Obedience is a holy bond. It binds the soul to God and the body to Jesus and the five senses to the Holy Spirit. The longer it binds, the more the soul loves. The less the body preserves itself, the fairer its works shine before God and before people of good will.
Prologue to the Lux Divinitatis
1. Revelationes Gertrudianae ac Mechtildianae, ed. Solesmes Monks (Louis Paquelin), 2 vols. (Poitiers and Paris: Oudin, 1875-77); Vol. 2: Sororis Mechtildis Lux divinitatis, pp. 435-37. Hereafter referred to as Rev. I and II.
2. This Heinrich cannot be Heinrich of Halle, Mechthild's longtime spiritual advisor, who died before the translation was undertaken. Because of the consistency in style between this prologue and the text of the Lux div., Neumann concludes that this Heinrich, a lector in the Dominican house in Halle, is responsible for both (1964, 193-94).
3. Satan's "body" signifies his follower and provides a parallel to "Christ and his church."
4. Historical and mystical indicate that the book should be read on more than one level, as was the common way of reading the Bible, which was often said to have four senses or meanings: literal or historical, allegorical, anagogical, and mystical. As used here, mystical seems to comprise all those ways of interpreting that are not literal or historical.
5. Cf. Liber specialis gratiae, Mechthild of Hackeborn in Rev. II, 11 42; V 3, 3; and Legatus divinaepietatis, Gertrud the Great in Rev. I, V 7.
6. The rest of the prologue, which continues for a few pages, is comprised almost entirely of quotations taken from various parts of the Lux div.
Latin Foreword with Table of Contents and Middle High German Translation
1. This foreword precedes the text of the FL. A later hand has added in German the heading "Concerning the Revelations of a Loving Soul." About the author of the Latin foreward it can be said that he struggled to write it in Latin (the final paragraph is in Middle High German); that he wrote it about 1270 and was familiar only with Books I-V; and that his index of subjects, which he takes imperfectly from the chapter headings, shows him to be careless and superficial. See Neumann 1964, 180-83.
2. The Latin word inspiratus literally says that the book was "breathed into" its human author by the Lord through grace.
3. The Latin word conscriptus seems to refer less to writing as done by an author than to the acts of compiling or writing down something being dictated. See Neumann 1964, 183-84.
4. Neumann (1964, 182-83) believes that this final thought about reading the book nine times, etc., was added about the middle of the fourteenth century.
Book I
1. The first paragraph of this prologue, which is best understood as an introduction to FL as a whole, has been pieced together from sentences coming later in the text. Neumann credits these lines to the compiler or editor (1964, 182-83). The first part ("This book... standing") is taken from V 34, 41-43; N I 195. The second part ("and it... me alone") is taken from 11 26, 11; N I 68. The third part ("and proclaims ... intimacy") is modeled on 11 26, 15-16; N I 68. Unlike the concluding sentence ("All who... nine times"), which Neumann considers to be, both here and in the Latin prologue to FL, a mid-fourteenth-century addition, these lines are also found at the beginning of the Lux div. and hence were part of the book before Mechthild's death. Because these lines are preceded by the statement that God himself speaks the words of the book and, more importantly, because the words are spoken by our Lord (V 34), or God (11 26), in their original context, the "I," "me," and "my intimacy" must be taken to refer to God and not to Mechthild.
2. Given the context, it is most likely that "religious people" means primarily members of the clergy and religious orders.
3. That is, the pillars of the church.
4. An example of clever wordplay gets lost in the translation: gemachet and unmaht. The word gemachet (made) recalls God's maht (might or power). Thus his unmaht (un-might) is his powerlessness to withhold the gift of making the book.
5. This chapter is a fine example of Mechthild's appropriation of the language and conventions of courtly-love poetry for her purposes. The dialogue was a popular device in courtly-love poetry. Here it is combined with allegory: in courtly fashion the soul (queen) converses with the allegorical figure Lady Love. Love is addressed as frouwe minne and the soul as frouwe kfineginne. However, though each uses frouwe (lady or mistress) in addressing the other, they are not equals, as the course of the dialogue makes clear. As to rank, the soul is superior and, when Lady Love uses frouwe in addressing her, frouwe retains much of its original meaning as the feminine equivalent of lord, or one's feudal master. Thus, I have chosen to renderfrouwe kicneginne with "my Mistress and Queen," which is meant to convey the deference Love shows the soul. Emotionally, however, the roles are reversed. Clearly the soul is utterly dependent on Lady Love, who is, of course, divine love in both senses-the soul's love for God and God's love for the soul, which is the soul's reward for having given up everything for God. When the soul addresses Love as frouwe, she is acknowledging the latter's nobility. Hence the more usual translation "Lady" seems appropriate. As the course of the dialogue reveals, however, the soul has surrendered everything to divine love. Hence the more radical dependence is that of the soul on Lady Love. This dependence is conveyed to the audience in part by the soul's using frouwe to address her.
6. As becomes clear through the word hundredfold and Lady Love's statement that the soul can demand God and his kingdom in return for leaving everything, the scriptural context for this dialogue is Matthew 19:27-29.
7. In this chapter Mechthild offers us a poetic description of mystical union or the experience of ecstasy, which she calls God's greeting. One is left with the impression, however, that she is not recounting one specific event in her life but rather is giving a generic description of such experiences.
8. In order not to offend against orthodoxy in describing ecstasy, one could not imply a complete separation of body and soul. For more on this, see Schmidt, note 13, p. 347.
9. The predicate of this sentence is Neumann's not completely convincing attempt to save a corrupt passage. See note to I 2, 13; N 11 5.
10. In addition to "laments" the ms seems to suggest "recognizes" as a possibility as well. See note to I 2, 23; N 11 6.
11. "Raised up" (verzogen) alludes to her having been raised up, like Paul, in ecstasy or rapture. Cf. 2 Cor 12:2-4.
12. In the Song of Songs the bride is frequently called a dove by the bridegroom. Cf. Sg 2:14; 5:2; and 6:9.
13. From what follows it seems that the "master of the house" is the body to whom the soul is unhappily married. A nasty spat ensues when the soul returns from her tryst.
14. This calls to mind a poem by Walther von der Vogelweide, "Nemt, frouwe, disen kranz," in which the speaker of the poem is dreaming of a love encounter and is so elated that he laughs, wakes himself up, and thus spoils the dream. Perhaps Mechthild is alluding to this poem.
15. That is, to me, Mechthild.
16. Mechthild's oxymoron, that she wishes to "die living" to describe ecstatic union, may be in imitation of Gottfried of Strassburg who, in his narrative Tristan, often similarly juxtaposes love, life, and death.
17. Mechthild repeats this theme of "blind saints... who love and do not know" in a varied form in I 20 below.
18. Many themes and images occurring in this chapter are similar to themes and images in the Song of Songs; examples include the beating and wounding of the beloved (5:7), the bed of love (3:1), and love sickness (2:5 and 5:8).
19. This translates Neumann's rendering of the sentence and implies that the soul wishes that love kill her. This fits well with the lovedeath thoughts of the previous chapter. The punctuation in Morel's edition elicits the following translation: "Am I not going to be killed by your hand? Then it would be better if I had never known you."
20. During the offertory of the mass a drop of water is added to the wine in the chalice and loses itself in the wine. Mechthild is no doubt alluding to this. The passage also recalls Bernard
of Clairvaux's discussion of union with God in On Loving God 10.28.
21. The German title differs markedly from the Latin title in the Lux div. (De collatione anime et corporis). Neumann (note to I 5, 1; N 11 9) takes this as an indication of an early corruption.
22. Paul (Rom 9:3) expresses similar sentiments.
23. Cf. I 2 and note 7 above.
24. The most influential thinker on the doctrine of angels in the Middle Ages was Pseudo-Dionysius, who divided them into nine ranks or choirs. Beginning with the highest rank, these are Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels.
25. The speaker is presumably the Lord.
26. That is, free of bitterness or rancor.
27. Chapters 12-21 bear resemblances to two types of poems occurring in courtly-love poetry: the dialogue and the Wechsel (exchange). The dialogue is a conversation between lovers who talk to each other directly. Chapters 14-15 seem the clearest example of this. The Wechsel consists of two or more loosely connected strophes. The lovers do not address each other directly but speak of what they share: their love, for example, or a common experience. Though the logical connection between the strophes is weak, each speaker speaks a kind of monologue that the reader intuitively refers to the other speaker. Many of these chapters may be thought of as part of a Wechsel.
28. For an interesting study of this passage, see Paul Michel, "Dutch die bilde uber bilde: Zur Bildgestaltung bei Mechthild von Magdeburg," In Abendlandische Mystik im Mittelalter, Symposion Kloster Engelberg, ed. Kurt Ruh (Stuttgart: Metzler, 1986), 509-26.
29. Cf. the frequent similar references to fragrance in the first chapter of the Song of Songs.
30. Cf. Sg 1:13.
31. The word I have rendered "protection" (sicherheit) means, among other things, the oath of submission that a knight conquered in single combat, if he is to avoid being killed, must swear to the knight who has bested him. In view of the preceding phrase ("defeat and retreat"), the soul might well be admitting that she has been conquered by divine love, to which she then utterly submits in order to stand under its protection.
32. Schmidt (note 20, p. 349) points out the similarity of this thought to one occurring in William of St. Thierry, to the effect that one needs two eyes to know God: love and knowledge. One eye, working alone, does not suffice.
33. Jubilus is a Latin word used here and in other spiritual writings of the age to signify rapture or ecstasy in which the soul is raised up above all earthly things. It is interesting to note that Mechthild uses it here for the state or condition of the Trinity as it creates the human soul.
34. Here begins a long series containing a good number of mystical paradoxes, which caused the copyists much difficulty, as is evidenced by the number of corruptions and questionable passages. Neumann is quite aware that he has not been able to restore the original wording in every case. Cf. note to I 22, 12-34; N 11 14.
35. Despite the attempts of others to replace "experiences" (ervert) with something else, Neumann decided to retain it from ms E.One suggested substitution is erwert (= enwirdet: becomes nothing, is annihilated). Cf. note to 1 22, 13; N 11 14-15.
36. All editors assume a lacuna here and in the other instances in this passage where ellipsis points occur.
37. That is, the deeper she dwells in infinite God.
38. The Middle High German word eigen, which I have translated by "own," means more than simply belonging to someone. When used with reference to a person it implies the status of an unfree serf (eigenman=serf). Thus God here becomes the unfree serf or slave of the soul.
39. That is, in the Trinity.
40. The red wine of Christ's suffering restores the health of the soul.
41. In the original, for purposes of rhyme (lust-brust), the singular (breast) occurs.
42. Schmidt (note 24, p. 351) calls attention to the long tradition, beginning with early ecclesiastical writers, according to which Mother Church (ecclesia) suckles Christians. See also Caroline Bynum's treatment of this theme in her Jesus as Mother: Studies in the Spirituality of the High Middle Ages (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1982).
43. Chapters 23 and 24 offer another example of dialogue similar to that found in courtly lyric poetry.
44. Neumann finds this sentence puzzling and possibly corrupt. Though he does not emend it, he considers emendations that would make it mean: 1. His (Christ's) life died out of love for you. Or: 2. Your lover (Christ) died out of love for you. Cf. note to 1 28, 5; N 11 19.
45. "Death... life": the usual order (life-death) is reversed here because of assonance rhyme (beliben-libe).
46. Neumann (note to I 29, 2; N 11 19) attributes the final phrase, "in Twenty-Three Steps of the Cross," to Heinrich of Halle's sense of order. The Lux div. introduces this chapter with the following narrative: "One day, when the sisters all hastened off to hear the word of God, Sister Mechthild remained behind alone, shut up in a small room. She began to lament sorely and to be sad, saying in her heart: `Woe is me, Lord, that I, poor wretch, because of my infirmity am not strong enough to be present to hear your word.' Soon there appeared the Consoler of those who grieve in the habit of the Dominicans, and he said to her: `Look at me, my bride, and see."'
47. This phrase is in Latin in the text: Vide me, sponsa!
48. These are the hours at which the corresponding parts of the Divine Office are sung.
49. The charm of this chapter rests largely on the fact that each line has interior rhyme.
50. The Lux div. adds here: "The holy woman used to sing these seven phrases to the Lord when her body was weakened by sickness or in ardor of the spirit or in the delight of longing love."
51. Nothingness (das niht) and somethingness (das iht) are staples of the vocabulary of later mystics, especially of Meister Eckhart. Here we find a clear indication that they predate Eckhart's innovative influence on vernacular mystical vocabulary.
52. This is most likely a reference to the standard interpretation of the story of Martha and Mary (Lk 10:38-42), in which Jesus chides Martha for being too busy and worried regarding everyday matters and praises Mary's contemplative focus on what alone is truly necessary.
53. Chapters 36 and 37 present us with another example of Mechthild's employment of a device related to the dialogue form of courtly lyric poetry.
54. The deer and the eagle are traditional animal symbols of the contemplative soul based on Psalms 41:2 and 102:5, respectively.
55. These last sentences continue the allegory: the woods are the companionship of holy people; the nightingale is union with God; and the voice of the birds is holy knowledge.
56. I have chosen to follow Schmidt here and have translated "to circle higher." Cf. Schmidt, note 37, p. 354. Neumann (note to I 44, 36; N II 23-24) seems to conclude that the original phrase meant "to crawl/creep further."
57. That is: I will accompany you willingly, I depart from you in sadness.
58. Neumann (note to I 44, 62; N 11 24) is of the opinion that Mary's milk is unnatural because of its miraculous origin, which Mechthild explains in detail in V 23 below.
59. This is Neumann's proposed reading of a very problematic sentence. See note to I 44, 74 f.; N 11 25-26.
60. The original has: "ir sint so sere genattirt in mich" (I 44, 82; N 31). This translates literally as: "You are so very natured into me." This line serves as the culmination of Mechthild's play with "nature" in this chapter. For more of her thoughts on the nature of the soul, see VI 31 below.
61. This coyness is reminiscent of passages in courtly poetry: the poet of the Nibelungenlied, for example, discreetly refuses to reveal explicitly to his audience the joys of Siegfried and Kriemhild on their wedding night; and the girl in Walther von der Vogelweide's Under der linden hopes no one finds out what happened when she met with her lover.
62. Courtly poetry often plays with the paradox of lovers being inseparable, even when they must leave each other.
63. The names of these feas
t days may have been added to the original text by a later hand. Cf. note to I 45, 3-18; N 11 27.
64. Cf. Rv 12:1.
65. Schmidt (note 45, p. 357) points out the frequent occurrence in the Bible of images of grapes, wine, and the wine press, usually referring to a process of transformation. Cf. Lam 1:15; Is 5:2 and 63:3; Prv 3:10; Mt 21:33; and Rv 14:20.
66. Hartmann von Aue in the prologue to Gregorius (11. 97-143) gives an allegorical interpretation of the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37). The oil and wine the Samaritan pours on the wounds of the robbers' victim are taken to be the balm (oil) of mercy or grace and the stinging antiseptic (wine) of the law or justice, which requires penitence and penance.
67. These words are in Latin in the text: "Veni, dilecta mea, veni, coronaberis!" As Neumann (note to I 46, 51 f.; N 11 28-29) points out, these words, taken from Song of Songs 4:8, were sung during the consecration of a virgin, a ritual in Mechthild's time not exclusively reserved for the ceremony of nuns' professing their vows but allowed also to women living outside the cloister, such as beguines.
68. I have used "religious" to translate geistliche here. It seems to indicate priests and members of religious orders, but perhaps it is not restricted to such in this context. Cf. Book I, note 2 above.
Book II
1. The toils Mechthild has in mind are most likely extreme acts of asceticism.
2. The phrase "with separation" possibly indicates that God and creatures retain their separateness even in special intimacy.
3. The uninterrupted bliss of the soul in heaven after death would be more than a human being on earth could endure.
4. That is, the nine choirs of angels mentioned in I 6 above.
5. The thought seems to be that it was a good idea for God to put Mary, the pinnacle of his creation, next to his throne. The archangels, surprised to see mere human beings above them in heaven, cannot quibble about someone as perfect as Mary being above them.
The Flowing Light of the Godhead Page 29