About the Text
Cistercian monk Caesarius of Heisterbach (c. 1180-1240) is well-known for his Dialogue on Miracles, a collection of short anecdotes that illustrate key points of Christianity, organized in 12 books on topics such as confession, temptation, demons, and visions. The work is presented as a dialogue between a curious novice and an experienced monk who provides stories as well as clarifications and interpretations. Some of these stories concern the pilgrimage to Compostela or mention the power attributed to St. James.
The first story translated here features two friends on pilgrimage whose bond is tested by the devil. This short account mentions various aspects of their pilgrimage: They have a long way to travel from Cologne, though their access to horses would speed up the journey. Godefridus carries a staff, a tool typically associated with pilgrims and useful for fending off wolves or dogs. Finally, the story elegantly captures both the camaraderie and the potential irritations of traveling the Camino with friends.
The second story presents an impressive display of miraculous power for the benefit of a confident soon-to-be pilgrim. Taken captive as part of a longstanding family feud, the man refuses to give his captors any significant funds and brashly declares that he has no intention of remaining locked up long: He has new shoes and plans to visit St. James in them. This episode echoes biblical accounts of miraculous deliverance (see, for example, Deut. 4:20, Jer. 11:4, Dan. 3).
Translation: Dialogue on Miracles 5.39
On the devil, who tried to sow discord between two friends on pilgrimage
Two citizens of Cologne, wealthy and reputable men who were good friends, one named Sistappus and the other Godefridus, set off [on pilgrimage] together to St. James the Apostle. One day they were riding by themselves; the other brothers had gone ahead. At the entrance of a certain wood, the devil, jealous of their friendship and easy rapport, broke in half the heavy stick that Godefridus was carrying slung across his back. [Godefridus] looked around and saw no one else there, so he turned to his companion and cried out in agitation: “Hey, brother, why did you break my stick?” The other man denied having done so with an oath, and Godefridus, as he himself told me, was so enraged that he could scarcely restrain his hands from attacking him. At last, by the grace of God and the merits of the Apostle, he was restored to his senses. He expressed his regret to his beloved friend, and the source of all the discord – the devil – fled in dismay.
Translation: Dialogue on Miracles 10.7
Of a countryman shut in a furnace in Hemersbach who was freed by St. James
Near Cologne, two generations of country families had carried on a very bitter feud. One side was weaker, and its members moved to the neighboring castle of Hemersbach. From there, they inflicted considerable losses on their opponents. One day, they seized one of them, and three of their number sought to extort money from him, saying, “If you don’t give us money, we will punish you.” To which the man replied, “I have three obolos [coins of small value]. Buy cakes with them and eat them, for you will get nothing more.” And having faith in God and St. James, he added, “I have five marks at home in my chest and some new shoes, in which I am going to seek the shrine of St. James; I will not give you that money. On St. Stephen’s Day, I am going to set out, and I will leave you before daybreak.” They were amazed at the boldness of his words but bound him with fetters and put him in the furnace, appointing eight men to guard him that night. Once, and then again a second time, they asked him if he was still there, and each time heard him reply, “Yes, I’m still here.” But when they asked the same question for the third time, they got no response because the power of faith had already led him out of the closed furnace. Much has been said about hope in earlier chapters; but the following will set forth the virtue of charity.
References
Translations are based on the edition by Joseph Strange: Caesarii Heisterbacensis monachi Ordinis Cisterciensis Dialogus miraculorum. 2 vols. Cologne, 1851. Available online via Archive.org: Volume 1, Volume 2.
An English translation of the full text has been completed by Henry von Essen Scott and C.C. Swinton Bland: Dialogue on Miracles by Caesarius of Heisterbach. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1929. Available online via Archive.org: Volume 1, Volume 2.