The Monastic Rules of Visigothic Iberia - eTheses Repository ...

understand references to philosophy 32 and be able to take pleasure in Leander‟s classicising
literary style that stands in contrast to the lower-register language of most other monastic
rules. As it continues, the epistle is replete with biblical quotations and allusions and is
above-all a treatise on the benefits of virginity. Leander consistently brings home the
transient nature of corporeality. For example, line four: “aurum et argentum de terra est et in
terra reuertitur; fundus et patrimonium reditus uilia et transitoria sunt”. Such an admonitory
tone continues throughout and Leander makes use of the typical topoi associated with such a
theme: Christ as a bridegroom and husband, the original sin of Eve, the honoured position of
virgins in heaven, the sins of earthly desires, both material and sexual, the pain of childbirth
etc. In itself, the epistle offers nothing novel in terms of a theology of virginity, and Leander
borrowed heavily from biblical and patristic writings for his inspiration (Ruíz & Melia 1971:
12-16).
Why, then, would Leander have written the letter if it contains nothing of novelty or
anything that could not be included in the main text of the monastic rule? Perhaps the answer
lies in Leander‟s own admission that he did not want to endow his sister with earthly goods,
lest she should think him to be an enemy rather than a brother: (Epistle line 35) “inimicum me
non parentem deberes aestimare”. 33 The composition date of the De institutione uirginum
places it at the very end of Leander‟s life, and perhaps knowing his life to be at an end, he
wanted to leave an inheritance to his sister and thought such a text to be the best gift. This is
indeed a possibility, but it seems more likely that Leander was leaving an inheritance not
because he thought he was leaving the earth, but rather because he was leaving Iberia.
32 For example the possible Neo-Platonic reference in chapter twenty-four, “unde et illa uera est
sententia philosophorum: Ne quid nimis”. See Harnack (2008: 125).
33 „parens‟ here should be taken as „relative‟, rather than the Classical Latin „mother‟ or „father‟
(hence Sp. pariente).
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