A letter from Radegund of Thuringia (568-69)

Translated letter:

To the August Justin and Sophia The highest glory of the father, son, and nourishing spirit, one god to be adored in this trinity, majesty, triple person, simple substance, equal consort and coeval with itself, one force remaining the same, one power in three (which the father begetting , the spirit enables), indeed distinct in persons, joined in vigor, of one nature, equal in strength, light, throne, the trinity was always with him, ruling without time, lacking no use nor capable by seizing. 10 Highest glory to you, creator of things and redeemer, who, just, gives Justin headship in the world. He claims, properly, the dominant fortress over kings, who pleases the heavenly king by serving. How deservedly he rules Rome and the Roman world who follows what the dogma says from the cathedra of Peter, what Paul sang far and wide, with one trumpet to thousands, to heathens and the senseless he poured out salt from his mouth, whose four-sided axle the wheel of his tongue circled, cold hearts are warm from the faith of his eloquence. 20 Highest glory to you, creator of things and redeemer, who, just, gives Justin headship in the world. Strengthened, the disturbed faith of the church shines again and venerable law returns to its former place. Give back your vows to God, since the new purple holds whatever the council of Chalcedon established. Gaul sings this to your merits, Augustus, the Rhone, the Rhine, the Danube, the Elbe do. Beneath the western axle Galicia heard the deed, Biscayne brought it to the nearby Basques. 30 The pious fable runs to the farthest people of the faith and the British land across the ocean is favorable. How well, lover, do you share the care with the lord! You make his causes yours, he makes yours his. Christ gives you the power, you give Christ the honor: he gives the summit, you give back the faith. There was nothing more on earth that he might give to be ruled, nor more that you could give back than nourishing faith is strong. Fathers sent into exile for the name of Christ then came back, with the diadem to you. 40 Released from prison, residing in the former seat, hold you to be one general good. Curing so many sorrows of the confessors, you come as a healing to innumerable people. Thrace, Italy, Scythia, Phryx(1), Dacia, Dalmatia, Thessaly, Africa, what was worthy of the fatherland now makes vows to you. This your praise, prince, runs in the world with the sun: where there is mankind, there your honor enters. Highest glory to you, creator of things and redeemer, who, just, gives Justin headship in the world. 50 Comparable in merits, spouse with happy years, lofty Sophia attains the august rank. Who cultivated holy places with pious drive, adorns with love and makes herself approach heaven with this vow. Whose most excellent faith gleaming from the axle of the east sent shining gifts to the west for god: when queen Radegund of Thuringia asked, she offered sacred gifts of the desired cross, on which Christ, deigning in assumed flesh hung and washed our wounds with his blood. 60 Highest glory to you, creator of things and redeemer, that lofty Sophia holds the august rank. O piety, watering here from the benign fountain whose love of Christ pours out faith everywhere! Behold, with equal vow, Augustus, you both struggle: she conquers her sex, he his; the man replays Constantine, the pious woman Helena; as similar honor, so the same love of the cross. She finds the power, you disperse salvation everywhere, she fills the west with what was formerly east. 70 Highest glory to you, creator of things and redeemer, that lofty Sophia holds the august rank. Through you the cross of the lord claims the whole world for itself: where it was unknown, in this way it is seen. The greater faith of Christ reached people when visible hope sees the power of salvation, faith is doubled to the senses, with your gift souls believe more what they examine with the cross as witness. Here Augusta is reaping, what the apostle urges with the plow: you with wood, he with the word, you make the field rejoice. 80 Fame already favors this which tends to the north, west and east wage war by mouth with you. There the Roman, here the praise of barbarians, German, Dutch, Basque, British. May you flourish equal with the cross, Augusta, through the ages, who make vows increase in the farthest places. This the suppliant Radegund adores prostrate and asks long times for your empire, and joined with her sisters, watering with tears, desires that your faith reap wide joys. 90 May you remain a happy spouse with prince Justin girded with sacred patrician rank, Sophia. Romula ruling the kingdoms, may you bestow its laws on the senate and the people wearing the robes of state cherish you as their lady. May God add the highest vows to happy vows nor let perish in you what Radegund loves, which she begs with diligent song and poured dust, that the heights remains yours for long times. In vow, spirit, sense, zeal, always doing good, May his care be yours, may he be mindful of you. 100

Original letter:

Ad Iustinum et Sophiam Augustos Gloria summa patris natique ac spiritus almi, unus adorandus hac trinitate deus, maiestas, persona triplex, substantia simplex, aequalis consors atque coaeva sibi, virtus una manens idem, tribus una potestas (quae pater haec genitus, spiritus ipsa potest), personis distincta quidem, coniuncta vigore, naturae unius, par ope luce throno, secum semper erat trinitas, sine tempore regnans, nullius usus egens nec capiendo capax. 10 gloria summa tibi, rerum sator atque redemptor, qui das Iustinum iustus in orbe caput. rite super reges dominantem vindicat arcem caelesti regi qui famulando placet. quam merito Romae Romanoque imperat orbi qui sequitur quod ait dogma cathedra Petri, quod cecinit Paulus passim, tuba milibus una, gentibus et stupidis fudit ab ore salem, cuius quadratum linguae rota circuit axem eloquiique fide frigida corda calent. 20 gloria summa tibi, rerum sator atque redemptor, qui das Iustinum iustus in orbe caput. ecclesiae turbata fides solidata refulget et redit ad priscum lex veneranda locum. reddite vota deo, quoniam nova purpura quidquid concilium statuit Calchedonense tenet. hoc meritis, Auguste, tuis et Gallia cantat, hoc Rhodanus, Rhenus, Hister et Albis agit. axe sub occiduo audivit Gallicia factum, Vascone vicino Cantaber ista refert. 30 currit ad extremas fidei pia fabula gentes et trans Oceanum terra Britanna favet. quam bene cum domino curam partiris amator! ille tuas causas, tu facis ecce suas. det tibi Christus opem, tu Christo solvis honorem: ille dedit culmen, reddis et ipse fidem. nil fuit in terris quod plus daret ille regendum, nec quod plus reddas quam valet alma fides. exilio positi patres pro nomine Christi tunc rediere sibi, cum diadema tibi. 40 carcere laxati, residentes sede priore esse ferunt unum te generale bonum. tot confessorum sanans, Auguste, dolores innumeris populis una medella venis. Thrax Italus Scytha Phryx Daca Dalmata Thessalus Afer quod patriam meruit nunc tibi vota facit. haec tua laus, princeps, cum sole cucurrit in orbe: quo genus est hominum huc tuus intrat honor. gloria summa tibi, rerum sator atque redemptor, qui das Iustinum iustus in orbe caput. 50 Cui meritis compar nubens felicibus annis obtinet augustum celsa Sophia gradum. quae loca sancta pio fixo colit, ornat amore et facit hoc voto se propiare polo. cuius opima fides Orientis ab axe coruscans misit ad Occasum fulgida dona deo: regina poscente sibi Radegunde Thoringa praebuit optatae munera sacra crucis, qua Christus dignans assumpta in carne pependit atque cruore suo vulnera nostra lavit. 60 gloria summa tibi, rerum sator atque redemptor, quod tenet augustum celsa Sophia gradum. o pietas huc usque rigans de fonte benigno, cuius amor Christi fundit ubique fidem! ecce pari voto, Augusti, certatis utrimque: ipsa tuum sexum subrigis, ille suum; vir Constantinum, Helenam pia femina reddis: sicut honor similis, sic amor ipse crucis. illa invenit opem, tu spargis ubique salutem, implet et Occasum quod prius Ortus erat. 70 gloria summa tibi, rerum sator atque redemptor, quod tenet augustum celsa Sophia gradum. per te crux domini totum sibi vindicat orbem: quo nescita fuit, hoc modo visa tegit. accessit genti maior fiducia Christi, quando salutis opem spes oculata videt, sensibus et duplicata fides, cum munere vestro plus animae credant quod cruce teste probant. hoc Augusta colens, quod apostolus, instat aratro: tu ligno, hic verbo laetificatis agrum. 80 haec iam fama favet qua se septentrio tendit, Ortus et Occasus militat ore tibi. illinc Romanus, hinc laudes barbarus ipse, Germanus Batavus Vasco Britannus agit. pars tua cum cruce sit florens, Augusta, per aevum, cui facis extremis crescere vota locis. hanc prostrata solo supplex Radegundis adorat et vestro imperio tempora longa rogat, atque rigans lacrimis coniuncta sororibus optat, ut hinc vestra fides gaudia larga metat. 90 felix Iustino maneas cum principe coniunx ordine patricio cincta, Sophia, sacro. Romula regna regens tribuas sua iura senatu teque sibi dominam plebs trabeata colat. vota superna deus votis felicibus addat nec vobis pereat quod Radegundis amat, assiduo cantu quae pulvere fusa precatur, temporibus largis ut tibi constet apex. voto animo sensu studio bona semper agendo sit tibi cura sui, sit memor ille tui. 100

Historical context:

Radegund asked the imperial couple to send her a relic from the cross, in a letter which was carried by an official of King Sigebert along with letters from the king. The relics they sent were installed in her monastery in 569, in honor of which Fortunatus composed the hymns "Vexilla regis prodeunt" and "Pange lingua gloriosi" (JoAnn McNamara, Sainted Women of the Middle Ages (Durham: Duke University, 1984), 63. This poem, along with the two other extant poems of Radegund, has been attributed to Fortunatus and is published in an appendix to his works, but since Fortunatus himself talks about the poems Radegund wrote and she inscribes her name in these, I see no good reason to deny her authorship of them.

Scholarly notes:

1 The Phryx is a river in Ionia.

Printed source:

Venanti Fortunati Opera Poetica, ed. Fridericus Leo (Berlin: Weidmann, 1881), Appendix, 275-78.

Date:

568-69