The Letters Of Abelard And Heloise

“I…withdrew from the court of Mars in order to be educated in the lap of Minerva.”

This is how Abelard chooses to begin his autobiography, telling his reader that though he was born to minor nobility and intended for the military life, he loved learning so much that he gave up his inheritance and decided to pursue education. His invocations of Mars and Minerva showcase his classical education and emphasize that he first pursued the liberal arts before turning to theology.

“…through persecution my fame increased.”

Here, Abelard refers to his persecution at the hands of his first teachers. Because he refuted and challenged both William of Champeaux and Anselm of Laon, both teachers responded in kind and attacked Abelard. Anselm actually forbade him from lecturing on his subject any further, causing Abelard to return to Paris. He writes that Anselm was jealous, and that all his teachers’ attacks only added to his renown as a teacher and scholar.

“But success always puffs up fools with pride, and worldly security weakens the spirit’s resolution and easily destroys it through carnal temptations. I began to think myself the only philosopher in the world, with nothing to fear from anyone, and so I yielded to the lusts of the flesh.”

Abelard confesses that his success as a teacher and scholar in Paris went to his head and made him overly proud. This pride, along with feeling secure in his esteemed status, caused him to seek out other interests. This is when he began to ruminate on love and resolved to seduce Heloise.