-
The “Older Life” of Queen Mathilda
- The Catholic University of America Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
(Anonymous) The “Older Life” of Queen Mathilda Here begins the prologue to the Life of Queen Mathilda. There are many who foolishly devote themselves to worldly study, hoping that by filling the people’s ears with stories of famous men told in a philosophical way, they might either gain lasting fame or curry human favor.1 By order of the most glorious Emperor Otto, however, we have recorded (in an admittedly rustic style) the praiseworthy lives of his most distinguished forebears, speaking the simple truth rather than philosophizing—lives which may serve as an example both to him and to those yet to come.2 Although we realize that we are not familiar enough with this subject to write about it, we nonetheless have obeyed the imperial dignity , which compels a “dry brook to set great waves in motion,”3 rashly usurping a task better reserved for elegant writers in a spirit of humble devotion rather than confidence in our talent,4 for we thought it a crime to conceal the virtues of such individuals with our ill-advised silence.5 Thus, lord of all eloquence, you who not only are raised up on the lofty heights of command, but also are supported by the authority of philosophy (for, as it has been said, that realm will be blessed in which lovers of wisdom are its rulers),6 “it happens that virtues are not honored because of one’s office, but rather offices are honored on account of the virtue of those who possess them.”7 We have made you, Emperor Otto, the judge of this work, so that you might have those things which we have omitted or expressed poorly either added or altered by wise men, and so that, like the shimmering sun, you might further illu- minate this work, which is so great in scale that we are unable to bring it to completion.8 We have left out many of the things which we have been told, both because we believed that it would be enough to report only the outstanding ones, and because we feared that such excess would be distasteful to our readers. We beg those who will read this to trust what we say, and to believe that I have written nothing without proof.9 Here begins the text of her life. . At the time when Conrad was king of the Franks, the duke of all Germany was a prince named Otto, a man whose family was exceedingly noble (insofar as this is measured by worldly distinction ).10 He was possessed of great wealth, esteemed above all others on account of the virtues with which he was endowed, and had for his wife Hadwig, a venerable matron with a character like his own. They produced daughters as well as three sons, all of them brought up according to their parents’ noble standards.11 But divine providence, which “oversees all things and directs them towards the good,”12 raised up one of these, named Henry, on account of his greater excellence, for although he was the youngest, his upright character made him shine brighter than the others. From his early youth, as soon as he was free to do those things in life which reveal one’s own inclinations, he lived wisely. He was accommodating to everyone, loved whomever he was with, opposed no one, and placed himself ahead of none, consoling those who suffered and helping those in need; he earned praise while avoiding envy, and found friends who were his equals.13 While he deserved the honor afforded him, he was nonetheless particularly beloved by all, and honored even more on account of his kindness and humility. When he had left boyhood behind and attained manly vigor, his kinfolk sought out a bride for him who was suitably well-born and upright in character.14 Meanwhile it came to their attention that there was a most beautiful girl named Mathilda in the monastery at Herford,15 one well-trained in literary studies (the The “Older Life” of Queen Mathilda [3.15.143.181] Project MUSE (2024-04-17 22:30 GMT) source of both the active and the contemplative life)16 and whose noble birth was almost the equal of her future husband’s. She traced her ancestry to the lineage of Duke Widukind of Saxony, who once had been ensnared in demonic error and who, because there was no one to preach to him, had worshipped idols and ceaselessly persecuted the...