The second vision in the first part of the Book of Divine Works is a vision whose central place is occupied by the figure of a man. Around him moves the universe with its inscrutable spaces, its stars, its winds, its elements. God composed the world with the elements, strengthened it with the winds, illuminated it with the stars and filled it with all other creatures. He placed man within it, surrounded and protected by the strength of all creatures, so that he could be helped by them in his works. The body of the world appears within a wheel, because divinity is like a wheel in its foreknowledge and action, which has no beginning and no end, because it is timeless. Just as the circle includes everything within its circumference, so divinity includes and dominates everything. The winds are the forces that blow upon man and guide his actions. The planets are the gifts of the Holy Spirit that come to the aid of man shaken by the winds and strengthen him in the right direction to follow.
The summary of this vision is divided into three sections:
- The wheel and the circles
- The winds
- The stars and the clouds
THE WHEEL AND THE CIRCLES
The luminous fire
Within the wheel is the first circle, resembling a luminous fire. It is superior to the other elements because it indicates the divine power that administers the joy of its light to all creatures and gives life to everything.
Black fire
Below, there is another circle, that of black fire. This is the fire of judgment for our evil deeds, which are the source of our suffering and pain, also represented in the calamities of nature. When we oppose God, we live in darkness and suffering and deprive ourselves of the joy of His love, of His life. Now, the circle of bright fire surrounding and dominating the black fire is twice as thick, because God’s grace and mercy are far greater than the evil that man can commit, and man would not exist without divine help.
The pure ether
Then there is the pure ether: man purifies himself of his sins through penance inspired by the divine grace of the luminous fire and the fear of black fire, ensuring the stability and balance of the universe. It is repentance that purifies man, bringing the dangers of nature back into balance and defending him from black fire. It has the same magnitude as the other two circles, because grace inspires repentance and penance that purifies from evil.
The moist air
The next, the same size as the bright fire, is a circle of moist air. These are the holy works of the righteous, which are like transparent water that washes and cleanses. They are inspired by the fire of the Holy Spirit.
Strong, white and luminous air
Underneath is a circle of strong, white and bright air, as tense as the nerves of the human body. This is the right size to avoid excessive contrition, otherwise the waters would dangerously pour out their rigor. This circle is the same thickness as the black fire, because we must not exceed in suppressing evil.
Light air
Then, a circle of light air, like man’s breath rising and falling without detaching from him. This is the balance between the sky and the clouds, which sometimes rise to the bright sky and sometimes descend to the earth and become darker, like the man who aspires to heaven, but also has to deal with earthly affairs that often disturb him. This circle is spread throughout the wheel; it is the subtlety of righteousness and its balance, which is not separated from the virtues inspired by the Holy Spirit. The spirit turned toward God is enlightened, but when it is forced to adhere to earth, while trusting in divine power, it rains tears, aspiring for heaven.
The line of separation
A line separates the northern region because the sun does not penetrate it, just as good deeds are separated from bad ones. So the two luminaries, the sun and the moon, signify man’s knowledge of good and evil. Just as the firmament is made stable by the sun and moon, so man moves within the limits of the knowledge of good and evil. Like the sun, the science of good completes its course without desiring evil, without diminishing, but counteracting the bad science that grows and diminishes, like the moon, despising the good science while knowing it.
THE WINDS
Man is at the center of the structure of the world, because although he is small, he is great by virtue of the soul that makes him in the image of God. So it is the soul that must rule the body, because it is more powerful than the body. In the vision, therefore, just as man is surrounded by the forces of nature, so these represent the forces of the soul by which man governs his body. As man sees all creatures with his eyes, so through faith he perceives God everywhere and knows Him through creatures when he understands that He is their creator.
The human figure in the vision lies within a wheel that he touches at the four points corresponding to the head, the feet, the right and the left hand. These four points correspond to the four cardinal points, from which four main winds and eight side winds, intermediate between the four directions, blow. At the four cardinal points, Hildegard contemplated four animal heads that express the forces of the four winds blowing toward man.
Now, the wind, the breath, evokes the spirit, the spiritual life in constant motion, in perpetual transformation.
Thus, in his interaction with the world, man is at the crossroads of different kinds of temptations, and this is his difficulty in handling the affairs of this world. He is subject to different influences, exposed to different winds that are similar to the attitude of different wild beasts. Each wind is therefore represented by the image of an animal. When man suddenly has the sensation of God’s presence near him, he perceives his littleness, his faults appear to him and he feels frightened; it is as if a leopard-shaped wind arises; if it is the fear of the sufferings of hell, it is as if a wolf blows on him; if he fears God’s judgment, this wind is like a lion; if torments of the body assail him, anguish, this wind is like a bear.
So here are the four main winds with their directions, associated with the animal images. All these winds blow inward toward the man, one above his head, the other under his feet, to his right and to his left (to the right and left of the man, not of the beholder):
East (top): the leopard represents the feeling of being in the presence of God, and the resulting breath is that of contrition. In God’s presence, man feels frightened because his sins appear to him in comparison to God’s immense love, and he repents for his lack of love.
West (bottom): the wolf evokes fear of the pains of hell; the breath coming out of its mouth inspires contrition because of the fear of the pains.
South (right arm): the lion represents the majesty of God’s judgment, His righteous decisions, and inspires man to seek justice and fairness because he knows that his actions are subject to God’s gaze.
North (left arm): the bear reveals the fragility of human nature. When man is affected by the torments and anguish of the body, he realizes how small he really is, and the bear’s breath inspires him with humility.
Then come the side winds, the virtues:
East Southeast : crab trust, claw hope and doubt, breath constancy
East Northeast : deer faith, breath holiness
West Southeast : crab trust, claws hope and doubt, breath constancy
West Southwest : deer faith, breath holiness
South Southeast : lamb patience, breath meekness
South Southwest : snake prudence, breath foresight
North Northeast : lamb patience, breath meekness
Northwest : snake prudence, breath foresight
All these winds blow in man’s direction, signifying the different spiritual experiences man goes through throughout his life, what influences his life and the direction his actions take.
Here is a summary of man’s various spiritual journeys to God. In fact, the whole movement of the world has only one sense, only one direction: to lead human beings to perfect bliss, to the contemplation of God. Now, God is love, so contemplating God does not mean looking at an object external to us, but experiencing a love similar to His, as great as His. When we know Him, we will love as He loves, and He will be in us and we in Him.
The leopard (East):
The east wind comes from the pure ether (circle of purification from faults through repentance and penance). The leopard has the ferocity of the lion, but without its science, it is more delicate and weaker. The memory of bad deeds leaps to the head like a leopard. It rises into the pure ether of penance. It is then that the wind of contrition comes out of the leopard’s mouth, for it is virtue that comes out of the mouth. Extending to the right, this wind takes the form of a crab, for it whirls in all directions. In fact, the feeling of God’s presence (leopard’s) when man is prosperous leads him to trust, which moves, like the crab, with two claws: sometimes toward hope and sometimes toward doubt of being forgiven. When extended to the left, in adversity, this wind is as swift as a deer that strikes with its antlers and flees. Similarly, the feeling of God’s presence (leopard), through the trust of the crab, leads to faith, represented by the deer. In fact, we are converted to faith through bodily contrition, and the breath of constancy comes out of the mouth of the crab, that is from trust, and stops before the feeling of God’s presence so as not to commit more serious transgressions. From the mouth of the deer, which is faith, comes out holiness, which is between the leopard of the feeling of God’s presence and the bear of bodily contrition.
[Note: Hildegard’s text on the East Wind speaks of the fear of God. Now, this feeling is provoked by the fact of feeling oneself in God’s presence: on the one hand, seeing God’s infinite goodness causes great happiness; on the other hand, when we come out of contemplation and return to ourselves, we perceive our littleness and, by contrast, we see our lack of love, our faults, as shadowy areas that become clearer and more visible when the light is stronger. This instinctively causes a feeling of dismay, regret and even fear of being judged for it. But in our relationship with God, when our faults become evident, all we have to do is to appeal to His mercy that they may be forgiven, that they may disappear just as the shadow dissolves when the obstacle opposing the light is removed. Thus, when the apostles contemplated the glory of Christ’s divinity on Mount Tabor (Matt. 17:1-7), they were first transported by extreme happiness and then, when they came to their senses, they were overcome with fear and fell to the ground. But Christ did not abandon them to their fear; he immediately raised them up and said to them, “Rise, do not be afraid.” Because God’s mercy toward His children is infinite, and He raises us up every time we fall, so that we ourselves can be a full reflection of His glory. He does not want us to remain in this feeling of fear, and He raises us up immediately].
The four main winds, therefore, when tilted to the right or left, give rise to collateral winds that will be represented by other animal heads according to their characteristics. Here are the leopard’s collateral winds blowing from the east. If it tilts to the right, it gives rise to a wind represented by a crab (trust), if it tilts to the left to a wind represented by a deer (faith).
Here are the side winds of the east wind (leopard):
- East-Southeast Wind (leopard to crab): the virtue of contrition, blowing from the feeling of God’s presence (leopard) to trust (crab).
- East-Southwest wind (leopard to deer): the virtue of contrition (blows from the leopard’s mouth) moves toward faith (deer).
- East-Southeast wind to the south (from the crab to the lion): the virtue of constancy (blows from the crab’s mouth), which comes from trust (crab), aspires to the fullness of perfection, to divine judgment (lion).
- East-southwest wind to the north (from the deer to the bear): the virtue of holiness (blows from the mouth of the deer) tends to the fullness of perfection through the tribulations of the body (bear).
Spiritual reality figured by the natural element:
When the feeling of God’s presence (leopard) inspires man, he progresses in wisdom and begins to do good works through faith (deer). When he constantly trusts in God and constantly directs his thoughts toward God (crab trust), from faith (deer) he proceeds toward holiness (deer breath) by judging what is good or bad (lion) and abstaining from evil pleasures and actions (bear).
Wolf (West):
The west wind comes from the circle of moist air. The wolf coming forth is like the fear of hell’s punishments that makes men abandon earthly desires and urges them to work for good. Good deeds are like moist air. The pains of hell give birth to the wind of contrition, which goes in the direction of bodily tribulations (bears) and takes the form of the deer, that is, faith. From the mouth of the deer comes the breath of holiness. For when a human being fears the pains of hell and imposes pains on his body, depriving him of material pleasures that keep him from true happiness, then he moves toward the perfection of faith, because he believes that God will save him from the pains of hell. Holiness then arises in him, immersing him in spiritual realities and turning him away from the works of the world. On the other hand, when he undergoes, in spite of himself, bodily afflictions with God’s permission, through the wind of hellish sufferings (the wolf), deprived of the prosperities of this life, he approaches the perfection that lies between hellish punishments and divine judgment (the wolf and the lion) and attains trust (the crab). It is trust that is sometimes accompanied by hope, sometimes by doubt (the two claws of the crab). He hopes that his faults will be forgiven and at times he doubts, but the breath that comes out of the crab’s mouth is the constancy that comes from trust and little by little he no longer wavers on divine goodness. Thus, under the influence of the wind of fear of hellish suffering, the human being on the one hand does penance and attains faith (deer), the breath of which directs him toward holiness; on the other hand, trust and constancy (crab) in times of affliction bring him closer to divine good judgment. Fertilized by the Holy Spirit, the breath of God, he comes to good works, leaving behind bad ones.
Here are the side winds of the west wind (wolf):
- West-Southwest Wind (wolf to crab): from the virtue of contrition, blowing from fear of the pains of hell (wolf) toward trust (crab).
- West-Northwest Wind (wolf to deer): from the virtue of contrition (breath of the wolf’s mouth) to faith (deer).
- West-Southwest Wind to the South (from the crab to the lion): the virtue of constancy (breath of the crab’s mouth), which comes from trust (crab), aspires to the fullness of perfection, to divine judgment (lion).
- Wind from West-Northwest to North (deer to bear): the virtue of holiness (breath of the deer’s mouth) tends to the fullness of perfection through the tribulations of the body (bear).
Spiritual reality figured by the natural element:
The human being should confidently observe the rising and setting of the sun, moon and stars as signs that God has placed in the sky, and also the wind, air, earth and waters as what God created to offer to man. Thus, recognizing the work God has done for him, he could discover the dignity for which he was created, for what honor and joy God created him: he did all this for him. By despising God and his work, man acts against his own happiness and, by destroying the creature, damages himself. Faith turns him away from his evil deeds, like a plow that prepares the ground for the seeds of good deeds to bear fruit. But, having turned away from thanksgiving to God, man in his pride suffers the winds of jealousy and wrath, and conflicts separate him from the glory and joy of heaven. He is like the earth deprived of the heavenly dew of grace, of the gratuitousness of the Holy Spirit that makes him appreciate the immensity of the gift he has received. Accepting creation and creatures as a gift brings forth in us the infinite fountain of love for our neighbor, the fruitfulness of good deeds irrigated by thanksgiving, the prayer that is like a rain that produces an abundance of fruit. But under the influence of pride, anger and strife, man’s heart becomes parched and becomes a barren land, devoid of life, joy and love. Therefore, the fear of these evil winds drying up the heart should prompt man to ask God to calm the storms, to grant him what he needs for his life, to remove false knowledge from him, so that he can come to the right judgment of God’s greatness and love.
The lion (South):
The South Wind comes from bright fire to bring prosperity to human beings in the southern region. It is as strong as the lion and exerts its will forcefully, is impetuous in fire, is powerful when the days get longer, and prevents clouds from turning into rain and reduces the dangers of showers. This divine power indicates the perfection of God’s judgment, that is, His will and His decisions, which are just. Everything comes from God’s judgment; He examines everything. So we must accept every circumstance, trusting in God’s justice, accepting trials with confidence in His mercy and being prudent in prosperity.
[Note: Hildegard’s text speaks of the judgment of God, whose majesty, represented by the lion, inspires awe. How will our evil deeds be judged by God, who is perfect? We instinctively compare our meanness and selfishness with the greatness of God’s mercy. We fear his judgment and this deters us from doing an evil deed. We spontaneously fear punishment, but what the Bible reveals to us is that this divine judge is very different from the earthly judge: when we present our faults to Him with regret, He immediately grants us His forgiveness and the light of His goodness that spreads over us, transforms us and makes us like Him, for then we experience great happiness and see what joy there is in forgiveness, in reconciliation. We imagine a judge punishing evil, while He forgives it. But evil is what separates us from God, what separates us from one another. If we act wickedly toward our neighbor, we injure the bond of friendship that unites us to him, we deprive ourselves of a bond of love that gives us joy, and that is when we feel pain, because guilt itself produces its own punishment. It is not a punishment inflicted by God, but the pain of being separated from the source of all good, from love, from friendship, from the bonds of brotherhood that unite us to one another. Therefore, often in the Bible, God notices our misfortune when we have committed a bad deed against him or against our neighbor and announces this misfortune to us, but it is not He who punishes us for it; it is our action that deprives us of good and causes our suffering. This is the story of Cain and Abel, in which God does not punish Cain for the murder of his brother, but warns him of the misfortune of having deprived himself of the friendship of men and, hoping that he will find the way of repentance, that he will realize for himself the consequences of his act, protects him from the vengeance of men. For God does not want the sinner to die, but to repent and return to Him, to return to the source of love, to taste the joy of love. (See article on Cain et Abel and on The Justice of God). Now, this feeling of divine justice is not only that of fear of final judgment, but it is also the call to find out, in every moment of our lives, God’s constant invitation to discover the joy of loving. Everything that happens to us, the regret for our faults, the feeling of being deprived of love, the suffering we experience, as well as every happy experience, comes from the order that God has established in everything, in all His creation, so that everything is an opportunity for us to discover His immense goodness, generosity, and the profound justice of His judgment, that is, His will to make us partakers of His own happiness of loving. Everything is created according to His will, everything manifests His glory, the immensity of His love].
This wind, which comes from the judgment of God (lion) and extends toward the right, that is, toward the fear of the punishments of hell (wolf), takes on the nature of the serpent, which speaks softly but is insidious. Like the serpent, this wind can blow a gentle breath and, at the same time, cause strong bites. Blowing to the left, toward the east, that is, toward the feeling of God’s presence (leopard), this wind turns into a lamb, gentle and light, because it is not dangerous in these regions.
Extending to the right and left, the south wind meets the other winds and clashes occur.
Here are the side winds of the south wind (lion):
- South-Southeast wind (lion to lamb): from the virtue of justice (lion) toward patience (lamb).
- South-Southwest wind (lion to snake): from the virtue of justice (lion) to prudence (snake).
- Wind from South-Southeast to East (lamb to leopard): the virtue of meekness (blowing from the mouth of the lamb), welcomes divine decision in all things (lion), aspires to God’s presence (leopard).
- Wind from South-Southwest to West (snake to wolf): the virtue of foresight (blowing from the snake’s mouth) is related to fear of punishment from hell (bear).
Spiritual reality figured by the natural element:
The south wind and north wind convey divine decisions to their collaterals according to God’s will: the south wind with heat and floods, the north wind with the sound of thunder, hail and cold. The east and west winds invite their collaterals to carry out divine judgments without violence and with some slowness, but in summer they may bring cold or drought and in winter heat, rain or other adversity. Just as the winds hold the earth together by their force, they also have the task of making man understand what he must do. How does all this lead to the salvation of the soul?
In the sign of bright fire, which indicates divine power, we see a lion’s head, which represents God’s judgment, that is, divine justice in all things, whether in adversity or prosperity.
Therefore, this wind, which reminds man of divine righteousness, can influence man in two ways: to the man who is prosperous, it suggests the approach of a serpent advancing with prudence; to the man who is in adversity, it shows the head of a lamb, that is, the form of patience. Indeed, it is necessary for the man in prosperity to fear God’s judgment with prudence, that is, to behave justly and fairly toward others, so that he does not leave the path of truth feeling secure. On the other hand, it is necessary for man in adversity to be patient, knowing that God tolerates without showing it that the works of men take winding paths. Accepting the justice of God’s judgment, which is exercised daily in every event of our lives, the man who accepts trials with meekness and patience will emerge strengthened.
The serpent’s head, that is, prudence, appearing in the fullness of its perfection between the judgment of God and the punishments of hell, causes the breath of foresight to come out of its mouth. Indeed, if the human being, afraid of divine judgment, fears the punishments of hell with prudence, he will provide to avoid them by doing good works. In this way, through the perfection of righteousness, he is united with constancy, which arises from the crab’s head, that is, from the power of trust. Indeed, the faithful strive to be constant in order to obtain the goods that belong to eternal life.
The head of the lamb, which designates patience in the fullness of its perfection, appears between the lion of divine power and the leopard of God’s presence, and produces a breath of meekness, because in reaching the fullness of its perfection it approaches the constancy and confidence of the crab. Indeed, the blessed man, when he is patient in adversity and shows his meekness, must embrace constancy to reach his goal.
In this way, God helps direct us toward happiness through the virtues, which are also developed under the influence of the winds, that is, our fears that push us toward the true goods.
When the virtues instruct men in spiritual causes, they make them prudent in carnal causes and impel them to the fear of God. But when the virtues manifest themselves in men through the action of charity, then it appears that first they have experienced the fear of God in temporal things, but then it is through the desire for heaven, through the happy experience of the virtues that they practice them. So first man turns away from the left, which represents the pains of hell, and then it is through the love of God that he rises to the right, toward the desires of heavenly goods. Then he wears a very strong armor, because he has separated the good knowledge from the bad. Thus, God’s right hand, that is, His strength, produces this virtue so that men may know Him by faith and do His works, first of all in His fear; then, the right hand raises up through penance those who have soiled themselves in sin and, producing virtue, makes them burn insatiably with God’s love. In this way, repentance brings us back to life and we live eternally through penance, which is done out of love for God. Torn from death, we will recount the wonders of the Lord who did not abandon us to death, but snatched us from hell.
The Bear (North):
The north wind comes from black fire, which is the suffering caused by evil deeds. This wind is as dangerous to man as a bear, bringing storms. When it extends to the right, it takes on the gentleness of the lamb, and to the left it is treacherous like the serpent, for it seems to advance more slowly, but then moves with great speed.
When a wind emits its breath, it penetrates man’s body unhindered, and the soul that receives it leads it to the members of the body that have affinity with it. Therefore, as a result of the wind blowing, man receives comfort or is deprived of it. When a human being possesses the prosperity of the century, the suffering of the body comes from black fire, the fire of suffering that comes from separation from God (bear), the result of our actions through judgment. Therefore, this bodily suffering prevents the human being devoted to pleasures from advancing along this path and prompts him to desire and obtain poverty of spirit in humility. On the one hand, as he advances toward the feeling of God’s presence (leopard), he will embrace the patience of the lamb; on the other hand, as he proceeds toward the west, that is, toward the wolf of the fear of hell’s pains, he will avoid evils and imitate the prudence of the serpent. Indeed, man often attains spiritual riches by passing through tribulations of the body, through which he comes into possession of higher riches.
From the mouth of the lamb’s head comes the breath of sweetness and from the serpent’s mouth comes foresight: both exhort man to turn away from corruptible earthly things and direct his desire toward heavenly and eternal things.
Here are the side winds of the North (bear) wind:
- North-Northeast wind (bear to lamb): from bodily suffering (bear) to patience (lamb).
- North-Northwest wind (bear to snake): from bodily suffering (bear) to prudence (snake).
- Wind from the North-Northeast to the East (lamb to leopard): patience (lamb) in bodily sufferings (bear) moves toward the feeling of God’s presence (leopard) to which it aspires.
- Wind from the North-Northwest to the West (from the snake to the wolf): prudence (snake) caused by bodily suffering (bear) directs its breath (foresight) toward fear of the pains of hell (wolf).
Spiritual reality figured by the natural element:
All these principles, these forces inscribed in nature, have but one purpose: to educate man and urge him to adhere body and soul to his creator and, through him, to love rightly and eternally all his work, all his creation, giving thanks to him. Thus man, snatched from his perdition on a false path of happiness, now rises toward God with the two wings of the knowledge of good and evil, with which he subdues the left of wrong actions and with the help of the right advances along the path of righteousness.
THE PLANETS, THE STARS AND THE CLOUDS
The different winds that keep the earth and the human being in balance are in turn regulated by the movement of the planets and their influence on each wind and man. The seven planets indicate the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Each gift will help man move in the right direction and moderate the winds so that man can benefit in the right measure.
Here are the seven heavenly spheres, their positions and the direction of their rays, which correspond to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and their action on the winds and man.
First planet – Wisdom
The highest planet indicates the gift of wisdom. It is above man’s head, for it surpasses all the heights of human intelligence, and virtues are derived from it.
A ray descends toward the sun, signifying strength, so that the man who advances with perseverance along the path of holiness, guided by wisdom, can reach the end.
A ray radiates from the right claw of the crab, which comes from the leopard. The crab represents confidence inspired by a sense of the presence of the Lord (leopard). Indeed, wisdom is present to strengthen confidence in God’s mercy, when, exposed to His gaze, we might, on the contrary, remain captive to fear and misunderstand His mercy.
Another ray joins the right horn of the deer, representing faith inspired by the feeling of the Lord’s presence (leopard). In this way, wisdom acts on faith, protecting it from that which turns it away from the truth.
Second planet – Intelligence
A ray goes down toward the sun, so that the strength (sun) in the service of God is supported by intelligence, which helps us discern and renounce what is evil.
A ray goes toward the head of the lamb, which comes from the lion. The lamb indicates patience in the face of divine decisions and judgments (lion). When this patience is supported by intelligence, it teaches us to welcome both prosperity and tribulation with an equal spirit.
A ray is directed toward the line separating the northern region, the bear of bodily pain, from the rays of the sun. In this way, intelligence teaches us to guard against that which is harmful to the soul. The ray also touches the lamb of patience that emanates from the bodily afflictions indicated by the bear, because intelligence teaches us to bear the pain that serves to correct us.
Third planet – Counsel
A ray extends toward the sun, so that counsel balances strength, so that man moves toward God according to goodness and order, in a balanced way.
A ray is directed toward the head of the serpent, which comes from the lion, so that prudence (serpent) inspired by divine decisions (lion) is tempered and man does not fall into excessive mortification or penance, mistreating his body without discernment.
A ray extends to the line separating the northern and shaded regions from the sun’s rays, in the direction of the serpent (prudence), which comes from the bear of bodily punishments. This advice helps people avoid excessive pain and despair.
The Sun – Strength
A ray extends toward the leopard’s head, reminding the human being of God’s presence. The gift of strength strengthens the human being in his fear of committing an evil deed.
A ray extends toward the lion’s head, reminding man of God’s righteous decisions. The gift of strength helps the human being abandon his evil deeds.
A ray extends toward the wolf’s head, reminding the human being of the suffering caused by his evil deeds, the suffering of separation from God. The gift of strength helps the human being considering this suffering to free himself from the bad habits that shackle him.
No ray touches the bear’s head, the region of the northern shadow. The gift of strength does not exert its influence on that which is evil and drives man to evil, but only on that which depends on man’s discernment. In fact, two rays will touch man’s brain and heel.
One ray is sent to the sign of the moon, so that the fortified human being will keep himself in the presence of God and not be overcome by levity or abandon bliss.
A ray is extended to man’s brain and heel so that the spirit of strength will help him persevere in his good intention and carry it out successfully.
Fifth planet – Science
A ray rises toward the sun, so that the science that determines righteousness in action is fortified, sharpened, in determining the right choice, the right direction to take.
A ray extends to the crab’s head, coming from the wolf of fear of the penalties associated with our bad actions. Discernment operated with science, that is, with knowledge of the bad consequences associated with bad actions, in fact, is also based on the confidence (crab) that one can be cleansed of one’s faults.
A ray points toward the left crescent, the one that is setting. In this way, science supports detachment from material affairs.
Sixth planet – Love of God
A ray reaches out toward the sun, toward the spirit of strength, in order to be able to resist wickedness and persevere in love. This gift of the Holy Spirit, that of God’s love, is close to the moon, that is, the feeling that everything comes from God. The moon receives its light from the sun, which is a symbol of divine omnipotence, revealed in what Christ has done for us.
A ray is directed toward the right crescent of the moon. This shows that love in prosperity approaches the feeling of God’s presence that accompanies love.
A ray extends toward the head of the deer, which comes from the head of the wolf. The wolf remembers the pain that accompanies bad deeds, but love disregards adversity and relies on faith (deer) to escape it and thus preserve supreme happiness.
The moon – closeness to God
The moon that receives the light of the sun knows that all its splendor comes from the work of God, that its glory has been bestowed on it by Christ.
A ray radiates from man’s two eyebrows. The eyebrows protect man’s eyes and thus his sight. Thus, closeness to God, which is the feeling that everything comes from Him, teaches man to maintain the acuity of his understanding so as not to sink into the blindness of the soul, which no longer recognizes the work of God, nor that it is itself a work of God.
The same ray also radiates both of man’s heels, for while it protects the eyesight, when it illuminates the eyebrows, it helps man walk in truth and attain eternal bliss. In this way, man does not forget God and is drawn toward what is useful and right.
The Stars
Within the circle of bright fire also appear 16 fixed stars that support the different parts of the firmament and temper the violence of the winds. Their number has been chosen perfectly so that their influence is neither too strong nor too weak. They are arranged in groups of four among the four winds of each cardinal point. In each group of four, the stars are located at regular distances from each other, the two in the interior extend their rays toward the circle of light air, and the two near the heads of the animals direct them toward the black fire. Some balance the course of the clouds and the others temper the violence of the fire. The light air reminds us of the movement of the clouds that sometimes rise toward the sky and are illuminated by it, and sometimes descend toward the earth and are dark and laden with rain. Black fire burns of our bad deeds, represented by natural disasters. The proper balance of these forces in the universe is governed by these stars, but the other circles are also filled by countless stars that strengthen the universe and keep it within its limits. The winds, in turn, keep within their limits the two lines of clouds to the right (East) of man and the two to the left (West), which are a guide, a help, a protection from above not only for man but for all creatures.
Spiritual reality figured by the natural element:
Hildegard also reads the spiritual reality that these elements of nature represent. The stars are thus also the sign of the doctors of the Church who, through their wisdom, teach and instruct people in every age about spiritual reality, the kingdom of heaven, the Bible and the Word of God. Thus, in the four parts of the world, one part (eight stars) teaches the sense of God’s presence (leopard, East), God’s righteous judgment (lion, South), the fear of hell’s punishments (wolf, West) and bodily tribulations (bear, North), so that people stop their evil deeds by realizing the suffering they cause, even if they do not know God. Another part (the other eight stars) proclaim the beatitudes that can be lived out in love for God and neighbor (Matt. 5:3-12), so that men will place a higher value on heavenly realities and, under the influence of the winds, aspire and be led toward them, giving proper value to temporal realities. Eight stars, in fact, send their rays toward the light air that regulates the rise of clouds to the sky, and the other eight send them toward the black fire that reminds us of the burning and suffering inherent in bad deeds that deprive us of the love of God and neighbor, the source of all joy. The other circles are also filled with stars that inspire man with rationality and discernment to correct himself and perform countless holy deeds that are revealed in the beatitudes and the example of the saints. In this way, the human being, thanks to his rationality, will be able to rise up to God, to choose between the beatitudes of good works and the suffering caused by bad ones, and he will be able to put himself under the protection of God, who causes the grace of the Holy Spirit to descend toward him, as through the clouds, which opens his eyes, making them as beautiful as those of a dove, and in every circumstance he will be able to choose the good to which he aspires.
The universe and its links to divine charity
The image of the man with his arms outstretched toward East and West, at the center of the wheel where the circles of air and winds are located, is itself in the chest of another figure. This figure is the subject of the first vision of this cycle describing divine works. It is the vision of the splendor of God and His Trinitarian mystery. Out of the mouth of this first figure comes a threadlike light brighter than daylight. For what comes out of the mouth represents virtue, and it is from the greatest charity that comes the order that shines on all things, and it is in the science of this charity that the orderly circuit of the world is found. These luminous threads administer to each element its proper measure and hold together the members of man and the elements of the universe, all of which depend on him to ensure their development and beauty. It is from this divine charity that comes every work done for the love of God.
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Bibliography :
The complete Latin text of the second vision of the first part of the Book of Divine Works is available online at Patrologia Latina edited by Migne, vol. 197, columns 751 to 790.
The Latin text also appears opposite the excellent Italian translation, which presents the text with numerous and extensive explanatory notes:
– Il libro delle opere divine, Mondadori (testo originale latino completo, traduzione italiana di Michela Pereira e note di Marta Cristiani e Michela Pereira)
English translation: The Book of Divine Works by St. Hildegard of Bingen translated and introduced by Nathaniel M. Campbell, The Catholic University of America Press, 2018.
On Hildegard:
– Ildegarda, la potenza e la grazia , Città Nuova Editrice, di Lucia Tancredi
– Hildegard von Bingen (Zugänge zum Denken des Mittelalters, 8) di Maura Zátonyi (in tedesco)
– Hildegarde de Bingen, Le livre de Poche, di Régine Pernoud (in francese)
Studies on Hildegard’s visions and miniatures:
– Ildegarda von Bingen, Nel cuore di Dio, ed. Skira, di Sara Salvadori
– Ildegarda von Bingen, Viaggio nelle immagini, ed. Skira, di Sara Salvadori
– Vidi et intellexi. Die Schrifthermeneutik in der Visionstrilogie Hildegards von Bingen, Aschendorff Verlag, di Maura Zatonyi (in tedesco)
Biography:
Vita Sanctae Hildegardis/Leben der Heiligen Hildegard von Bingen, Fontes Christiane, ed. Herder (Latin text and German translation of the biography written by the monks Theoderic of Echternacher and Guibert of Gembloux, contemporaries of Hildegard)