"The Letters of Abaelard and Heloise" with Abaelard's "Historia Calamitatum" - The correspondence took place in the 12th century, my edition is from the late 19th century.
In philosophy class, I first came in contact with Abaelard and his theories. Curious as I am, I dived into his biography and found out about the unfortunated contact with Heloise. Aware of not using the word "love" or "relationship", by being kind of de-romanticized by reading the letters... Nevertheless I have warm sympathy for Heloise, who would have done everything and all for Abaelard and great apprecation and respect for Abaelard's surprisingly clear and progressive formulations. Heloise's first letters, blasphemous expressions of her despair nourished by flamous blood of youth, are soul shaking. In the following letters, she is trying to comply with Abaelard's idea of being brother and sister before God. Especially in the last letters, Abaelard is giving practical suggestions, quoting Saint Jerome, Saint Augustine and using examples from the Bible (e.g. he is pointing on the important role of the women in Christianity and their strong believe; how logic and methodical reflection can lead to deeper believe; that piously believing Christians were always persecutad; sorrowful condemning fellow believers bibulous and wasteful...). Many readers are shocked about Abaelard's tone. Maybe his cold scholar-tone is a shield and a way to suffocate his fleshly desires, emphasizing repeatedly the direct punishment of sin's origin. Though the loudest complaiments are against his own failures leading him into societal exclusion, underscoring the hard path he had to weather. In spite of everything Abaelard is strongly praising the Devine mercy and is suggesting Heliose to do likewise.
Abaelard formulated his theories in a decade, where the cardinal problem was about the universals. His lectures were frequently visited and he innovated epistmology by formulating that pure believe can only arouse through doubt (not the only point the church and his villians violeted, to harm his reputation and attack his influence). His philosphy is influenced by his two mentors, both representing the main movements of Middle Ages: Nominalism and Realism, so he tries to strike balance. Mastering testings and intrigues, until he met Heloise.
