Early Medieval Latin Poetry of Mary

Abstract

In the tenth century Gandersheim was a small, proudly independent principality ruled by women. All who belonged to Gandersheim (except for the servants) were of noble birth, taking vows as canonesses - that is, free to leave the abbey, if they wanted. Hrotsvit, born around 935, was one of these canonesses. She was well aware of her talent for writing Latin and - as she confessed later in a rhyming prose-preface - ‘was not to lie sluggish in the heart’s dark cavern and be destroyed by the rust of negligence, but rather struck by the hammer of unfailing diligence, was to echo some small ringing note of divine praise.’ ‘In complete secrecy’ she began to write poems based on writings she had found in the library of Gandersheim.