A Companion to Hildegard of Bingen

270 debra l. stoudt
exorcism, complete with text, to seven local priests who are to carry it out,
but their attempt ends in failure. It is left to the magistra to banish the
spirit when the possessed woman physically appears before her. In a letter
on the matter, Hildegard notes that many in the religious community contributed
to Sigewize’s healing: some prayed on her behalf, others fasted,
others gave alms.100 Despite this modesty, Hildegard is recognized for her
miraculous healing powers; unable to bring the exorcism to a successful
conclusion on their own, the priests learn a lesson in humility.
An incantation that invokes divine intercession may be characterized
as part of a miraculous cure, whereas the rebuke of the devil or a malady
that threatens harm is viewed more commonly as magic. Although some
of the incantations against unnatural conditions described above involve
the devil and magic, evil is never addressed. Hildegard—as well as her
biographers—is careful to portray her healing words and actions as conforming
to orthodox expectations of a religious healer. It is anticipated
that no allusion to a pact with the devil be made, unknown names and
mysterious signs be avoided, and the cure itself make clear that its efffijicacy
depends entirely upon the will of God.101
Although Hildegard references various strains of the supernatural in
her descriptions of medical conditions and cures,102 she draws a clear distinction
between magic and miracles in her writings. The former is the
realm of the devil,103 who reveals himself to humankind through magic,
deceiving and seducing it.104 Magic and evil are allied in the visionary
works as well as in her medical writings.105 However, whereas the magical
is diabolical, the miraculous is divine. In Hildegard’s works, miracles are
Acta Sanctorum (AASS), Juli II (Antwerp, 1721), 592C–D; V. Disib., PL 197:1105; Two Hagiographies,
pp. 116–17. An abbreviated version of the exorcism dialogue as recorded in the
Dendermonde manuscript is found in a 15th-century French Hildegard vita; Laurence
Moulinier provides an edition and an examination of the text, “Unterhaltungen mit dem
Teufel: Eine französische Hildegardvita des 15. Jahrhunderts und ihre Quellen,” in Umfeld,
pp. 519–60.
100 Epistolarium, II, 158R, p. 354.
101 The Summa Theologiae of Thomas Aquinas includes a somewhat longer list of
restrictions concerning the use of textual amulets; although the Summa dates from the 13th
century, the guidelines it contains would have prevailed for the previous century as well.
The list is included by Michael Howes, Amulets (New York, 1975), p. 146. See also Don C.
Skemer, Binding Words. Textual Amulets in the Middle Ages, Magic in History (University
Park, Pa., 2006), pp. 63–64.
102 Newman, Sister of Wisdom, p. 149.
103 This point is noted as well by Skemer, Binding Words, p. 56, footnote 105.
104 Scivias 1.3, pp. 52–53, ll. 428–48.
105 See, for example, Vite mer., 5.47, p. 249, and Physica, 2.7, p. 194, and 2.20, p. 205.