Sender
Peter Damian
Receiver
Agnes of Poitiers, empress
Translated letter:
To his lady/ruler empress Agnes, Peter, sinner monk, whatever a servant [owes].
Since I am far from your presence and cannot be with you at this time, I grieve and sigh a great deal with daily lament. Meanwhile, before I come to you again I exhort your holy patience that it not be burdensome to carry out severe and hard things and to bear solitude for love of your holy spouse or even the want of necessities. For if Christ carried the cross for you, what wonder if you sustain poverty for love of him? If he, whom virtues and dominions [orders of angels] serve in heaven, suffered spits, scourges, dishonor, blows, and slaps in the world, what wonder if you, who are earth, reject the vain pomp of imperial glory and offer youself not queen of the world but, what is far more glorious, handmaid of the eternal king?
Remember what the apostle says: "Let us go out therefore to him outside the camp, bearing his insults. For we do not have him living in this city, but seek him in the future" [Heb 13:13-14]. Such an exchange is a very happy one, where mud is given and gold received, light for darkness, the dignity of heavenly glory for earthly honors. For as it is said through the prophet: "All flesh is hay and all its glory like the flower of hay. Hay burns and its flower falls, but who keeps the word of the Lord lives eternally" [Isa.40:6-8].
Moreover, who today wears purple, tomorrow is enclosed in a tomb. Who today dominates men tomorrow is rottenness gnawed by worms. Today wreathed in royal filets, tomorrow a soulless cadaver wrapped in vile cloths. Today crowned and shining on the seat of royal distinction, tomorrow decayed and stinking in the tomb. These things and other such, my lady, think on carefully and tolerate the labors of this life with Jesus calmly and when he who was judged comes to judge, you may meet him as one of the wise virgins whose lamps are suitably adorned and receive the stole of immortality in place of temporal purple. And for the crown which was made of earthly metal, take that diadem that is made of precious stone in heaven.
Original letter:
Dominae suae imperatrici A[gneti], Petrus peccator monachus quicquid servus.
Quoniam a sancta praesentia vestra remotus sum, et hoc tempore vobiscum esse non possum, satis doleo et cotidiana lamentatione suspiro. Interim tamen antequam ad vos redeam, hortor sanctam patientiam vestram, ut non ei grave sit aspera quaelibet ac dura perferre, et pro amore caelestis sponsi solitudinem vel etiam necessarii sumptus inopiam sustinere. Cum enim Christus pro te pertulerit crucem, quid mirum si tu sustineas pro illius amore pauperiem. Si ille cui virtutes et dominationes famulabantur in caelo, sputa, flagella, obprobria, colafos, et alapas patiebatur in mundo, quid magnum si tuo, quae terra es, imperialis gloriae vanam proicias pompam, et non mundi reginam, sed quod longe gloriosius est, te praebeas aeterni regis ancillam?
Recordare quod dicit apostolus: Exeamus igitur ad eum extra castra improperium eius portanter. Non enim habemus hic manentem civitatem, sed futuram inquirimus. Felix nimirum tale commercium, ubi datur lutum, tollitur aurum, pro tenebris lucem, pro terrenis honoribus caelestis gloriae comparas dignitatem. Sicut enim per prophetam dicitur: Omnis caro fenum, et omnis gloria eius tanquam flos feni. Aruit fenum, et flos eius cecidit; qui autem servat verbum Domini manet in aeternum.
Porro autem qui hodie induitur purpura, cras includitur sepultura. Hodie quis hominibus dominatur, cras autem a vermibus factus putredo corroditur. Hodie regalibus infulis redimitur, cras vilibus panniculis exanime cadaver obvolvitur. Hodie splendet coronatus in regali excellentiae solio, cras fetet marcidus in sepulchro. Haec igitur et huiusmodi, domina mi, suptiliter pensa, et huius vitae labores cum Iesu nunc aequanimiter tolera, ut cum ipse qui iudicatus est iudicaturus advenerit, tu velut una de sapientibus virginibus ornatis lampadibus ei decenter occurras, et pro temporali purpura stolam inmortalitatis accipias. Ac pro corona quae de terreno fuerat fabricata metallo, illud diadema suscipias quod in caelo factum est de lapide precioso.
Historical context:
Peter writes to strengthen Agnes's resolve to live the religious life with graphic reminders of mortality.
Printed source:
MGH BDKz ep.130, 3.434-36; PL144, c.446.
Date:
1065-66
