003 - Letter II - Heloise to Abelard

Step into the poignant world of Heloise and Abelard, a tale of forbidden love that transcends time. Heloise, a fiercely intelligent woman fluent in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, fell for her tutor, Abelard, at just 19 while living under the watchful eye of her uncle Fulbert. Their passionate affair led to the birth of their child, Astrolabe, but tragedy struck when Fulbert discovered their secret. Abelard faced a brutal assault that left him castrated, while Heloise sought refuge in a convent. Exiled to Brittany, Abelard embraced monastic life, and Heloise eventually became the abbess of the Oratory of the Paraclete, the very abbey he had founded. During this tumultuous time, they exchanged their legendary letters, originally penned in Latin, filled with deep longing and the struggle to balance their enduring love with the vows of chastity. The emotional tension between these two forces ignites a powerful narrative that captivates the heart. (Summary by J. B. Hare)