A Companion to Hildegard of Bingen

the theology of repentance 223
The structure of the Vite mer. follows the division of the visionary description.
The fijirst fijive parts of the six-part work follow the “Man in the
Cosmos” from top to bottom: part one treats the region of the head in
the ether; part two concerns the torso; part three, the area of the thighs,
which are located in the air; part four, the region of the earth, into which
the calves of the man extend; and part fijive concludes with his feet above
the waters of the abyss.
Each of the fijive parts begins with a description of a vision. These visionary
introductions appear in tripartite form: initially, new details regarding
the respective area of the fijigure of the man are described; these are followed
by dialogues between fijive to seven virtues and vices; and fijinally, a
fijigure representing the zelus Dei, the zeal of God, is described.
Even though virtues and vices are depicted in each of the fijive parts of
the book, they also have their own location in the initial vision, which is
described in part one. For this reason, the details depicted in part one
concerning the region of the man’s head are also centrally relevant for the
entire text. There are three clouds of essential importance, which float in
front of and next to the man’s face. One of these clouds contains, among
other things, the voices of the virtues. In the northern quadrant of the
image there is a great darkness and a mist vomited forth by a snake, which
represents the devil. The fijigures of the vices are found within this mist.
In each of the fijirst fijive parts, this initial section, i.e. the tripartite visionary
description, is followed by a second section consisting of a sentenceby-sentence
interpretation of the visionary image, the vices, and the zelus
Dei. This second, interpretive section always ends with a uniform concluding
formula.7
The third section is the longest component of each of the fijive parts,
as new visionary elements are introduced, which include Hildegard’s
visions about the place of purifijication. These visions have their own location:
in the darkness in the northern quadrant of the primary visionary
image. Suggestions for acts of penance and general rebukes directed at
the respective vices follow the visions.
suras suas in terra; et a suris deorsum ad plantas suas in aquis abyssi, ita quod etiam supra
abyssum stabat.”
7 “Hec autem de penitentium animabus purgandis et saluandis dicta sunt, et fijidelia
sunt; et fijidelis his attendat, et ea in memoriam bone scientie componat.” Vite mer., 1.124,
p. 65. See also 2.85, p. 118; 3.84, p. 168; 4.70, p. 213; 5.86, p. 259. The conclusion to the entire
work is a slightly variant formula, 6.292.