27. Eve addresses her children from her death-bedCodex Vindob. 2980, Folio 94v, 138 x 109 mm. Placed before l. 3503 and illustrates ll. (3503) 3513-3614.
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Then [Eve] saw her children before her. In a sorrowful voice she addressed them: "Dear children, listen now to me. The hour is come, and today I shall and must die. My death is close at hand. My heart is burdened with sorrow. With the especial grace of God I am being permitted to die, which is what I long for in my heart. Therefore listen to what I tell you: because of its inherited sinfulness your race will rise up and commit inhuman atrocities, and because of this sinfulness God will everywhere destroy with the power of water all the species that he created. Only four men and four women will survive and remain alive. Their seed will be scattered so far that from it will spring a great, a mighty race. Many changes will be evident in the landscape, where once there was a forest hands will clear it, the wilderness will be cultivated and mastered. When the world has been united in all its best virtues, there will come at last our Lord's Judgement Day, from which nothing can be concealed. As my spirit tells me, there will be a rain of fire that will consume mankind and earth. Mountains and valleys will be levelled out. That will happen everywhere. Indeed it is not for me to know what will take place. That is God's mystery. Dear children, in truth I have told you this, so that you will take care and beware of doing evil deeds. That is my prayer and my counsel which springs from my heart. "Dear children, now I ask something more of you, namely that you honour your mother by burying my corpse with that of Adam, my dear lord, so that my side touches his and his pure body mine. Then you will have done well, for at the Last Judgement when God destroys the world, I shall be resurrected with him. Therefore I entrust your lives to our Lord's protection, that he may shield you with his divine blessing, for I must now die. Death will relieve me of my cares." (3513-3614, Translation by Halford, 1984, pp. 293-294)Analysis
"Eve is lying in bed with her head on the left. Her unveiled hair is arranged in two buns, one on either side of her face. She is addressing two sons and two daughters who are standing in a row behind the bed." (Halford, 1980, p. 33)Bibliography
Halford, M-B. Illustration and Text in Lutwin's Eva und Adam: Codex Vindob. 2980, Goppinger Arbeiten zur Germanistik, 303; Stuttgart: Kummerle Verlag, 1980.Halford, M-b. Lutwin's Eva und Adam, Goppingen Arbeiten zur Germanistik, Goppingen: Kummerle Verlag, 1984.