferos. De Semei vero ait: Habes quoque apud te Semei filium Gera, filii gemini de Baurim, qui maledixit michi maledictione pessima, quando ibam ad castra. Et paucis interpositis addidit: Deduces canos eius cum sanguine ad infernum. Ubi notandum, quam laudabilis huius viri fuerat et ammiranda discretio, quia potuit irasci, noluit vindicari, deficiente vero iam omni furoris et irae materia, ne praeteriret omnino iustitiam, ultionis exeruit disciplinam. Cum enim ultor non habet aliquid de suo, tunc recto depromitur vindicta iudicio. Unde David non pascebatur vindicta, quia nec cruciabatur iniuria; non eum zelus fecit inmoderatus accensum, nec pietas reddidit inordinata remissum . Sic sic illatam discretus ultor iniuriam, et non remissus indulsit, et non saeviens vindicavit. Tu quoque, venerabilis soror et domina, huius imitare sancti regis exemplum ut pietatis simul atque iustitiae numquam deseras institutum, ita tamen ut iuxta apostolicum praeceptum superexaltet misericordia iudicium. Et sic omnis iudicii tui calculus ad omnipotentis Dei gloriam tendat, quatinus expleto commissi vilicatus officio, is qui tuum tenet nunc in suis manibus spiritum, de terreno te ad caelestis gloriae provehat principatum. Monasterium praeterea Fructuariense tamquam vere thalamum Iesu tuae magis ac magis commendo custodiae, cui quaeso, ita pervigiles tuitionis tuae depende semper excubias, ut per te caelestis ille sponsus tuus in eo suaviter requiescat. Omnipotens Deus te ac tuos, regiae scilicet indolis, filios benedicat, eosque non modo ad aetatis, sed etiam sanctitatis incrementa perducat. Domnus autem Adraldus, Bremetensis rector coenobii, vir videlicet religiosus et prudens, ex me per te officiosissime salutetur. Qui si vult, ut sibi quoque aliquid scribam, scribendo praecipiat.

Historical context:

Peter Damian asks the countess to help in his battle to end clerical marriage by taking action against the women, while the bishop of Turin reins in the priests. He also encourages her to support the churches in her region, speaking particularly strongly of Fruttuaria, and commends careful judgment of wrongs done rather than action taken in anger. The letter is filled with biblical allusions and interpretations; most of the the latter are, the editor notes, from Jerome, Liber interpretationis.

Scholarly notes:

(1)A phrase that is applied to Christ in Matth.23:37. (2)Nathanites is a translation of the Vulgate’s nathinaei, which is a transliteration of the Hebrew or Aramaic netinim, “oblates,’ the lowest class of Levites in the post-exilic temple. (3)The countess was married three times.

Printed source:

MGH, Die Briefe der Deutschen Kaiserzeit, IV, Die Briefe des Petrus Damiani, ed. Kurt Reindel (Muenchen, 1988), ep.114, 295-306.

Date:

1064