A Companion to Hildegard of Bingen

272 debra l. stoudt
The Antichrist will use his magic to manipulate, seduce, and deceive
humankind. The Great Physician and those chosen by him heal humankind
from the evil of sin, which is a manifestation of separation from
God. It is those who, through their own will, are blind to the inner vision
who will be deceived. God will reveal himself only to those who abide
in faithfulness.
Given the limited manuscript tradition of the Physica and the Cause et
cure, it might appear that their impact—and that of Hildegard’s healing
arts—is modest. However, their influence on the magistra’s other writings
and on her understanding of the cosmos is profound. Hildegard’s
study of and experience with the natural world around her lead her to
an understanding of and respect for the remarkable properties of natural
substances. The wondrous nature of the cosmos reveals itself to her, not
only through her divine visions, but also through everyday occurrences.
The interconnectedness of the universe—which is God’s creation—with
God himself manifests itself in the idea of viriditas, the divinely bestowed
life-giving force, and in Hildegard’s dual conception of the imbalance of
humors: as physical illness and as spiritual alienation from God and his
creation. This relationship binds the Physica and the Cause et cure with
the visionary works that precede and follow them; it is indeed a theme
that informs Hildegard’s entire oeuvre.