Women’s Voices in Medieval Artes Dictandi and Model Letter Collections

date

1194-1195

author

Boncompagnus de Signa

title

Cum ipsi sim desponsata cui angeli

bibliography

  • Boncompagno da Signa, Rota Veneris
  • La Rota Veneris di Boncompagno da Signa. Edizione critica, ed. Luca Core. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Padova, 2015, p. 37.

summary

The sender of the letter, who is a nun, is surprised that the addressee asked for her friendship. She is wearing the black veil which indicates that she vowed her virginity to the lord. He is laboring in vain because she will deny the pleasures of the flesh.

teibody

Cum ipsi sim desponsata cui angeli serviunt, et in primo prophessionis voto virginitatem meam celesti Sponso compromiserim, miror quod me audes querere in amicam, et presertim cum virginitatis portem signum in vertice, velum videlicet nigrum quo innuitur me quandam speciem assumpsisse mortalitatis; unde tibi ac omnibus deberem secundum carnis delectationem procul dubio displicere. Sed, ut video, sic te illaqueavit persuasio diabolica quod nullius viri lectum violare pertimesceres ex quo Altissimi sponsam exquirere non pavescis;

sed incunctanter scias et nullatenus dubites quod tue persuasiones contra me non prevalebunt. Et si dares que habes et que habere non posses, in vanum laboras et semina mandas arene.

notes alpha

    notes int