Rebel with a cause? From traitor prince to exemplary martyr: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz's representation of San Hermenegildo
2009; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 16; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/13507480903368152
ISSN1469-8293
Autores Tópico(s)Libraries, Manuscripts, and Books
ResumoAbstract El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo is an auto sacramental or Eucharistic play, written in the 1680s by the Mexican nun and literary superstar, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. The play centres on the story of a (purportedly Catholic) Visigothic prince who died in Seville in 586 by order of his Arian father, Leovigild. Contempary sources vary in their portrayal of Hermenegild, with most painting him as a traitor who rebelled against his father for political gain. Gregory the Great, however, championed Hermenegild as an exemplary martyr who died in defence of the Faith. One thousand years on, Spain saw a revival of its Visigothic ‘Golden Age’, and Hermenegild was among those to be venerated; he was canonised in 1585 and his memory was brought to life in various artistic forms; in poetry, paintings and even on the stage. This paper will examine the part that Sor Juana's auto played within this tradition, exploring the purpose of the play and the various historical and biblical sources used to create it. Keywords: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruzautos sacramentalesHermenegildvisigothic revival Notes 1. Sources vary on the date of his death, or martyrdom, though the accepted date is 586. 2. This is highlighted by CitationJuan de Mariana in his Historia de España; V, xii; Leovigild writes a letter to Hermenegild which questions his motives for rebelling against him. Leovigild believes that the question of religion is merely an excuse for wishing to usurp power. 3. CitationJuana Inés de la Cruz, Segundo volumen de las obras de Soror Juana Inés de la Cruz (Sevilla: Tomas Lopez de Haro, 1692). This was itself reprinted three times before 1725, both in Seville and Barcelona. See: CitationMéndez Plancarte, ‘Introducción,’ xxx. 4. Here and throughout I have transcribed from: El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo; Juana Inés de la Cruz, Segundo volumen, 121, 21–4; all English translations from Spanish are my own; A voice singing: ‘Come! Come! Faith is who calls you/ the one who stands out, to make a difference in the heart (of someone) where there is room for all (of you).’ 5. CitationAquinas, Summa, II. Ii; 4.7 ‘Per se quidem inter omnes virtutes prima est fides’; ‘Faith, by its very nature, precedes all other virtues.’ 6. El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 122–3, 70–79; Faith: ‘They call me a blind virtue/ Not because I lack sight/ but firstly because mine/ is so perceptive/ that it is the body which is blind/ with regard to the soul/ Because for me, sight/ is a useless trinket/ So I do not believe that which I see.’ 7. This reflects the attitude of the demonic presence within each one of the autos; each is presented as being without faith, and therefore unable to comprehend the divine mysteries of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. 8. El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 123, 111–14; Faith: ‘It is required/ to believe that (over) there, there is no bread/ But Christ, because of whom/ it is called a Mystery.’ 9. El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 123, 135; Fé: ‘… sois contrarias’; Faith: ‘You are opposites’. 10. Psalms 84:11: Misericordia, et veritas obviaverunt sibi: iustitia, et pax osculatæ sunt; ‘Mercy and truth have met each other. Justice and peace have kissed’ (This is a prayer to assist moral constancy). 11. El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 125, 190–213; Faith: ‘If your feet or eyes/ cause you problems/ He says: cut off your foot/ and pull out your eyes.’ 12. Aquinas, Summa, II. ii, 12.2; Videtur quod princeps propter apostasiam a fide non amittat dominium in subditos, quin ei teneantur obedire. Dicit enim Ambrosius quod Iulianus imperator, quamvis esset apostata, habuit tamen sub se Christianos milites, quibus cum dicebat, producite aciem pro defensione reipublicae, obediebant ei. Ergo propter apostasiam principis subditi non absolvuntur ab eius dominio. 13. Aquinas, Summa, II. ii, 12.2; Sed contra est quod Gregorius VII dicit, nos, sanctorum praedecessorum statuta tenentes, eos qui excommunicatis fidelitate aut sacramento sunt constricti, apostolica auctoritate a sacramento absolvimus, et ne sibi fidelitatem observent omnibus modis prohibemus, quousque ad satisfactionem veniant. Sed apostatae a fide sunt excommunicati, sicut et haeretici, ut dicit decretalis ad abolendam. Ergo principibus apostatantibus a fide non est obediendum. 14. dividentur pater in filium et filius in patrem. 15. El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 152, 1679–1704; Apostasy: ‘And so sir, to me it seems/ that the most appropriate course of action/ would be for me to go to the cell/ where, with arguments/ I will attempt to subdue him/ Since it is Easter, I wish/ to see if he wants/ to receive the Sacrament from my hand.’ 16. In El divino Narciso, this is portrayed by Echo, and in El cetro de Joseph the devil is (perhaps more obviously) presented as a character named Lucero. 17. Aquinas, Summa, II. ii, 12.1; Sed apostasia videtur esse omnis peccati principium, dicitur enim Eccli. X, initium superbiae hominis apostatare a Deo; et postea subditur, initium omnis peccati superbia. Ergo apostasia non pertinet ad infidelitatem. 18. El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 139, 1051–60; Fantasy: ‘(I have told you these things) in order that you should understand that these glories that you have witnessed, these crowns that now with yours, you link, are pledges of the Arian religion – the consequences are obvious – when (the Arian religion) is missing, everything for you will be lost.’ 19. El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 127–31, 363–643. 20. El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 132, 684–7. 21. El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 133,749–774. 22. El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 153, 1731–42; ‘My sweet, beloved wife/ … my sad thought/ now is not a torment for me/ That one should lose everything/ for you (God), it is not a hardship: on the contrary, I am happy/ having lost everything for you.’ 23. El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 148, 1452–97; Recaredo: ‘Toma, Hermano mi consejo/ Que no como interesado/ En que tu pierdas el Cetro/ Ni como parte del Rey/ Sino como verdadero/ Hermano…/ Nuestro padre, aunque severo/ Se muestra, es tu Padre al fin/ Y si tu proprio respeto/ Le tiene armado, los brazos/ Su amor se los tiene abiertos/ Como de Padre; y en fin/ Ya para llegar à ellos/ No ay en ti, Hermano, elecciõ…/ Ven conmigo, y no le temas/ Que yo librarte prometo/ De sus iras…’; Reccared: ‘Hermenegild, take my advice/ Not from one with self-interest/ wishing that you should lose your throne/ but as a true brother…/ Our father, although he acts severe/ is still your father after all/ and if your own actions/ have armed him (against you)/ his love keeps his arms open/ … (in order) to reach them/ you have no choice brother/ come with me, and do not fear him/ I promise to free you/ from his wrath…’ 24. It would appear that some critics have taken some parts of the auto rather too seriously, treating the play as a source which purports to be historically accurate. For example; CitationKirk, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, 42: ‘Editor Méndez Plancarte laments as what he sees as theological lapses in Sor Juana's construction of the scene between the Arian bishop, Apostasía, and Hermenegild, the Christian prince, because he Hermenegild seems to be implying that the communion he would be receiving from the bishop would be licit due to the bishop's invalid consecration. While it is true that the validity of Episcopal orders was not an issue between Christians and Arians in the sixth century, it was an issue between Catholics and Protestants in the seventeenth: as George Tavard has noted, to Sor Juana's audience “the Arians were the Protestants.” The royal audience to whom the play was dedicated, as well as the censors, would have immediately understood this reference.’ 25. El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 156, 1933–1944; Faith: ‘And so Hermenegild/ with Catholic zeal/ died for the special/ faith of this Mystery.’ Peace: ‘Giving to his descendants/ the most supreme insignia/ bound in his blood/ this special act of love.’ Mercy: ‘Rejoice happy Spain!/ And her eminent kings/ that the blood of a martyr/ was tinted purple.’ 26. Sources name him as Juan de Biclaro, de Biclaram, de Biclarensis. 27. Sources dispute the date of completion, most date it to 590, but a recent study by Roger Collins and Carmen de Hartmann: CitationVictoris Tunnunensis Chronicon; give the date as 602. Here and throughout, I have referred to this edition for the Latin text. 28. CitationThompson, The Goths in Spain, 57. 29. CitationBiclarensis, Chronicon, 55; ‘Que causa in provinciam Ispanie tam Gothis, quam Romanis maioris exitii, quam aduersariorum infestatio fuit.’ 30. Tunnunensis Chronicon: ‘Isidoro ya disponía de un ejemplar de la Crónica…y de la Crónica de Juan.’ p. 77; ‘Isidore had already made use of an example of Victor's (of Tunnuna) Chronicle, and that of John (of Biclarum).’ 31. CitationGregorius Magnus, Dialogi, III, 31. 32. Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks; I have referred to this edition for English translation of the Latin text. 33. Isidoro de Sevilla, Citation Las historias de los godos , 254; ‘ He also defeated his son, Hermenegild, by besieging him, after he tried to usurp the throne’ (my own translation). 34. Iohannis Bicalrensis, Chronicon 54, Leouegildus rex Hermenegildo filio suo filiam Sisuerti regis Francorum in matrimonio tradit. 35. Iohannis Bicalrensis, Chronicon 55, filius eius Ermenegildus factione Gosuinthe regine tirannidem assumens in Ispali ciutate rebellione facta recluditur et alias ciutates atque castella secum contra patrem rebelare facit. 36. Bicalrensis, Chronicon 68, Leouegildus rex, Hermenegildo ad rem publicam conmigrante, Ispalim pugnando ingreditur, ciutates et castella quas filius occupauerat cepit, et non multo post memoratum filium in Cordubensi urbe comprehendit et regno priuatem in exilium Valentiam mittat. 37. Bicalrensis, Chronicon 74, Hermenegildus in urbe Tarragonensi a Sisberto interficitur. 38. CitationGonzález Gutiérrez, El teatro escolar de los jesuitas, 386: ‘Los autores españoles parece que se fijan especialmente en la versión política; ven la rebelión de Hermenegildo y su muerte como un simple levantimiento por motives politicos y personales y dejan de lado toda alusión a los aspectos reliogiosos. Ni siquiera citan la muerte de Hermenegildo como consecuencia de su fe religiosa, no haciendo mención, por lo tanto a su martirio por la fe’; ‘The Spanish authors seem to focus on the political version of the story. They view Hermenegild's rebellion simply as a personally and politically motivated uprising, and leave out any religious aspects in the story. They do not even show Hermenegild's death as a consequence of his Faith, nor mention his martyrdom.’ 39. Isidorus, Historia,50, Denique Arrianiae perfidiae furore repletus in catholicos persecutione commota plurimos episcoporum exilio relegauit, ecclesiarum reditus et piuilegia tulit. Multos quoque terroribus in Arrianam pestilentiam inpulit, plerosque sine persecutione inlectos auro rebusque decepit. Ausus quoque inter cetera haeresis suae contagia etiam rebaptizare catholicos et non solo ex plebe, sed etiam ex sacerdotalis ordinis dignitate; ‘Filled with the madness of the Arian perfidy, Leovigild ultimately launched a persecution against the Catholics, sent bishops into exile, and took away many of the revenues and privileges of the churches. By means of these terrible acts, he forced many into the Arian disease. Others he deceived without persecution, enticing them with gold and property. Among the other infections of his heresy, he even dared to rebaptize Catholics, not only laymen but also members of the priestly order’ (Baxter Wolf, Citation Conquerors , 101–2). 40. Bicalrensis, Chronicon 58. 41. CitationHeather, The Goths, 280. 42. See: Bicalrensis, Chronicon 84–93; Isidorus Historia 52–5. 43. CitationGregorius Turonensis , Historia Francorum, IX, xv. 44. See: Thompson, The Goths in Spain, 92–4. 45. Gregorius Turonensis, Historia Francorum, VI, iliii; nesciens miser judicium sibi imminere divinum, qui contra genitorem, quamlibet haereticum, talia cogitaret. 46. Gregory of Tours, Citation The History of the Franks , 209. 47. Gregorius Turonensis, Historia Francorum, V. xxviii; Nam unum oculum nubes alba contegens, lumen quod mens non habebat, pepulit a palpebris. 48. According to Joannes Biclarensis, Chronicum, 579; it was she who incited Hermanigild to rebel: ‘Hermenegildus, factione Gosuinthae reginae tirannidem assumens in Hispali civitate rebellione facta recluditur’. 49. This could mean either a large lavacrum in which the person baptized stood in water, or a pond, meaning that Goiwinth wished to humiliate her daughter-in-law. Gibbon translates it as ‘fish-pond’. 50. Gregory of Tours, The History of the Franks, 209; Ingundis Sigiberti regis filia cum magno apparatu in Hispanias directa, ab avia Goisvintha cum gaudio magno suscipitur; quam nec passa est in religione catholica diu commorari, sed ut rebaptizaretur in Ariana haeresi blandis coepit sermonibus illicere. Sed illa viriliter reluctans, coepit dicere: Sufficit satis me ab originali peccato baptismo salutari semel ablutam fuisse, et sanctam Trinitatem in una aequalitate esse confessam. Haec me credere ex toto corde confiteor, nec unquam ab hac fide ibo retrorsum. Haec illa audiens, iracundiae furore succensa apprehensam per comam capitis puellam in terram collidit, et diu calcibus verberatam ac sanguine cruentatam, jussit exspoliari et piscinae immergi. 51. Gardner, “Introduction,” xix. 52. Gregorius Magnus, Dialogi XXXI, 31; Herminigildus rex Leuvigildi regis Visigothorum filius, ab Ariana haeresi ad fidem catholicam, viro reverentissimo Leandro Hispalitano episcopo. 53. ‘Quem pater Arianus, ut ad eamdem haeresim rediret, et praemiis suadere, et minis terrere conatus est’. 54. ‘iratus pater eum privavit regno, rebusque exspoliavit omnibus.’ 55. ‘Superveniente autem paschalis festivitatis die, intempestae noctis silentio ad eum perfidus pater Arianum episcopum misit, ut ex ejus manu sacrilegae consecrationis communionem perciperet, atque per hoc ad gratiam redire mereretur.’ 56. ‘Ad se itaque reverso episcopo, Arianus pater infremuit, statimque suos apparitores misit, qui constantissimum confessorum Dei illic ubi jacebat occiderent quod et factum est.’ 57. ‘securem cerebro ejus infigentes’. 58. Gregory the Great, Citation The Dialogues of Gregory the Great , 156; ‘Pater vero perfidus et parricida commotus poenitentia, hoc fecisse se doluit, nec tamen usque ad obtinendam salutem.’ 59. ‘vera esset catholica fides agnovit’. 60. ‘Leandro episcopo, quem prius vehementer afflixerat, Recharedum regem filium, quem in sua haeresi relinquebat, commendare curavit, ut in ipso quoque talia faceret, qualia et in fratre illius suis cohortationibus fecisset.’ 61. ‘Recharedus rex non patrem perfidum, sed fratrem martyrem sequens, ab Arianae haereseos pravitate converses est, totamque Visigothorum gentem ita ad veram perduxit fidem…Nec mirum quod verae fidei praedicator factus est, qui frater est martyris, cujus hunc quoque merita adjuvant, ut ad omnipotentis Dei gremium tam multos reducat. Qua in re considerandum nobis est, quia totum hoc agi nequaquam posset, si Herminigildus rex pro veritate mortuus non fuisset.’ 62. Samson, “Florián de Ocampo,” 1. 63. Samson, “Florián de Ocampo,”2. 64. CitationSoons, Juan de Mariana, 34. 65. CitationSoons, Juan de Mariana25. 66. CitationSoons, Juan de Mariana42. 67. Soons, 10. 68. ‘The beginnings of the war that King Leovigild had against his son, Prince Hermenegild.’ 69. Ocampo, Crónica general de España, XI, lxvi, 76: ‘Yo no tengo duda, sino que en estos tres años, pasaron entre padre y hijo algunos requiremientos y tratos de paz … y salieron todos vanos y sin fruto, por la firmeza de la fe Christiana en el uno, y la obstinación de la heregia en el otro.’ 70. El mártir del Sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 154, 1805; Faith: ‘I, more than the others/ should be at his side/ with internal light/ I will try to enlighten him/ Careful Hermenegild!/ Pay attention! Listen carefully!/ In the guise of food/ he has disguised poison.’ 71. Ocampo, Crónica general de España, XI, lxvii, 78; ‘Como ministro del demonio no sabes mas de quiar al infierno.’ 72. Ocampo, Crónica general de España, XI, lxvii, 78. 73. Ocampo, Crónica general de España, XI, lxiv, 75. Here, Ocampo's version of events is more or less an exact copy of what is found in Gregory of Tours' History of the Franks. 74. Garibay, Los cuarenta libros del compendio historial, I, xxii, 277. 75. Garibay, Los cuarenta libros del compendio historial, I, xxii, 275. 76. CitationEsteban de Garibay, Los cuarenta libros del compendio historial, I, xxii, 275: ‘En el año de quinientos y setenta y ocho casó el Rey Leouigildo a su Catholico hijo Hermenegildo con hija de la Sangre Real de Francia’. 77. Esteban de Garibay, Los cuarenta libros del compendio historial, I, 22: ‘Despues en la ciudad de Tarragona, fue muerto Hermenegildo por uno llamado Sisberto’. This perhaps betrays an influence of John of Biclarum. 78. Garibay, Los cuarenta libros del compendio historial, I, xxii, 77: ‘Si Hermenegildo fue martyr, no menos fue Catholico Principe su hermano Recaredo.’ It could perhaps be conjectured that Garibay's views were in some way a reaction to the pro-Hermenegild sentiment professed by the Hapsburgs, as he was himself from the Basque country. 79. Mariana Historia de España, V, xii, 235. 80. El mártir del Sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 130, 526–30; ‘If you always remain firm and true to the Arian sect, the untold victories will never be relinquished; (so) why do you wish to relinquish (the Arian sect)?’ 81. Mariana Historia de España, V, xii, 235; ‘The grandmother was a proud and cruel woman, and was no less hideous in her habits than she was to look at, as she was missing an eye.’ 82. El mártir del sacramento, San Hermenegildo, 134, 809–12. In the play, Leandro instructs Hermenegild in the faith and sends Ingund and their son away for safety, which is when we are introduced to her. According to Gregory of Tours, which is followed by the later Spanish Chronicles, ‘Ingund … had been left with her consort with the imperial army. While she was been conducted to the emperor with her little son, she died in Africa (Carthage), and was there buried; Gregory of Tours, The History of the Franks, VIII, xxviii, 348. 83. Mariana Historia de España, V, xiv, 245; ‘no tuvo parte en la muerte de Ermenegildo, antes le dolió en el alma aquel desastre de su hermano.’; ‘He had no part in Hermenegild's death, and he grieved deeply for his brother's sad fate.’ 84. CitationTaylor, “Gothic Revival,” 132. 85. CitationLópez Ponce de Salas, Vida de San Hermenegildo. 86. CitationLópez Ponce de Salas, Vida de San Hermenegildo, 157–67. 87. Juana Inés de la Cruz, Loa para el auto intitulado “El máritr del Sacramento, San Hermenegildo,” 461; Student 1: ‘All (that is left) is to ask for forgiveness for the wrongs committed against the Spanish monarch (and his tempestuous reign) luckily, Reccared, the happy heir of the glorious heroic Hermenegild, continued the Royal line of the Visigoths.’ Student 2: ‘And God save our Queen, may her reign be happy and prosperous.’ 88. Student 3: ‘And to the eminent Austrian stock of our Queen Mother.’ 89. CitationSirera, ‘Espectáculo y adoctrinamiento,’ 290; ‘Only those who have had a dramatic life on the outside can be heroes of drama. Representations of pure sanctity more often than not come across as cold, because they lack the passionate conflicts that are an essential part of drama itself.’
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