Profiles the twelfth-century German who became a nun and founded her own convent at Ruperstberg, and includes selections of her musical compositions, sermons, correspondence, and ideas in science, art, and architecture Hildegard was a 12th century Cistercian nun, prophet and writer. This thematically arranged selection contains extracts from her trilogy of visionary writings, her treatise on medicine and the natural world (Causes and Cures), her choral music, and documents relating to her life and work. Introduction ix Life and Career ix Hildegard in Her Time xvi Hildegard's Writings xxv Further Reading xlv Select Discography xlix Chronology li Translator's Note lvii KNOW THE WAYS Letter to Bernard of Clairvaux 3(3) The Action of the Will (from Scivias) 6(3) Redemption (from Scivias) 9(12) Letter to Odo of Soissons 21(2) The Trinity (from Scivias) 23(8) Letter to Pope Eugenius III 31(4) STRUGGLES FOR INDEPENDENCE Songs for Saint Disibod 35(2) Letter to Hartwig of Bremen 37(2) Song for Saint Ursula 39(2) The Trials of the Soul (from Scivias) 41(6) Songs for Saint Rupert 47(4) The Departure of Richardis of Stade 51(2) The First Version of The Play of the Virtues (from Scivias) 53(12) THE SIBYL OF THE RHINE Three Political Letters 65(4) Songs for the Dedication of a Church 69(2) Teachings on the Church (from Scivias) 71(8) Letter to Elisabeth of Schonau 79(3) Gertrud of Stahleck 82(2) Letter to the Abbess of Bamberg 84(5) IN PRAISE OF CREATION The Cosmic Egg (from Scivias) 89(4) The Cosmos (from Causes and Cures) 93(13) Gemstones (from Physica) 106(9) Songs from Symphonia 115(8) Two Christmas Homilies 123(8) ALLEGORIES OF JUSTICE AND LOVE The Iron Mountain (from Scivias) 131(5) The Man Looking East and South (from The Book of Life's Merits) 136(3) The Seven Vices and Virtues (from The Book of Life's Merits) 139(7) The Voice from Heaven (from The Book of Life's Merits) 146(15) The Unknown Language 161(2) Allegorical Letters 163(8) A Vision of Love (from The Book of Divine Works) 171(8) HILDEGARD'S LIFE AND INFLUENCE Queries and Requests; Selected Letters to Hildegard 179(9) From The Life of Hildegard, Book 2, by Theoderich of Echternach 188(5) Gebeno of Eberbach: The Pentachronon 193(3) From the Canonization Protocol 196(9) Notes 205(32) Glossary 237