A letter from Caesaria, abbess of Arles (c.550)

Translated letter:

Lowly Caesaria to the holy ladies Richild and Radegund. When your messenger had come and left the letters of your holy piety, I was filled with inestimable and spiritual joy since I knew you had chosen and hold to that from which, with God helping, you prepared for yourselves eternal life and acquire eternal riches and exaltation with the saints which has no end. 'Our lord God, who raises the broken and loosed the fettered and illuminates the blind' [Ps.145:7-8], let him direct you on the right road, let him teach you to do his will, let him grant that you walk in his precepts and keep his mandates and meditate on his law, as the psalmist says: 'And on his law he will meditate day and night' [Ps.1:2]and: 'the lucid precept of the Lord illuminating eyes, the irreprehensible law of the Lord converting souls' [Ps.18.9,8]. As attentively as secular men hear when royal precepts are read, so attentively listen when divine readings are read. Let the whole mind, the whole thought, the whole meditation be on the precepts of the Lord; solicitously fear that: 'Cursed are those who fall away from your commands' [Ps.118:21]; and who would not keep one or the least of the Lord's mandates will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. Fulfill this: 'May meditation of the heart always be in your sight [Ps.18:15]. Hide your words in my heart that I may never sin against you' [Ps.118:11]. And since the Lord deigned to choose you, ladies dearest to me in Christ, as his heirs, give thanks to him and bless him always. Abstain from all vice, from all sin; since 'who commits sin is the servant of sin' [Jo.8:34]. Love and fear the Lord for 'the eyes of the Lord are always on those who fear him and his ears [open] to their prayers' [Ps.32:18, 33:16]. Let your heart be pure, your heart peaceable; be mild and humble, patient , obedient. Hear the Lord saying: 'On whom shall I rest if not on the humble and quiet? He put down the powerful from their seat and exalted the humble' [Math.11:29, Lk.1:52]. Though it be holy and good and laudable that you desire to live by the Rule, there is no greater, better, more precious nor more splendid doctrine than the reading of the gospel. See this, hold this, which our Lord and master Christ taught by words and fulfilled by example, who made so many miracles in the world that they can not be counted, and sustained so many ills from his persecutors through patience, that can scarcely be believed. It is patience which commends us to God. Hear the apostle: 'who wish to live piously in Christ, suffer persecution' [2Tim.3:12]. As God rejoices in the beginnings of your conversion, so the devil grieves about it, who has thousands and thousands of arts of harming and seeks God's food for himself; so pray incessantly that God resist him. 'Act virilely, that your heart may be comforted' [Ps.30:25]. Hear Scripture saying: 'Son, as you approach the service of God, be in justice and fear and prepare your soul against temptation' [Eccli.2:1]. As strongly and virilely as if you were men, you would have fought against your enemies lest your body be pierced, so constantly and virilely fight against the devil lest he kill your souls by counsels and the worst thoughts. Call on God continually: 'God, incline to my help; Lord, hasten to help me. God, do not withdraw from me; my God, look to my help. Be my helper, do not abandon me. Help me and I shall be safe' [Pss.69:2, 70:12, 118:117]. Be mindful when you say a psalm, what he says there and he himself teaches you: 'Psalm wisely' [Ps.46:8]. Just as the Lord was there for you when he was on the cross, so you be crucified for the work of God; think of nothing else, do not presume to speak nor to act otherwise. Be pacific in all things, since his place is made in peace: 'Blessed the peacemakers, they will be called children of God' [Math.5:9]. 'Let the sun not set on your anger' [Eph.4:26]. 'Much peace to those loving your name, Lord, and no scandal to them' [Ps.118:165]: for virginity of the flesh is worth nothing where wrath dwells in the heart. And elsewhere scripture says: God orders us to be pacific and harmonious and of one spirit in his home [Lk.10.5]. I, though least and negligent, greet [you] with the humility and charity which I owe more than can be said. I pray God that he deign to rule you, to protect and preserve you, and that he deign to give you beginning and end; since it is not who begins but 'who perseveres to the end will be saved' [Math.24:13]. As our humility exults and rejoices in the Lord about your beginning, so may the Lord and his angels be glad of your conversion and perfection. You have [what it takes], I know, since you overflow with capability. Give as much as you can to the poor, 'build up treasures for yourself in heaven' [Math.6:20], that it may be fulfilled in you 'he dispersed, he gave to the poor, his justice remains through the ages' [Ps.111:9]; as it is written: as water extinguishes fire, so alms do all sin [cf.Tob.4:11]. Let your hope be in God, since it is written: 'Cursed the man who puts his hope in man' [Jer.17:5]. Let none of those entering not learn letters; let all hold the psalter in memory and, as I have said, be zealous to carry out in all things what you read in the gospel. I did what you ordered: I sent a copy of the Rule which the lord pope Caesarius of blessed and holy memory made for us: see how you may keep it. Let your certain charity be dominant over me, since, if you live according to it, you will receive a place among the wise virgins and the Lord will introduce you into his kingdom and you will perceive 'what the eye did not see nor the ear hear, nor did it ascend in the heart of man what the Lord prepared for those who love him' [1Cor.2:9] in the region of the living where the saints will exult in glory, where rejoicing and exulting in the Lord you will say: 'He and his holy name did great things for us, he who is powerful' [Lk.1:49]; and 'He led his people in exultation and his chosen into happiness' [Ps.104:43]; to which may the Lord make you come immaculate, who rules for all time. Amen. It came to me that you abstain too much. Do everything reasonably, if you would live for me and always be able to. For if you begin to get sick through this excess, what God would not do, it will be necessary for you to request delicacies and accept them outside the [proper] time [or] you will not be able to govern the blessed ones. Hear what the Lord says in the Gospel: 'not what enters into the mouth befouls a man' [Math.15:11] and the apostle: 'Let your sacrifice be reasonable' [Rom.12:1]. Do all thus, lady, as you have[it] in the Rule which you sought, that God may be blessed and praised for your conversion, and be a model for the faithful since 'who acted and taught, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven' [Math.5:19]. Rejoice therefore and exult in the Lord, venerable sisters in Christ, and give thanks continually to him who deigned to call you from the dark dwelling of this world to the port of quiet and religion. Think continually whence you are and where you deserve to get. You faithfully left the shadows of the world and began happily to see the light of Christ. You scorned the fire of lust and arrived at the comfort of chastity; and since there will be no lack of battle for you until the end of your life, as secure as you are about the past, so be solicitous for the future: for all sins or crimes return swiftly to us if they are not daily overcome by good works. Hear the apostle Peter saying: 'Be sober and awake, since your adversary, the devil, goes around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour' [1Pet.5:8]. As long as we live in this body, day and night with Christ the Lord as helper or leader, we should fight against the devil. There are some negligent or tepid women who think that it suffices to have changed their clothes. We can put off secular clothes and assume religious in a moment of an hour, but we must labor to retain the habits of good things continually as long as we live, with Christ helping. Every soul that wishes to preserve religion must make an effort to escape gluttony, concupiscence, and drunkenness, with all the force of faith, so that the body is not debilitated by excessive abstinence, nor provoked to lust by abundance of delicacies. Either read or hear divine readings continually, for they are ornaments of the soul; from them hang precious pearls on your ears, from them rings and bracelets. While you continually do good works you are decorated with these ornaments. Indeed, who desires to keep religion in a spotted heart, so she may walk immaculate in the sight of God, must never or only with difficulty go in public. Have intimacies with me absolutely as rarely as you can, if you wish to preserve chastity; let no other say: 'My conscience is enough for me; let whoever say to himself what he would wish about me.' This excuse is miserable and quite hateful to God. Behold, you are sure of your conscience, but do you see the conscience of the one with whom you speak? You should know most certainly that a woman who will not have avoided intimacy with men will lose either herself or the other. Against other vices it behooves us to resist with all our power; indeed you can not overcome lust unless you flee the company of men. If you are born noble, rejoice more in the humility of religion than in the dignity/rank of the world. Hear the Lord saying: 'If one would leave all things and follow me, he will receive a hundred-fold and will possess eternal life' [Math.19:29]. If indeed she is converted from poverty, let her thank God who saves the souls of the poor and who freed them from the impediments of the world: 'The rich hunger and thirst, those seeking the Lord, however, are not lacking in any goods' [Ps.33:11]. Love all if you wish, so God may dwell in your hearts since it is written: 'who hates his brother or sister, walks in shadows and knows not where he goes, since the shadows blind his eyes." There are some, perhaps, who leave the goods of the parents and disinherit themselves because they hear the Lord saying: “Sell what you have and give alms and behold all things pure are yours.” “ He has dispersed, he has given to the poor, his justice endures world without end.” Run faithfully, that you may arrive happily and stand rejoicing and exulting before the face of the lord our God who has deigned to choose you among the sheep of his pasture, and in his kingdom, as in earthly ministry, so he will grant to establish you in heavenly seats, who reigns forever and ever. Amen.

Original letter:

Dominabus Sanctis Richilde et Radegundi Caesaria Exigua. Veniente misso vestro et relectis apicibus sanctae pietatis vestre, inestimabili et spiritali gaudio repleta sum, quia vos illud elegisse et tenere cognovi, unde vobis, Deo iuvante, aeternam vitam praeparetis eternasque divitias adquiratis et exultationem cum sanctis, quae finem non habet. 'Dominus Deus noster, qui erigit elisos et compeditos absolvit et illuminat cecos,' ipse vos dirigat in via recta, ipse vos doceat suam facere voluntatem, ipse tribuat, ut in praeceptis eius ambuletis et mandata eius custodiatis et in lege eius meditemini, sicut ait psalmista: 'Et in lege eius meditabitur die ac nocte'; et illud: 'Preceptum Domini lucidum illuminans oculos, lex Domini inreprehensibilis convertens animas.' Quam attente saeculi homines, cum regalia praecepta leguntur, audiunt, tam attente vos, cum divine lectiones leguntur, auscultate. Tota mens, tota cogitatio, tota meditatio de Domini sit praeceptis; sollicite timete illud: 'Maledicti qui declinant a mandatis tuis'; et qui unum vel minimum de mandatis Domini praeceptum non custodierit, minimus vocabitur in regno celorum. Implete illud: 'Meditatio cordis mei in conspectu tuo semper. In corde meo abscondi eloquia tua, ut non peccem tibi.' Et quia vos, dominas mihi in Christo karissimas, dignatus est Dominus eligere in hereditatem sibi, gratias illi agite et benedicite eum in omni tempore. Abstinete ab omni vitio, ab omni peccato; quia, 'qui facit peccatum, servus est peccati.' Diligite et timete Dominum, quia 'oculi Domini super timentes eum et aurea eius ad praeces eorum.' Sit in vobis cor mundum, cor pacificum; estote mites et humiles, patientes, obedientes. Audite Dominum dicentem: 'Super quem requiescam, nisi super humilem et quietum? Deposuit potentes de sede et exaltavit humiles.' Licet sit sanctum et bonum et laudabile, quod regulariter vivere optetis; sed non est maior nec melior nec praeciosior nec splendidior ulla doctrina, quam evangelii lectio. Hoc videte, hoc tenete, quod dominus et magister noster Christus et verbis docuit et exemplis implevit, qui tanta mirabilia in mundo fecit, quae numerari non possunt, et tanta mala sustinuit a persequutoribus suis per patientiam, que vix credi possunt. Patientia est, que nos Deo commendat. Audite apostolum: 'Si qui volunt pie vivere in Christ, persequutionem patiuntur.' Sicut laetatur Deus in incipientia conversionis vestre, ita luget de ea diabolus, cui sunt mille et mille nocendi artes et querit a Deo escam sibi: et ideo incessabiliter orate, ut illi resistat Deus. 'Viriliter agite, confortetur cor vestrum.' Audite scripturam dicentem: 'Fili, accedens ad servitutem Dei, sta in iustitia et timore et praepara animam tuam ad temptationem.' Quam fortiter et viriliter, si viri fuissetis, pugnature eratis contra inimicos vestros, ne corpus percuteretur, tam constanter et viriliter pugnate contra diabolum, ut non vestras animas occidat per consilia et cogitationes pessimas. Iugiter clamate Deo: 'Deus, in adiutorium meum intende: Domine, ad adiuvandum me festina. Deus ne elongeris a me; Deus meus, in auxilium meum respice. Adiutor meus esto; ne derelinquas me. Adiuva me, et salvus ero.' Adtente estote, quando dicitis psalmum, quod ibi dicit et ipse vos docet: 'Psallite sapienter.' Qualiter pro vobis stetit dominus, cum in cruce staret, ita et vos sicut crucifixe state ad opus Dei, non aliud cogitetis, non loqui praesumatis, non aliquid operari. Per omnia pacifice estote, quia factus est in pace locus eius: 'Beati pacifici, quoniam filii Dei vocabuntur.' 'Sol non occidat super iracundiam vestram.' 'Pax multa diligentibus nomen tuum, Domine, et non est illis scandalum': quia nihil valet virginitas carnis, ubi habitat iracundia cordis. Et alibi scriptura dicit: Pacificos et concordes atque unanimes in domo sua Deus esse praecepit. Saluto humilitate et caritate qua debeo plus quam dici potest, licet minima et neglegens. Deum depraecor, ut vos regere, protegere et conservare dignetur et, qui vobis incipientiam, donare dignetur et perfectionem; quia non qui ceperit, sed, 'qui perseveraverit usque in finem, hic salvus erit.' Sicut nostra humilitas exultat et gaudet in Domino de vestra incipientia, ita Dominus et angeli eius laetentur de vestra conversatione et perfectione. Habes, et scio, quia habundas facultate. Da quantum potes pauperibus: thesauriza tibi thesauros in celo,' ut impleatur in te illud: 'Dispersit, dedit pauperibus, iustitia eius manet in saeculum saeculi'; sicut scriptum est: sicut aqua extinguit ignem, ita helemosina peccatum totum. Spes in Deo sit, quia scriptum est: 'Maledictus homo, qui spem suam ponit in homine.' Nulla sit de intrantibus, que non litteras discat; omnes psalterium memoriter teneant, et sicut iam dixi, hoc per omnia studete implere, quod in evangelio legitis. Ego feci quod praecepistis: transmisi exemplar de regula, quam nobis beate et sancte recordationis domnus papa Caesarius fecit; vos videte, quomodo eam custodiatis. Certa sit dominans mihi karitas vestra, quia, si secundum eam vixeritis, inter sapientes virgines locum accipietis, et introducet vos Dominus in regnum suum, et percipietis 'quod nec oculus vidit nec auris audivit nec in cor hominis ascendit, que praeparavit Dominus diligentibus se' in regione vivorum, ubi exultabunt sancti in gloria, ubi gaudentes et exultantes in Domino dicetis: 'Fecit nobis magna, qui potens est, et sanctum nomen eius'; et illud: 'Eduxit populum suum in exultatione et electos suos in laeticia': ad quam vos Dominus immaculatas faciat pervenire, qui regnat in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Pervenit ad me quod nimis abstineas. Totum rationabiliter fac, si tu mihi vivas et semper possis. Nam si per istam nimietatem ceperis infirmari, postea, quod Deus non faciat, necesse tibi erit, delicias requirere et extra horam accipere, et non poteris illas benedictas regere. Audi, quod dominus in evangelio dicat: 'Non quod intrat in os, quo inquinat hominem'; et apostolus: 'Rationabile sit obsequium vestrum.' Totum sic fac, domina, quomodo in regula habes quam expetisti, ut benedicatur et collaudetur Deus de tua bona conversatione, et sis forma fidelium, quia, 'qui fecerit et docuerit, hic magnus vocabitur in regno celorum.' Gaudete ergo et exultate in Domino, venerabiles in Christo sorores, et gratias illi iugiter agite, qui vos de tenebrosa huius saeculi conversatione ad portum quietis et religionis vocare dignatus est. Cogitate iugiter, unde existis et ubi pervenire meruistis. Reliquistis fideliter mundi tenebras et lucem Christi feliciter videre cepistis. Contempsistis libidinis incendium et ad castitatis refrigerium pervenistis; et quia vobis usque ad exitum vite non deerit pugna, quantum estis secure de praeteritis, tantum estote sollicite de futuris; omnia enim peccata vel crimina cito ad nos revertuntur, si non cotidie bonis operibus expugnentur. Audite apostolum Petrum dicentem: 'Sobrii estote et vigilate, quia adversarius vester, diabolus, tamquam leo rugiens circuit, querens quem devoret.' Quamdiu in hoc corpore vivimus, die noctuque, Christo domino adiutore vel duce, contra diabolum repugnemus. Sunt aliquante neglegentes vel tepide, que putant, quod illis sufficiat vestem mutasse. Vestes enim seculare deponere et religiosas assumere, unius hore momento possumus; mores vero bonorum iugiter retinere, quamdiu vivimus, Christo adiutore, laborare debemus. Omnis anima, que religionem servare desiderat, gulam, concupiscentiam et ebrietatem vitare tota fidei virtute contendat ita, ut nec prae nimia abstinentia corpus illius debilitetur nec per deliciarum habundantiam ad luxuriam provocetur. Lectiones divinas iugiter aut legite aut audite, quia ipse sunt ornamenta anime; ex ipsis praetiosas margaritas auribus vestris appendite, ex ipsis anulos et dextralia. Dum bona opera iugiter exercetis, his ornamentis decoramini. Que vero religionem in maculato corde desiderat custodire, ut immaculata in conspectu Dei ambulet, in publico aut numquam aut difficile procedat. Familiaritates virorum omnino, quantum potestis, rarius habete, si castitatem custodire desideratis; nec dicat aliquis: 'Sufficiat mihi conscientia mea; dicat sibi quisque de me quod voluerit.' Misera et satis odibilis est Deo ista excusatio. Ecce secura es tu de conscientia tua; numquid illius conscientiam vides, cum quo loqueris? Certissime sciatis, quia femina, que virorum familiaritatem non vitaverit, aut se aut alium cito perdet. Contra reliqua vitia oportet nos omni virtute resistere; libidinem vero non potes expugnare, nisi virorum consortium fugeris. Si nobiles nate estis, magis de religionis humilitate, quam de saeculi dignitate gaudete; audite dominum dicentem: 'Si quis reliquerit omnia et sequutus me fuerit, centuplum recipiet et vitam eternam possidebit.' Si qua vero ex paupertate convertitur, Deo gratias agat, qui animas pauperum salvas faciet et qui liberavit eas de impedimentis mundi: 'Divites eguerunt et esurierunt, inquirentes autem Dominum non deficient omni bono.' Omnes vos amate, si vultis, ut Deus habitet in cordibus vestris, quia scriptum est: 'Qui odit fratrem aut sororem suam, in tenebris est et in tenebris ambulat et nescit quo eat, quia tenebre obcecaverunt oculos eius.' Sunt forte alique, que facultates suas parentibus derelinquant et se exinde exheredent; audiant dominum dicentem: “Vendite que possidetis et date elemosinam et ecce omnia munda sunt vobis.” “Dispersit, dedit pauperibus, justicia eius manet in saeculum saeculi.” Currite fideliter, ut possitis feliciter pervenire et stare laetantes et exultantes in conspectu domini Dei nostri, qui vos dignatus est inter oves pascue sue eligere; et in regno suo sicut in terrestri ministerio, ita in celestibus sedibus collocari praestet, qui regnat in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Historical context:

When Radegund founded her house at Poitiers, she and Richild asked Caesaria of Arles for the Rule which bishop Caesarius of Arles had written earlier for his sister, also named Caesaria. The later Caesaria sent the Rule along with many pieces of advice and scriptural quotations.

Authenticity:

For information about arguments over the authenticity of the letter, see See Jo Ann McNamara,  Sainted Women of the Dark Ages (Durham:  Duke, 1992), 112-13.

Printed source:

MGH, 7, Epistolae Aevi Merowingici Collectae, 450-53, ep.11.

Date:

c.550