Even Gottfried von Strassburg, the poet of passion and sensual love, in this respect the very counterpart of Walter von der Vogelweide, sings: "Of all the things of this our World, On which the golden sunlight shines, Not one is blessed as a wife That vows her life and body sweet And manners also to measure refined." Measure, like the Greek _kalokagathia_ of a gentleman, implies the harmony and the development of all the inner and outer virtues and charms. The sacredness of the relations between the sexes is originally almost of a religious nature. The lady of the knight's heart and the Holy Virgin are strangely blended. There are among the lyrics of the Minnesingers many which are devoted entirely to religious topics, especially the glory of the Virgin, a specimen of which may here be given: "Maria! Virgin! mother! comforter Of sinners; queen of saints in heav'n that are! Thy beauty round the eternal throne dost cast A brightness that outshines its living rays: There in the fulness of transcendent joy Heaven's king and thou sit in bright majesty: Would I were there, a welcom'd guest at last Where angel tongues reecho praise to praise! There Michael sings the blessed Saviour's name Till round the eternal throne it rings once more, And angels in their choirs with glad acclaim, Triumphant host, their joyful praises pour: There thousand years than days more short appear, Such joy from God doth flow and from that mother dear." The eternal longing for the divine then melts mysteriously into the longing for the youthful love of woman. This longing is perhaps nowhere in literature expressed with more touching, more naïve delicacy than by Gottfried when he has fair Sigune speak to Herzeloide concerning her Schionatulander whom she loved as ever woman loved man, and who was then absent in war: "For the loved friend is all my spying; From the window on the road, over heather and bright meadows All in vain; I espy him not: Alas! my eyes by tears must dearly pay for longing love. "From the window do I ascend to the battlement, And spy eastward, westward, after tidings from him, Who long ere this has conquered all my soul; Count me among old lovers, for my love abides. 'When I then on wild tides glide in my boat, My eyes glance over thirty miles away, If I may find such tidings As would free me from sad longing for my bright young friend. "Where is my joy? Why has departed Lofty spirit from my heart? Pain and woe expelled our peace; I would gladly suffer for him, if I suffered but alone, Yet I know sweet longing draws him hither, though he must be far.