A letter from Hugh Metel, Augustinian canon ()

Translated letter:

If I were winged with the feathers of winds, I would frequently come to your presence, and I would speak, and I would learn. I do not have the desired skill to write to you but the will to find opportunities is not lacking, indeed my soul is eager to see and be seen, to hear and be heard at least by an exchange of letters. For your wisdom/prudence(1) is greater than fame reported, your prudence exceeds clearly and fully the prudence of prudent women and, if it is proper to say, rather since it is proper to say, your pen equals or surpasses the pens of doctors, if I may speak saving your peace and your grace. I know, truly I know, that your head is not fattened with oil, that you do not pursue mortal favor, that you desire to please only him whom it is life to please and death to displease. So may it be pleasing to you, so may you please God. What could displease you? what displeases God. Your eloquence is sweet to my throat — how sweet? Sweet beyond honey and the honey comb, it is sweet beyond honey and the comb and a mirror of your prudence. Perhaps you remember that I have written before. Truly I wrote thus to you. I am called Hugh Metel, born of Toul. Don’t be perplexed, the city in which I was born is called “Leucha” and “Tullus,” Tullus from Tully who conquered it under Caesar’s leadership, and Leucha from white men and white wine, since “leuchon” means white in Greek, as we read in Lucan, the best is Leuchus and Themis, with strength banished. But enough. I fear to weigh down your ear with too much talk. May the generous grace of God bless you with grace, the faithful crowd say amen with devout breast. May he give you the daily bread of heaven to whom it is not in vain to make daily prayer. Though we do not perceive him daily yet daily we ask with devout mind. There is other food, sacred reading is honorable food and modest speech about divine scripture offers this to us, whom cold and hot serve, whom all good pleases, whom all honor fights for, another bread which feeds the swelling skin he offers, and this to us, who gives us earthly goods.

Original letter:

Si pennis ventorum pennatus forem, corporali praesentia frequenter vobis praesentarem, & dicerem, & discerem. Quia vero non adest mihi desiderata facultas scribendi vobis; in opportunitatibus non abest praesto voluntas; concupiscit siquidem anima mea saltem litteris alternatim missis videre & videri, audire & audiri. Major est enim prudentia vestra quam nuntiaverit fama; excedit plane & plene prudentia vestra mulierum prudentium prudentiam, & si fas est dicere, immo quia fas est dicere, calamus vester, calamis Doctorum supereminet aut aequatur, ut loquar salva pace vestra, & gratia vestra salva. Novi etenim novi, quod oleum non impinguat caput vestrum, quod non venamini favorem morticinum, soli namque placere desideratis, cui placere vita vivere est, cui displicere morte mori est. Placeat itaque vobis & placeatis Deo. Quomodo displicet vobis? quod displicet Deo. Dulcia sunt faucibus meis eloquia vestra, & quam dulcia? Super mel & favum dulcia, dulcia sunt super mel & favum, & sunt prudentiae vestrae speculum. Forsitan haeretis in verbis scripti mei prioris. Scripsi equidem ita vobis. Vocor Hugo Mertellus, genuit quem Leucha Tellus. Nolite haerere, civitas namque in qua genitus sum vocatur Leucha, vocatur & Tullum; Tullum a Tullo, qui eam devicit Duce Caesariano, Leucha vero, ab albis hominibus & albo vino, quia Leuchon, interpretatur album, graeco vocabulo, sicut legitur in Lucano, optimus excusso Leuchus Themisque lacerto. Sed haec hactenus. Timeo equidem ne gravem autem vestram multiloquio. Gratia larga Dei, gratis data vos benedicat Turba fidelis amen devoto pectore dicat Hic panem Coeli det vobis quotidianum Quem prece quotidie non sit deposcere vanum Quamvis quotidie non illum percipiamus Quotidie tamen hunc devota mente petamus Est alius pastus, sacra lectio pastus honestus Et de scrituris divinis sermo modestus Praestet & hunc nobis cui servit frigus & estus Cui placet omne bonum cui militat omnis honestus Est alius panis quo pascitur uter inanis Praestet & hunc nobis qui dat bona terrea nobis.

Historical context:

This letter too is filled with praise of Heloise, still in hope of getting a response from her, which apparently the first letter did not achieve.

Scholarly notes:

(1)Prudentia can mean knowledge, intelligence, judgment; since Hugh repeats the word several times and I am not sure what his intended meaning is, I have chosen to use the cognate, inappropriate as that may be.

Printed source:

Epistolae Hugonis Metelli, Sacrae antiquitatis monumenta historica (Impressum Stivagii in Lotharingia, 1725-31), v.2, ep.17, p.349