Cynewulf

“ If it be thy will, O King of angels, that He who was on the cross, and was born of Mary into the world in the775 form of a child, the Lord of the heavenly host, shall rule—and were He not thy Son, free from guile, never could He have wrought such a multitude of true miracles day after day in the world;780 nor wouldst thou, O Lord of the peoples, so gloriously have raised Him from the dead before the nations, were He not thy Son in glory by that holy maid—then do thou, O Father of angels, now show forth thy sign. ”

“ Those who have clung fast to the truth shall be highest in the flame, the throng of the blessed, the 1290 host of them that yearn for glory, the multitude of the righteous, and thus may they endure and suffer more lightly without distress. He tempers for them all the glare of the flame as shall be most easy for them and most mild. The sinful men, those 1295 stained with evil, heroes sad of heart, shall be in the middle place, shrouded with smoke amid the hot surge of fire. ”

“ And upon the seventh day, weakened by sorrow, weary,695 and without food—his strength was broken—he began to call aloud:—‘I beseech you by the God of the heavens that ye release me from this misery,700 for I am brought low by the pangs of starvation. Joyfully will I show forth the holy tree—no longer can I hide it now by reason of my hunger. ”

“ Do thou pray 1090 the Glory of men that He, Almighty King, show forth unto thee the treasure beneath the earth that still lieth hidden, secret and concealed from men.' Then the holy man, inspired in heart, the bishop of the people, made steadfast his soul, and joyfully 1095 went forth with a throng of men singing praises unto God. ”

“ Ye doomed Him to death who among a multitude of men roused from death itself unto their former life a number of your own race.305 Ye blind of soul, thus have ye confounded false with sooth, light with darkness, hate with reverence, and have woven a crime from your evil thoughts. ”

“ ELENE 1. THE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE. There had passed in the turn of years, as men mark the tale of time, two hundred and thirty and three winters over the world since the Lord God, the Glory of kings and Light of the faithful, was born on earth in human guise; and it was the sixth 5 year of the reign of Constantine since he was raised in the realm of the Romans to lead their army, a prince of battles. He was a bulwark to his people, 10 valiant with the shield, and gracious to his heroes; and the prince's realm waxed great beneath the heavens. ”

“ Over the roof of clouds he saw the beauteous tree of glory, gleaming with treasure and decked with gold—and the gems shone90 brightly. The shining tree was inscribed with letters of brilliance and light: ‘By this sign thou shalt overcome the foe in the dread peril; by this thou shalt stay the hated host.’
Then the light vanished, ascended up on high,95 and together with it the messenger, unto the throng of the pure ones. And the king, the leader of men, was the blither and the freer from grief in his heart by reason of that fair vision. ”

“ May hell's portal be closed and heaven's opened, may the 1230 eternal kingdom of the angels be revealed with joy unceasing, and may their part be assigned with Mary, to each man who keepeth in memory the most sacred festival of the cross beneath the heavens, 1235 which the almighty King over all protected with his arm! ”

“ A mighty host hastened to war through the cities, gleaned from all the men the Hunnish king could summon from the near-lying towns. A vast army sallied forth—bands of picked horsemen strengthened35 the force of the foot-soldiers—until within a foreign land upon the bank of the Danube these stout-souled brandishers of the spear pitched their camp near the water’s flow, amid the tumult of the army. ”

“ He shall have good speed in war, victory in battle, and peace everywhere, the calm following the strife, who holds the bridle before him upon a white 1185 steed when his trusty heroes, far-famed in the fight, bear shield and spear into the press of weapons. For any man shall this be a guard invincible against stress in war. Concerning it sang the prophet, wise in thought, his mind saw deeply 1190 the understanding of wisdom. These words he spake:—"It shall be known that the horse of a king is to be in the midst of brave heroes, decked with bit and bridle-rings. ”

“ They shall be refined and freed from their sins, like pure gold that is all 1310 cleansed from every alloy, refined and melted in the surge of the furnace's fire. Thus shall each of those men be separated and purified from all their guilt, their deep transgressions, by the fire of the judgment. ”

“ Now thou canst understand, my dear son, how merciful is the Lord of all, if we straightway purge ourselves of our evil deeds and cease again from the unrighteous act, though many times we transgress515 against Him, and wound Him with our sins. Wherefore I, in sooth, and in after times my dear father, believed that the God of all glory, Giver of life, suffered bitter agony for the surpassing need520 of mankind. ”

“ But the blessed Elene, zealous and earnest of purpose, was mindful of her lord's will that over fields of battle she should seek the land of the Jews with her trusty band of shield-bearers, her company of 270 spearmen; and so it befell within a little space thereafter that the multitude of men, heroes famed in war and chieftains of spear-renown, entered into the city of Jerusalem in a vast throng with the noble queen. ”

“ The ships stood ready by the shores of the sea, bound ocean-coursers resting on the deep.
And the journey of the queen was plainly manifest when she sought the swell of the ocean with230 her company; many a noble stood there, near to the water’s edge, and from time to time crowds of men pressed across the way.
Then they loaded the ships with battle-dress, shields and spears; mail-clad warriors and men and235 women embarked thereon. And they let the steep ocean-speeders course over the foamy deep; often the hull bore the shock of the billows on the ocean-way, and the sea raised her song. ”

“ Even as thou didst hearken unto 785 the words of that holy seer, Moses, in prayer, when thou, O God of power, didst reveal unto the noble man in due time the bones of Joseph beneath the mountain-side, so would I, O God of hosts, if it be thy will, beseech thee in the name of that fair being 790 that thou, Creator of souls, wilt disclose unto me this treasure-house that long has been hidden from men. ”

“ With souls uplifted in their victory, they sat themselves down about the rood, and with earnest thought raised their voices in song until the ninth hour, when they had new joy, gloriously gained.870 For many came there, no small multitude, and among the press of men close by on a bier they brought one who was dead, a young man, lifeless ”

“ And there are four of their number ever in flight that perform the service of glory 745 before the sight of the eternal Judge, and they continually sing in holiness with clear voices the laud of the King of heaven, fairest of songs, and they chant these words in pure tones—their name is 750 cherubim:—"Holy is the holy God of the archangels, the Lord of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of His majesty, and all His exceeding might is marked with His glory." And there are two among their number in the heavens, the victorious race, 755 whereon man bestoweth the name of seraphim. ”

“ Judas answered, and his heart was heavy within him; there was grief in his soul, and woe either way, whether thus he forsook the joy of the 630 heavenly realm and this present kingdom beneath the skies, or disclosed the rood:—'How can I reveal that which came to pass so long ago in the course of years? Two hundred or more in number are now vanished away—I know not the sum of 635 them, and I cannot declare the event. Many of wisdom, of virtue, and of learning, who were before our time, are told among the dead. ”

“ Then the prince, bulwark of peoples, brave in battle and bold with the spear, found in the books of God with the aid of his teachers that country where, amid the shouts of multitudes, the Ruler of the heavens was crucified upon 205 the cross through sinful hate; even as the ancient enemy with lying craft led astray the people, deceived the race of the Jews, until they crucified God himself, the Lord of hosts; wherefore they shall 210 suffer a direful curse in misery through a long-enduring life. ”

“ No man on 465 earth can search it out. Never would I visit the council which this people held, but I ever kept myself aloof from their sin, nor wrought shame 470 unto my soul in any way. Many times I earnestly withstood the unrighteous act when the wise men sat in council, and sought in their heart how they might crucify the Son of the Creator, the Bulwark 475 of men and Lord of all, of angels and of mortals, the most noble of heroes. ”

“ The Lord of angels shall be merciful and gracious unto them, inasmuch as they abhorred each sin, each work of guile, and called upon the Son of the Creator in their prayers. Wherefore now their forms shall shine like unto the angels, and they shall enjoy the heritage of the King 1320 of glory for ever and ever. ”

“ And again Elene gave unto him gifts of great worth when she was ready for the journey back to her own land, and when she bade 1220 all those who glorified God in that kingdom, both men and women, to honor in their thought with heart and strength that great day on which the holy rood was found, most wondrous tree of them that 1225 have grown up from the earth, laden with leaves. ”

“ The army was moving—trumpeters leaped, heralds shouted commands, and horses stamped the earth. Hastily the multitude enranked 55 itself for strife.
But the king was fear-smitten, awed with terror, as he looked upon the hostile host, the army of the Huns and Goths, that upon the river's bank at the boundary of the Roman realm was massing its 60 strength, an uncounted multitude. The king of the Romans suffered bitter grief of soul, and hoped not for his kingdom because of his small host; he had too few warriors, trusty thanes, to encounter the overmight of brave men in battle. ”

“ Wealth (F) is but a loan to each beneath 1270 the heavens; the beauties of the field vanish away beneath the clouds, most like unto the wind when it riseth loud before men, roameth amid the clouds, courseth along in wrath, and then on a sudden 1275 becometh still, close shut in its narrow prison, crushed by force. ”

“ Now is there great need that we steadfastly fortify our minds not to betray that murder, nor declare where the holy tree was hid after the stress of strife, lest thereby the wise 430 writings of old be cast aside, and the lore of our fathers forsaken. For if this shall be known, it will not be long that the race of the Israelites and the faith of the Jews shall hold sway over the world. ”

“ And it is his nature to have sage answers and wisdom of soul. He shall show forth to thee before 595 the multitude with his great power the gift of wisdom, even as thy heart desireth.'
Then she let each man seek his own home in peace, and took Judas alone as hostage. And she earnestly 600 bade him tell the truth concerning the cross, which had been long buried in a secret place. Then Elene, the glorious queen, drew him aside by himself, and thus spake to the lonely man:—'Two ways 650 are ready for thee, either life or death, whichsoever thou shalt please to choose. ”

“ Even the wretched oxen, which man doth each day drive and beat, know their well-wisher, and in their revenge for wrong hate not their friend who giveth them fodder. But never 360 would the men of the Israelites take knowledge of me, though I wrought many wonders for them throughout my life in the world." Lo! this have we learned in holy books, that God the Creator gave unto you spotless glory and wealth of power, 365 and said unto Moses how ye should hearken unto the King of heaven, and follow His teaching. ”

“ Ever doth my heart mourn, sorrow in sadness, and rest not, until the Father Almighty, the Lord of hosts and Saviour of men, the Holy One from on high, shall fulfill unto me my 1085 desire through the finding of these nails. ”

“ His kingdom is broad over the world, while my teaching is weakened beneath the heavens. I dare not despise this cross with scoffing laugh. Lo! the Saviour hath again shut me into 920 my narrow home, smitten with woe. Once I was filled with joy by a Judas: but now, again by a Judas, am I humbled, bereft of possessions, abhorred, and friendless. But I know how to discover 925 again by my sin a way of return hereafter from the home of the damned. I shall incite against thee another king who shall persecute thee, and shall forsake thy teaching and follow my ways of 930 evil ”

“ Thus shall all this world pass away, and in like manner devouring flame shall seize upon whoever was born into it, at that time when the Lord himself 'with a host of angels shall come 1280 unto judgment. There shall each man hear the doom on all his deeds from the mouth of the judge, and likewise shall pay the penalty for all the foolish words ever spoken by him, and all his overbold 1285 thoughts. Then shall the people divide into three parts for the embrace of the flame, every man who hath ever lived throughout the broad earth. ”