CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 
 ENGUSH COLLECTION 
 
 THE GIFT OF 
 
 JAMES MORGAN HART 
 
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Cornell University Library 
 PR 1647.A5W54 1888 
 
 A literal translation of Cynewulf's Elen 
 
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A 
 
 LITERAL TRANSLATIQN 
 
 CYNEWULFS ELENE 
 
 FROM ZUPITZA 'S TEXT. 
 
 .EiCHARD FEAJsTcis Weymouth, d.lit., ma.; 
 
 Fellow of Univerniit CoLtECE, UowuOk ; « , 
 
 Eriitor of Bishop' Gfosseteste's," Castel off Love;" AutJio^ of *^ Early Englifih , _ 
 Proniindfition, in OppnsUi&n to the.VUws of Mr. A. J. ElHs, F.R.S. ;" : 
 
 1888. 
 
LITERAL TRANSLATION 
 
 CYNEWULFS ELENE 
 
 FROM ZUPITZA 'S TEXT. 
 
 BY 
 
 EICHAED FEAI^CIS WEYMOUTH, D.Lit, M.A., 
 
 Fellow of University College, London; 
 
 Eflitor of Bishop Grosseteste's "Castel off Love;" Author of "Ea/rly English 
 Pronunciation, in Opposition to the Views of Mr, A. J, Ellis, F.R.S,;'* 
 
 Etc. etc. 
 
 1888. 
 B 
 
 E-V. 
 
PR 
 
 (2n 
 
 -HH^ r> 
 
 Aa94H9o 
 
ELENE. 
 
 I. 
 
 Then had passed in the course i of years two hundred and 
 
 three reckoned by number, likewise thirty also by measure 
 
 of history, years for the world since the Euler God was 
 
 born, the Glory of kings, in human form on earth, (7) the 
 
 light of faithful men : then was the sixth year of the reign 
 
 of Constantine,2 that he had been elevated to royalty over 
 
 the people of Eome, a general, to be commander-in-chief. 
 
 (11) The warrior,^ protector of the people, was gracious to 
 
 his nobles. The prince's empire grew under heaven. (13) He 
 
 was a true king, a guardian of men in war. God strengthened 
 
 him with [all] glory* and power, so that he became (for) a 
 
 joy to many men throughout the world, (for) an avenger on 
 
 the nations, when he lifted the sword against his enemies. 
 
 (18) Against him war was threatened, the crash of battle. 
 
 They gathered their hosts,^ the peoples of the Huns" and 
 
 ^ Lit., revolutions. 
 
 ^ The chronology is far from exact. Constantine was not bora till Feb- 
 ruary, 272, and was recognized as Cffisar in 306. 
 ' Lit., nimble with the shield. 
 
 * Lit. , with glories. ' Or, The hosts assembled. 
 
 * In fact Attila and his myriads of Huns did not begin their invasion of 
 the Roman Empire till a.d. 445, 108 years alter the death of Constantine. 
 On the other hand the Franks had already ravaged Gaul, Spain, and Africa 
 during the reign of Gallienus, a.d. 260-268. As to the Goths, Gibbon tells 
 us, ch. 14 : " The Sarmatians of the lake Mseotis followed the Gothic standard 
 either as subjects or as allies, and their united force was poured upon the 
 countries of Illyricum. . . . Though Constantine encountered a very ob- 
 stinate resistance, he prevailed at length in the contest, and the Goths were 
 compelled to purchase an ignominious retreat by restoring the booty and 
 prisoners which they had taken." This was in A.D. 322. The famous dream 
 of Constantine however is not connected by any writers with this war. See 
 note on 1. 98. 
 
 A 2 
 
4 ELENE. 
 
 the Fierce-Goths : the Franks marched forth, active in the 
 ranks, and the Hugas. They were active men . . . ready for 
 the fight. (23) Bright gleamed the javelins and the twisted 
 chain-armour. With shouts and clashing shields they raised 
 the army standard. Then were warriors openly assembled 
 . . . and all together. The host of peoples marched. The 
 wolf in the forest sang the war song, no pass-word did he 
 keep secret: the dewy-winged eagle raised his song on the 
 track of the foe. (30) Forthwith sped^ . . . the largest of 
 the war-throngs with armies to war, all whom the king of 
 the Huns could summon anywhere to battle, of the warriors 
 of neighbouring cities. (35) On marched the vastest of 
 armies, (the infantry were strong in their battalions) till they 
 encamped — fearless hurlers of darts — in a foreign land on 
 Danube's bank, beside the river's surging stream, with the 
 uproar of a host. They sought to subdue the empire of the 
 Eomaiis, to lay it waste with their armies. 
 
 (41) Then was the approach of the Huns known to the 
 citizens. Then the Emperor gave orders to summon [the 
 people] by the flying arrow with great speed to war** against 
 the cruel foe ; warriors to exhibit their prowess under heaven. 
 The Eomans, soldiers famed for victory, were soon ready 
 with arms for war, though they had a smaller army for battle 
 than rode about the renowned king of the Huns. (50) Then 
 shield clanged, spear rattled : the king advanced with troop, 
 with army, to the fight. The raven croaked overhead,^ dark 
 
 ' Ofer hurgenta, a corrupt reading. 
 
 ^ Or, with great speed to war under flight of arrows. But the rendering 
 in the text seems preferable. The poet is erroneously attributing to the 
 Romans northern, and especially Scandinavian, customs. From CI. and V.'s 
 Icel. Diet., s.v. 60S, we learn that this word is used metaphorically and as 
 a law-term, signifying "a summons, being an arrow, axe, or the like sent 
 to call people to battle or council, as symbolical of the speed to be used, 
 or of the punishment to be inflicted, if the summons be not obeyed. ... In 
 Iceland, at least in the west part, a small wooden axe is still sent from farm 
 to farm to summon people to the mantals-thing in the spring." See also 
 under herSr (that is, war-arrow), and or. Also for an account of the similar 
 practice of sending the Fiery Cross in the Highlands see Note A to Canto III. 
 of Scott's Lady of the Lake. So also Ettmiiller as quoted by Grein s.v. 
 earhfani : " Viri sagittA missd ad arma convocati. " 
 
 " Or, lifted up his scream. Cf. 1. 29. 
 
ELENE. 5 
 
 and hungry for corpses. The army was on the march. 
 (54) Buglers sounded, heralds shouted. The horse pawed 
 the ground. The host assembled swiftly for battle. The 
 king was terrified, panic-struck, as soon as they beheld the 
 barbarians, the army of Huns and Fierce [-Goths] that on 
 the frontier of the Roman empire^" was assembling its troops 
 on the bank of the river, a countless multitude. (61) Heart- 
 sorrow did the king of the Romans endure : he despaired for 
 the empire for want of men : he had too few (of) warriors, 
 trusty comrades, valorous in fight against superior force. 
 
 The army was encamped, [and] the nobles around the 
 prince, all night long^ near the river in the neighbourhood, 
 after they first saw the passage of the enemy. (69) Then in 
 sleep was a vision^ shown to the Empieror himself, seen by 
 the glorious [prince] where he was sleeping in the army. 
 There appeared to him, beauteous of aspect, in human form, 
 white and radiant, some person^ manifested [to him], more 
 glorious than he ever saw under heaven before or since. 
 (75) He, covered with the wild-boar canopy,* started from 
 sleep. Quickly the angel, the beauteous messenger of glory, 
 addressed him and named him by name: the veil of night 
 parted asunder: " Constantine, the King of Angels has 
 bidden [me] offer thee [his] covenant — the Ruler of Destinies, 
 the Lord of Virtues. (81) Have thou no fear, though the 
 barbarians threaten thee with terrors, with cruel war. Look 
 thou to heaven, to the Lord of Glory : there thou shalt find 
 help, a token of victory." He was soon ready by the behest 
 of the holy one, opened his heart [and] looked up, as the 
 angel bade him, the faithful weaver of peace. (88) He saw 
 the fair Tree of Glory bright with jewels above the roof 
 of clouds, adorned with gold: the gems glittered. The 
 glistening Cross was inscribed with letters brightly and 
 clearly : " By this sign^ thou shalt conquer the foe in this 
 
 '" Lit., of the kingdom of the Rome-people. 
 
 ' Lit., a night-long time. ^ Lit., a terror of dream. 
 
 ^ Lit., nescio quis virorv/m. '' Or, wearing the wild-boar crest. 
 
 ° The writer evidently understands the symbol IHS as standing for the 
 Latin In Hoc Signo. Some have also explained it as an abbreviation for 
 Jesus Bominum Salvator. It is in reality the contracted form of the name of 
 
6 ELENE. 
 
 terrible danger : thou shalt stop the hostile host." Then the 
 light disappeared : it departed on high, and the angel with it 
 into the midst of the holy ones. The King, prince of men, 
 was [all] the more joyous and more free from sorrow (98) in 
 his soul through that fair vision.^ 
 
 II. 
 
 Then did the refuge of princes, the ruler^ of men, the com- 
 mander of armies, Constantine, the king of blessed renown, 
 give orders to make with great haste a standard^ similar^ to 
 the Cross of Christ, as he saw that sign that was before 
 shown him in the heavens. (105) He gave orders then in 
 the early morning to awake the warriors and the weapon- 
 storm with break of day, to lift the war-ensign and carry 
 the holy Tree before him, [and] bear God's Sign among the 
 foe. Loud rang out the trumpets before the armies. The 
 raven rejoiced at the movement; (111) the dewy-winged 
 eagle watched the march, the war of men cruel in slaughter ; 
 
 Jesits, being the first three letters of the Greek IHS0T2, the second letter 
 being the Greek, not the Latin, H, and the third being written either with 
 the old form of the Greek sigma (IHC) or with the Latin S. This error of 
 our poet however by no means originated with him. It was at least as ancient 
 as the time of the invention of the story of the dream. See note on 1. 98. , 
 
 ° The earlier form of the legend connects the dream of Constantine, not 
 with his war with the Goths (see note on 1. 20), but with his march from 
 Gaul to Rome to dethrone Maxentius. But both place and time are uncertain. 
 " The fable became believed that on his march to Italy, either at Autun in 
 France or at Verona or near Andernach on the Rhine Constantine had a 
 vision, seeing in his sleep a cross with the inscription iv Toirifi cka [' In this 
 conquer']. Thus, it is said, he adopted the cross, and in that sign was vic- 
 torious." — Diet, of Class. Biogr. The date would thus be about the summer 
 or autumn in A.D. 312, ten years earlier than the Gothic invasion of lUyricum. 
 
 ' Lit., bracelet-giver. 
 
 * " The principal standard which displayed the triumph of the cross was 
 styled the Labaruni, an obscure though celebrated name, which has been 
 vainly derived from almost all the languages of the world. It is described 
 as a long pike intersected by a transversal beam. The silken veil which hung 
 down from the beam was curiously enwrought with the images of the reigning 
 monarch and his children. The summit of the pike supported a crown of 
 gold which enclosed the mysterious monogram, at once expressive of the 
 figure of the cross, and the initial letters of the name of Christ. [See above, 
 
 note on 1. 92.] The safety of the labarum was intrusted to fifty guards." 
 
 Gibbon, Deel. and Fall, ch. 20. 
 
 * Lit., similarly. 
 
ELENE. 7 
 
 and the wolf, companion of the forest, raised his howl. The 
 terror of battle was there. There was the clash of shields 
 and the thronging of men, furious swinging of swords and 
 slaughter of armies, as soon as ever they met in arrow-flight. 
 (117) On the death-doomed people the enemy fierce with 
 the sword sent forth showers of arrows, javelins over the 
 yellow shield into the midst of the [Roman] foe, the adders 
 of war by strength of hand. Dauntlessly cautious [the 
 Eomans] advanced, and at times made a charge : the rampart 
 of shields they broke through : billhooks^" pierced deep :^ 
 stern in fight they pressed on. Then was the banner reared, 
 (124) the ensign, before the ranks :^ the song of victory 
 [was] sung. The helmet of gold, the javelins, gleamed o'er 
 the battle-field. The heathen were overthrown : they were 
 cut down without quarter. Forthwith the tribes of the Huns 
 fled, as soon as the king of the Eomans gave orders to uprear 
 the holy Tree, (130) [himself] doing doughty deeds. The foe 
 were scattered far and wide. Some war snatched away, some 
 with difficulty saved their lives in the march, some fled half- 
 dead to [some] stronghold or defended themselves^ behind 
 rocks [or] held [some] place near the Danube, some drowning 
 in the river carried off at the end of [their] life. (138) Then 
 was the host of valiant men elated: they pursued the 
 barbarian hordes continually from daybreak till the even- 
 ing: darts flew, [and] arrows.* The number was reduced 
 (gescyrted), the shield-bearing host of the foe. A mere rem- 
 nant of the army of the Huns came thence home again. 
 
 (144) Then it was manifest by that day's work that the 
 Almighty King by his Eood Tree had given to Constantine 
 the victory, honour justly awarded, [and] empire under the 
 
 1° The Hll is described in Toller's Bosworth as " an old military weapon 
 with a hooked point, and an edge on the back as well as within the curve." 
 Any kind of curved weapon or cutting instrument with an edge thus " within 
 the curve " (like a pruning-hook or a scythe) was called falx in Latin, but 
 no such weapon was used by the Koman legionaries. 
 
 ' Lit., dived in. 
 
 ^ Again, as in 1. 44, our poet has misapprehended the Roman custom. In 
 the Roman armies it was only in very exceptional cases that the standard 
 was advanced before the ranks. 
 
 3 Lit., their life. * Lit., war-snakes. 
 
8 ELENE. 
 
 [whole] heaven. Then the defender of armies departed 
 thence home again, (149) exulting in spoil (the battle was 
 decided), renowned in war. Then came the refuge of 
 warriors, the king famous for fight, with a multitude of men, 
 to adorn his mighty Shield with jewels, to visit the cities. 
 Speedily then the guardian of warriors summoned the wisest 
 [men] to an assembly, those who by ancient books had 
 learned the power of wisdom, (156) [and] with thoughtful 
 minds held to the counsels of great men. Then began- the 
 people's prince, the king famed for victory, to ask throughout 
 the large assembly, was there anyone there older or younger 
 who could tell him for certaia, (161) [or] make known by 
 means of enchantment, "what god this was, distributor of 
 prosperity, whose symbol this was which displayed itself so 
 bright to me and saved my people, [this] most brilliant of 
 signs, and gave me renown, success in war against the foe, 
 through that fair Tree." (166) They could not give him any 
 answer in reply, nor did they at aU^ know [how] to speak 
 with certainty about that ensign of victory. Then those 
 wisest men spake in words before the assembled people, that 
 it was the sign of Heaven's King, and [that] of this there 
 was no doubt. (172) Those who had learnt that, who had 
 been instructed by baptism,^ they had a light heart, a re- 
 joicing soul, (though there were but few of them,) because 
 they might show before the emperor (176) the grace of the 
 gospel, how the Protector of Spirits, adored iu the majesty 
 of the Trinity, was born, the glory of kings ; and how on 
 the cross God's own Son was suspended before all the people 
 in grievous tortures, [and] delivered the children of men 
 from the custody of devils, (182) those unhappy spirits,^ and 
 
 ' For this sense of geare when accompanied by a negative, as equivalent to 
 the Latin omnino non, cf. 11. S99, 719, 860, and 1240. 
 
 * " The example of his father had instructed Constantine to esteem and to 
 reward the merit of the Christians, and in the distribution of public oflBces 
 he had the advantage of strengthening his government by the choice of 
 ministers or generals in whose fidelity he could repose a just and unreserved 
 confidence."— Gibbon, Decl. and Fall, ch. 20. 
 
 ' The student will notice that gdstas here, though in sense in apposition 
 with deofla, is not made to agree with it in case, contrary to the general rule 
 in A.S. as well as in Latin and other languages. 
 
ELENE. VJ 
 
 gave them grace through that same object that was shown 
 to him himself before his eyes as a token of victory over the 
 fury of the [invading] tribes ; and how on the third day the 
 Glory of Men arose from the tomb, from death, the Lord of 
 all mankind, and ascended to heaven. (189) Thus men wise 
 in spiritual mysteries spake to the victory-famed [king], as 
 they had been taught by Silvester.^ From them the prince 
 received baptism,' and to that he held fast continually in 
 his lifetime according to the will of the Lord. 
 
 HI 
 In happiness then was the distributor of treasure, the king 
 stern in fight. A new joy had entered his heart. His 
 greatest comfort^" and highest joy was the Guardian of the 
 kingdom of heaven. (198) He began then earnestly to make 
 known the law of the Lord day and night by the grace of 
 the Spirit; and truly this generous ruler of men devoted 
 himself, brave [and] diligent, to the service of God. Then 
 the prince, protector of the people, stern in fight, bold with 
 the javelin, found out in God's books by teachers (205) where 
 amidst shouting of the people the Euler of the Heavens was 
 hung on the Eood-tree in' envy through malice, as the old 
 enemy mistaught the people with lying deceits [and] misled 
 the race of the Jews, that they should uphang God himself, 
 the Lord of Hosts: for this they have to endure the curse 
 for ever and ever^ in miseries. (212) Then was Christ's 
 praise in the emperor's mind . . . continually mindful of 
 that glorious Tree; and then he bade his mother go on a 
 journey with a multitude of people(s) to the Jews, [and] 
 seek carefully with a multitude of warriors where the Holy 
 Tree of Glory was hidden under ground, (219) the Eood 
 of the noble King. Helena would not be slow about the 
 voyage, nor disregard the behest of the beloved prince' her 
 
 ' Sylvester I. was Pope from a.d. 314 to 335. 
 
 ° In fact it was only during his last illness, at the palace of Nicomedeia, 
 that he received baptism at the hands of the bishops who were summoned to 
 attend at his bedside. He died in 337. 
 •° Lit., of comforts. ' Lit., to far-extending life. 
 
 2 Lit., joy-giver. 
 
10 ELEXE. 
 
 own son ; but the lady was soon ready for the glad pilgrimage, 
 as the protector of troops, of mailed warriors, had bidden [her]. 
 (225) Then began with speed a crowd of nobles to hasten 
 to the sea. The ships ^ stood ready by the sea-shore, the 
 coursers of the ocean w ith sails bent , afloat on the sea'. 
 N"o secret then was the lady's departure, when with all 
 her company she drew nigh to the surging (of the) wave. 
 (231) There many a stately [noble] stood on the shore by 
 the Mediterranean sea.® In succession they hastened down 
 the road from the town,'' troop after troop,^ and then they 
 laded the ships" with hauberks, shields and spears, with 
 mailed warriors, with men and with women. (237) Then 
 they weighed anchor with i" the tall barques ^ [to sail] covered 
 with foam over the huge billows. Oft did the broadside 
 endure the heavy blows of the waves [in passing] over the 
 mixed arrow-flight [of the dashing brine]. The sea raised its 
 wild song. Neither before nor since have I heard of a lady's 
 leading'^ a nobler force on the sea-stream, on the street of 
 ocean. (243) There might one see, whosoever beheld that 
 voyage, the vessel' bounding over the briny way, scudding 
 along under the swelling [canvas] : the courser of the deep 
 playing, the wave-floater making way. The warriors were 
 gay, bold in spirit. The queen found delight in the voyage. 
 As soon as the ring-prowed [ships] had passed over the 
 water-fortress {i.e., ocean) into harbour (250) in the land of 
 the Greeks, they left the ships, those ancient wave-dwellings 
 lashed with the sea, beside the shore, fast at anchor on the 
 wave, to wait for the assembly of the chiefs, when the 
 warrior-queen with her host of men should return over those 
 eastern lands to them again.* (256) Conspicuous there on 
 
 ' Lit., sea-horses. ^ See Alfred's Orosius, 1. 1. 3. 
 
 ' Lit. , over the boundary-path. ' Lit. , troop after another. 
 
 ^ Lit., wave-horses. " Lit., they allowed to set out. 
 
 ' Lit., oceaii-vushers, ' Lit., heard a lady lead. 
 
 ^ Lit., sea-timber. Compare campwudu, 1. 51, battle- wood = spear, mcegen- 
 wudu, JBeo. 477, might-wood = spear, hord-wudu, ib. 3490, shield-wood = 
 shield, and gomen-wiiAu, ib. 2134, glee- wood = harp or rote. 
 
 * Or, when she the warrior-queen ... [to them] again ; but comparison 
 with 1. 384 makes the rendering given in the text the more probable. 
 
ELENE. 11 
 
 [many] a chieftain was his quilted* corslet and his trusty 
 bUl, noble equipment; many a helmet, [and] the glorious 
 boar-ensign. The spearmen," warriors around the victorious 
 queen, were eager for the march. (261) Bravely marched 
 the soldiers with light heart into the land of the Greeks ; 
 Caesar's messengers, warriors equipped in armour. There in 
 the army was beheld [many] a jewel mounted^ [in gold], a 
 gift of their lord. The proudly-happy Helena was resolutely 
 mindful in her heart of her sovereign's wUl, (268) eager in 
 mind to seek^ the land of the Jews over battle-fields with a 
 veteran' army of shield-bearing soldiers, a host of warriors. 
 So iQ due course it happened (272) after a little space that 
 that multitude of men, of soldiers famed in fight, came to 
 Jerusalem, into the city, with a vast company,^" — chieftains 
 renowned for the spear, with the noble queen. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Then she gave orders to summon the wisest burghers far 
 and wide among the Jews, each of the men, to come to an 
 assembly to advise,^ those who could most thoroughly explain 
 through sound [knowledge of the] law the mysteries of the 
 
 ' The epithet brogden is perhaps most literally drawn : see examples in 
 Toller's Bosworth, and compare brogdenmcel in 1. 759 = drawn sword. It may 
 refer to the drawing together of the two surfaces of the padded material in 
 the process of quilting. The rendering given in Toll. Bosw., "woven," 
 seems to suggest the kiod of armour made of interlaced rings, which was 
 quite unknown to our poet, having been introduced during the Crusades, so 
 Sir Samuel Meyrick informs us, and probably of Asiatic discovery. Possibly 
 scale-armour is meant, such as Aneurin declares Hengist to have worn ; or 
 the ' ringed corslet,' whether the rings were sewn on flat or edgewise. But 
 Alcuin's statement that our English forefathers in war wore linen tunics well 
 fitted to their limbs and admitting of activity of motion, seems to throw 
 light on the passage before us, the linen of course being somehow made 
 capable of resisting sword and spear, in other words qvilled. But the Saxon 
 authors, Mfcyrick observes, are by no means explicit with respect to the form 
 or materials of their body-armour. It is assumed in these remarks that our 
 author does not refer to actual Roman armour, which seems to have been 
 made of metal plates even to the latest times, and to be therefore incapable 
 of being described by the epithet brogden. 
 
 " Lit., ash-fighters. ' Lit., locked. 
 
 8 Lit., that she should seek. ' Lit., well-tried. 
 
 " Lit., greatest of troops. ' Lit., haranguing. 
 
12 ELENE. 
 
 Lord. (282) Then was gathered together a vast multitude 
 from distant parts, those who knew how to explain the law 
 of Mpses. There were in number three thousand of those 
 people(s) chosen for teaching. Then began the beloved 
 lady to address with words the men of the Hebrews : 
 (288) "I have clearly learnt this from the mystic sayings 
 of the prophets in God's books, that you in days of yore 
 were precious to the King of Glory, dear to the Lord, and 
 active [in his service]. Why, ye of that wisdom . . . un- 
 wisely, perversely, rejected [it], when ye tortured Him (295) 
 who intended to deliver you by the power of his glory from 
 the curse, from agony of fire, from hard imprisonment. Ye 
 foully spat on the face of Him .who for you, by healing 
 of blindness, procured eyesight anew) by that holy spittle, 
 and oft delivered [you] from unclea^h (302) spirits of devils. 
 You condemned " to death Him who Himself amidst a crowd 
 of men awoke many of your race out of death into their 
 former life. (306) So ye spiritually blind confounded ^ false- 
 hood with truth, light with darkness, envy with honour : ye 
 wove crime in your evil thoughts. For this cause the curse 
 rests on you sinful men. Ye condemned ■* that bright Power, 
 and have lived in error, with darkened understandings, unto 
 this day. (313) Go now quickly, reflect in prudence as wise 
 men, mighty in speech ; those who have above all in mind 
 your law, men powerful by high birth, they can truly tell 
 me, [and] set forth an answer for you about each one of the 
 signs which I am enquiring of them." (320) Then departed 
 with sorrowful hearts the rabbis learned in the law, oppressed 
 with awe, mournful in grief, [and] sought earnestly the most 
 cunning mysteries of words, that they might answer their 
 queen, as well good as bad, according as she enquired of 
 them. 
 
 (326) They then found in their number a thousand dis- 
 creet men who best knew old traditions among the Jews. 
 They hastened in a crowd where Caesar's kinswoman sat in 
 state upon a royal throne — the noble warrior queen arrayed 
 
 * Lit., began to condemn. ' Lit., began to conround. 
 
 * Lit., began to condemn. 
 
ELENE. 13 
 
 in gold. (332) Helena spake and said before the rabbis : 
 "Hear, ye discreet in mind, the holy mysteries, the word 
 and wisdom. Why, ye received the teaching of the prophets, 
 how the Author of Life should be born into the condition of 
 a child — the Wielder of all power.^ Of Him Moses, the 
 ruler of the Israelites, sang, and spake this word : (339) ' To 
 you a child, glorious in power, shall be born in mystery, as 
 his mother shall not conceive through man's love.'" Of Him 
 king David, the wise and ancient sage, father of Solomon, 
 sang a lordly song, and spake this word — prince of warriors : 
 ' I saw before me the God of the beginning, (346) the Lord 
 of victories. He was in my sight, the Wielder of all power, 
 on my right [hand], the Kuler of Glory. From thence shall 
 I not turn away my gaze for ever?'' So again Isaiah the 
 prophet proclaimed it in words before the multitudes con- 
 cerning you, deeply moved by the Spirit of the Lord : (353) 'I 
 reared up young offspring, and begat children to whom I 
 granted prosperity, holy comfort of soul ; but they despised 
 me, hated [me] with enmity, had no forethought(s), [no] 
 apprehension of wisdom. But the unhappy oxen, which 
 the ploughman every day * drives and beats, (359) know 
 their benefactor: no way do they with enmity hate their 
 friends who give them fodder. But never would the people 
 of the Israelites acknowledge me, although I have wrought 
 many wonders " for them during past ages.' 
 
 ' Lit. , of powers. 
 
 ^ The words which our poet intended to quote would seem to have been 
 those of Isaiah (not Moses): "Ecce virgo concipiet, et pariet iilium" (ch. vii. 
 14) ; and, "Filius datus est nobis" (ch. ix, 6). 
 
 ' lAt., ever for ever. The passage of which the poet is thinking is 
 apparently Psalm xv. (xvi.) 8, 9: " Providebam Dominum in couspectu 
 meo semper, quoniam a dextris est mihi, ne commovear. Propter hoc 
 Iffitatum est cor meum, et exsultavit lingua mea." 
 
 * Lit. , every one of days. 
 
 ^ Lit., of wonders. The quotation is from Isaiah i. 2, 3 : " Filios enutrivi, 
 et exaltavi ; ipsi autem sprcverunt me. Cognovit bos possessorem suum, et 
 asinus prsesepe domini sui ; Israel auteni me non cognovit, et populus meus 
 non intellexit. " 
 
14 ELENE. 
 
 V. 
 
 "Behold, this we have heard by the holy books, that the 
 Lord, the Creator, gave you stainless glory, [and] vast power ;^'' 
 [and] taught Moses how ye ought to obey the King of Heaven, 
 [and] fulfil his instruction. Forthwith this was grievous to 
 you,i and ye [soon] had cried out against the right ; (370) 
 ye turned away from the glorious Maker of all, the Lord of 
 Lords, and followed error in preference to God's law. Now 
 go ye speedily and find again those who by force of wisdom 
 best know the ancient scriptures, your law, that with en- 
 larged mind they may be able to give me an answer." (377) 
 Then went the proud men, in a large company, with sad 
 heart, as the queen commanded them. Then they found 
 five hundred chosen [men] of their countrymen of exceeding 
 learning, who possessed most knowledge in their memory, 
 (382) [and] intelligence in their soul. They again, the 
 burghers, after a short space, were summoned to the palace. 
 The queen, glancing ^ over them all, began to address them 
 in [these] words : " Often have ye committed a foolish deed, 
 ye unhappy sons of misery, and disregarded the Scriptures 
 and your fathers' teaching ; but never worse than then when 
 ye scorned the healing of your blindness, (390) and gainsaid 
 what was true and right, that in Bethlehem was born a Child 
 of the Most High, a King, only-begotten, the Supreme among 
 princes. Though ye knew the law [and] the words of the 
 prophets, ye would not then acknowledge the truth, ye 
 sinful men." 
 
 (396) They then with one voice^ answered: "Lo, we learned 
 the Hebrew law, which in ancient days our fathers knew, 
 from the ark of God ; nor do we aWll know, lady, why thou 
 hast been thus severely angry with us. "We know not the 
 offence that we have committed among this people, [and] 
 done misdeeds against thee at any time." (404) Helena 
 addressed them, and spake openly before the rabbis. The 
 lady said aloud before the multitudes : " Go ye now quickly 
 
 '° Lit., abundance of powers. ' Lit., it fretted you of this. 
 
 ^ Lit., she glanced. ' Lit., mind. 
 
ELENB. 15 
 
 [and] seek out in all directions those among you who possess 
 most power [of wisdom] and judgment, (409) that they may 
 show me confidently without delay each one of the things 
 that I ask of them." They then went their way from the 
 council, as the mighty queen bold in the cities had ordered 
 them: with sorrowful mind they earnestly reflected, [and] 
 enquired with guileful thoughts what that sin was (415) 
 which they had committed among' the people against the 
 Csesar, that the queen is upbraiding them with. Then spake 
 one there before the rabbis, deeply learned in tradition^ — 
 Judas was his name — and powerful in speech : " I know full 
 well that she desires to enquire after the Tree of Victory, on 
 which the Ruler of the nations suffered, (422) [though] 
 guiltless of all iniquities, God's own Son, whom, [though] 
 innocent of every sin,* our fathers from hatred hanged on a 
 high tree in days of old. Calamitous was that design. Now 
 there is a great need (427) that we steadfastly fix our mind 
 not to be informers about that murder, where the holy Tree 
 was concealed after the fierce contest, lest the wise old 
 Scriptures be flung aside, and our ancestral doctrines be 
 forsaken. It wiH not be long after that (433) that the race 
 of the Israelites may any more rule over the earth, the 
 religion of the rabbis, if this shall be discovered; as then 
 my grandfather, famous for victory, a wise old counsellor {or, 
 wise and learned in antiquities) — Zacchseus was his name — 
 said the same once to my father, [who himself afterwards 
 handed it down to me his] '^ offspring, (440) [when] he was 
 departing from this world, and spake this word: 'If it 
 happen to thee in thy lifetime that thou hear wise men 
 enquire about the holy Tree, and raise disputes about the 
 Eood of Victory on which the true King, the Euler of the 
 Kingdom of heaven, the Son of aU peace, was hanged, then 
 do thou quickly make known, (447) my dear son, before 
 death seize thee, [that] never after that can the people of 
 the Hebrews by taking counsel hold sway, [or] rule by [their 
 own] excellences; but their jurisdiction shall abide, and 
 
 * Lit., songs. ° Lit., of each one of sius. 
 
 ' So Grein supplies the lacuna. 
 
16 ELENE. 
 
 their authority . . . filled full of joy to the ages of ages, 
 who honour and adore the crucified King.' 
 
 VI. 
 " Then I promptly made answer to my father, the old man 
 learned in the law : ' How could that come to pass in the 
 kingdom of the world that our fathers with hostile mind 
 should lay hands on that Holy One to [inflict] death, if they 
 knew beforehand (460) that He was Christ, the King in the 
 heavens, the true Son of the Creator, the Saviour of souls ? ' 
 Then my sire gave answer to me, prudent in mind my father 
 spoke : ' Understand, young man, the great power of God, the 
 name of the Saviour. He is indescribable by any one of 
 men. Him can no man on earth trace out of himself. (468) 
 Never would I enter into those plots that this people was 
 forming, but I always kept myself apart from those sins, 
 [and] not at all did I bring shame on my own spirit. Oft 
 did I earnestly offer opposition to their wrong-doing, (473) 
 when the sages sat in council [and] sought in their mind how 
 they might crucify the Son of the Creator, the Protector of 
 men, the Lord of all angels and men, the noblest of [God's] 
 sons. They could not so — foolish and unhappy men — inflict 
 death on Him as they before imagined, (479) [or] torture^ 
 Him with pains ; yet He for a time yielded up His spirit on 
 the cross, [He] the victorious Son of God. 'Then afterwards 
 was the Euler of the heavens lifted off the cross; He the 
 Glory of all Glories abode in the tomb three nights after- 
 wards in custody of the darkness ; and then the third day 
 (486) the Light of all light, the Lord of angels, arose Kving 
 and showed Himself to His ser\'ants, the true Prince of 
 victories, bright in glory. Then thy brother received after 
 a time the bath of baptism, (491) a brightly-joyous belief. 
 When for the Lord's sake Stephen was stoned, he requited 
 not evil with evil, but patient under suffering he interceded 
 for his old enemies, and [prayed] the King of glory that he 
 would not set down this woeful deed to them for vengeance,^ 
 
 ' Lit., fix or plant. 
 
 ^ " Domiue, ne statuas illis hoc peccatum" (Acts vii. 59). 
 
ELENE. 17 
 
 (496) that they were depriving of life an innocent man, 
 guiltless of sins, for envy [and] by the teachings of Saul, as 
 he through enmity was condemning many of Christ's people 
 to destruction, to death. Yet the Lord afterwards showed 
 him mercy, so that he became a consolation to many nations. 
 Afterwards the God of creation, the Saviour of men, changed 
 his name, (504) and he afterwards was called Saint Paul by 
 name ; and no other of [all] teachers of religion ever after 
 under heaven's canopy was better than he, of all to whom 
 woman or man gave birth into this world, although he caused 
 thy brother Stephen to be crushed with stones upon the hiU.* 
 (511) Jfow mayest thou learn, my dear son, how gracious 
 the Euler of all is, though we often commit wrong, sin- 
 vt^ounds against Him, if we soon again reform from^" those 
 evil deeds, and again forsake unrighteous ways.i (517) 
 Therefore in truth I and my beloved father afterwards 
 believed . . . that the God of all glories, the Guide of life, 
 endured bitter punishment because of the hard necessity of 
 mankind. (522) Therefore in song-counsel I advise thee, 
 dearest youth, never to be guilty of revihng [or] envy or enmity 
 [or] fierce gainsaying against the Son of God ; so shalt thou 
 obtain that everlasting life shall be granted to thee xa heaven, 
 the best reward of victory.' (528) Thus my father in days 
 gone by instructed me [when] yet a boy^ by his teachings, 
 [and] trained me with words of truth : Simon was his name, 
 a man learned in our traditions. Now ye clearly know (532) 
 what seems best to you in your mind to state about this, if 
 this queen asketh us about that cross. Now ye (or, that 
 cross, now [that] ye^) know my mind and thought." 
 
 ' It is a singular anachronism, and half recognized as such in 1. 634, that 
 this Judas, who lived in the reign of Coustautiue, and uttered these words in 
 or after A. D. 233, according to our poet (see 1. 7 and note), is here represented 
 as brother to the Protomartyr Stephen. Though the date of St. Stephen's 
 death is not certainly known, it is fixed by early ecclesiastical tradition on 
 the 26th of December of the same year as that of the crucifixion of Christ, 
 nearly three centuries therefore before the sixth year of Constautine's reign. 
 
 ^^ Lit. , effect a bettering of. 
 
 ' Lit, the unright. ' Lit., [when] ungrown. 
 
 ' Zupitza prefers this way of connecting the clauses ; the other appears to 
 me to yield the better sense. 
 
 B 
 
18 ELENE. 
 
 (536) In reply to him then spake in words the wisest in 
 the assembly of men : " Never did we hear any man in this 
 people, save thee now and here, [any] other person, so tell of 
 such a mysterious event. Do as seemeth fit to thee, (542) 
 thou so learned in ancient traditions, if thou be asked in the 
 assembly of men. Wisdom doth he need, wary words and a 
 wise man's wit, who is to reply to that noble [queen] before 
 such a multitude in assembly." 
 
 VII. 
 The people contended in debate, and held opinions [inclining] 
 both ways: some this way, some that, they pondered and 
 thought. Then came the multitude of learned men to the 
 assembly. The heralds, Caesar's messengers, proclaimed: 
 "The queen summons you, (552) gentlemen, to the palace, 
 that ye may rightly explain the decisions of your synod. 
 Ye have need of discernment in the place of council, of 
 prudence of mind." They were ready, the leaders* of the 
 people with sorrowful heart, when they were summoned with 
 an imperative order, [and] they went to the palace (558) to 
 show the greatness of their wisdom. Then the queen began 
 to address the Hebrew men in words, to ask the men mourn- 
 ful iQ spirit about the ancient Scriptures, how formerly in 
 the world the prophets sang, men holy in spirit, concerning 
 the Son of God ; (563) where that Prince suffered, the true 
 Son of the Creator, for the sake of soids. They were 
 obstinate, harder than a Kock; they would not honestly 
 make known the secret, nor give her any answer, those bitter 
 enemies, [to that] which she asked of them f but they made 
 opposition, firm in miad, to every word that she asked:* 
 (571) they said that they never in their lives had heard, 
 either sooner or later, of any such thing.^ 
 
 Helena spoke, and angry she addressed them : " I will teU 
 you for truth, andjtMs in aU your life will not be found false- 
 hood! (576) if ye persist in this lying [any] longer with cunnmg 
 
 * Lit., protectors. ' Lit., about which she sought to them. 
 
 ' Lit., began to ask. ' Lit., aught of such. 
 
ELENE. 19 
 
 deceit, [ye] who stand before me, that fire shall destroy you on 
 the hill, the hottest furys of fire, and flashing flame shall con- 
 sume your body, so that that lying shall be turned to utter 
 destruction for you. (582) Ye cannot prove those words . . . 
 that ye just now in unrighteousness have been covering up 
 under a cloak of wickedness.® Ye cannot hide the event, 
 [nor] conceal its mystic power." Then were they in expecta- 
 tion of death, of the funeral pile and the end of life ; and 
 there they then put forward one (586) deeply skUled in 
 ancient lore — Judas was his name, bestowed in the presence 
 of his kindred : him they gave up to the queen, [and] 
 declared him a man eminently wise. " He can make known 
 to thee the truth, and reveal the secrets of fate,^" if thou 
 questionest him with . words, the law from the beginning 
 right to the end. (591) He is as to this world of noble 
 family, eloquent of speech and the son of a prophet, and 
 outspoken in council. It is natural to him to have clever 
 answers [ready], and skill in his mind. He in the presence 
 of the multitude of people will exhibit to thee the gift of 
 wisdom by that great ability, just as thy mind desireth." 
 (598) She then allowed everyone to repair to his own 
 home in peace, and took the one Judas as a hostage, and 
 then earnestly begged him to tell her the truth concerning 
 the Eood, which formerly was long hidden in a secret place ; 
 and she called him apart [by] himself. (604) Helena spake 
 to him when thus alone, the queen blessed in renown : " Two 
 things are ready for thee, either life or death, as shall be 
 preferable to thee to choose. Declare now forthwith, which 
 therefore thou wilt accept as terms." (609) Judas in turn 
 pleaded with her : he could not then rid himself of sadness-^ 
 or avert the sovereign's i anger : he was in the queen's 
 power: "How can it be with him who in a wild country 
 weary and without food is treading the moorland overpowered 
 with hunger, and bread and stone in his sight . . . beconie 
 
 ' Lit., surge. " Lit., undergarments — or, sheets— of sins. 
 
 ■" Lit., of the fates. 
 
 • Latin rex (which occurs also in 1. 1042) here used as a gen. of common 
 gender ? 
 
 I! 2 
 
20 ELENE. 
 
 both alike, (615) the hard and the soft, so that he takes the 
 stone as a remedy for hunger and cares not for the bread, 
 chooses famine and rejects the food, [and] loathes the better 
 when he has the option of both."^ 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Then the blessed Helena gave him an answer openly before 
 the people : " If thou desirest to have a dwelling-place with 
 angels in the kingdom of heaven and life on earth, [and] the 
 reward of victory in the sky, tell me forthwith (624) where 
 the holy Eood of the celestial King lies hidden under ground, 
 which now for a long time ye because of the guilt of murder 
 have been concealing from men." Judas spake : sorrowful 
 was his soul, and burning within his heart, and [there was] 
 woe both ways, whether he renounced the heaven-kingdom's 
 joy thus in his soul, and this present kingdom (see v. 449) 
 under the skies, or gave up the Eood: (632) "How can I 
 discover that which happened so long ago in the lapse of 
 years ?' There are now many passed by, two hundred or 
 more [all] told by number. I cannot explain, now [that] I 
 know not the number. (Or, I can give no explanation now : 
 I know not the number.) There are since then many 
 thoughtful and good who have now passed away, wise 
 men who were before us. I in infancy was born long 
 afterwards in later times, (640) a young lad. I am not 
 able to discover in my mind what I know not, what 
 happened so long ago." 
 
 Helena addressed him in reply, "How has it happened among 
 this people that ye bear in memory such various things, each 
 one of all heroic deeds, such as the Trojans performed in 
 fight ? That was much more remote (adopting the reading 
 of Grimm and Kemble, fyr micle) in lapse of years (647) a 
 far-famed old-world-war, than this truly great event. Ye 
 perfectly know this, how to state more easily what murderous 
 
 ^ Lit., enjoys [or, has the enjoyment of) both. Toll. Bosw. follows Kemble 
 in rendering "when he requires both," but it is far from obvious why a 
 starving man requires a stone. 
 
 ^ Lit. , in the goings of winters. 
 
ELENE. 21 
 
 slaughter there was of all there, with the number of men, 
 [how many] fallen under shield-shelter, of the dart-players 
 dead. Ye have recorded in books the graves under vast 
 cairns, and the places in like manner and the dates." (655) 
 Judas spoke — bitter sorrow he endured : — " My lady, we 
 of sheer necessity weU remember that war, and recorded 
 in books that fierce contest, the deeds of the nations ; but 
 this we never heard tell @ to the people by any man's 
 mouth save here and now." (662) To him the noble queen 
 made answer : " Too vehemently dost thou gainsay truth and 
 right about that Tree of Life, when now a short time ago 
 thou spakest truly to thine own people(s) about that Tree 
 of Victory, and now turnest to falsehood." (667) Judas 
 pleaded with her again: he, said that he spoke that in 
 sadness and exceedingly in doubt: he expected abject 
 sorrow for himself. Promptly did the Caesar's kinswoman 
 reply to him : " Why, this we have heard announce[d] to men 
 by the Holy Books, that the noble Child of the King, the 
 Son of the Spirit of God (see Luke i. 35), was crucified on 
 Calvary. In plain_^ terms shalt thou (674) declare thy 
 knowledge, according to what the Scriptures say, as to the 
 place, where that spot Calvary is, ere suffering and death take 
 thee for thy sins, that I afterwards may cleanse it according 
 to Christ's will (679) for help to men, that the holy 
 God, the mighty Lord, the Glory-giver of Hosts, the Helper 
 of Spirits, may fulfil for me the inward desire of my soul, 
 [all] my wish." Stubborn of soul Judas answered her : " I 
 know not the place, (684) nor aught of the field, nor know 
 I the state of the case." Helena spake in angry mood: 
 " This do I swear by the Son of the Creator, the crucified 
 God, that thou shalt be put to death by starvation in the 
 presence of thy kinsfolk,, (689) unless thou abandon those 
 falsehoods, and plainly declare to me the truth." 
 
 She gave orders then to take him away with a band of men 
 [and] thrust him alive — guilty man — into a dry pit (her 
 servants were not slow [to obey]), where he, deprived of [all] 
 relief, (694) abode in sorrows a whole week's time, in prison, 
 tormented with hunger, made fast in fetters. Then on the 
 
22 ELENE. 
 
 seventh day began he to call out, haggard {hesyhd^ so Thorpe, 
 Kemble, Bosworth) with sufferings, weary and famished — his 
 strength was broken down : " I conjure you by the God of 
 Heaven^ (700) that ye release me [and take me] up out of 
 these tortures, brought low by the pang of hunger. 1 will 
 gladly make known the holy Tree, now [that] I can (or, the 
 holy Tree : now I can) no longer conceal it for hunger. This 
 confinement is so severe, (704) the punishment so heavy, and 
 this suffering so cruel day after day ; I cannot hold out nor 
 any longer keep the secret concerning the Tree of Life, 
 although I was before possessed with folly and myself have 
 known the truth too late." 
 
 IX. 
 
 When she who marshalled the warriors there heard that — 
 the [altered] behaviour of the man, — she gave orders im- 
 mediately that he should be released [and taken] up out of 
 the confinement and from the dungeon, from the narrow 
 cell. Soon with speed they performed this, (714) and- 
 brought him up with tender care out of the pit, as the queen 
 had bidden them. Eesolute then they proceeded to the 
 place up on the hUl, where formerly the Lord, the Guardian 
 of Heaven's kingdom, the Son of God, was lifted up on the 
 cross ; and yet he knew not at all (720) (humbled by hunger) 
 where the holy Eood through guile [-power lay buried, in 
 ancient days^] hidden in the ground, [and] abode long 
 secure in its concealment, out of view of the people(s) in the 
 quiet of the grave. 
 
 In a moment he lifted up his A^oice — (725) filled with 
 unwonted power'' — and spake in Hebrew: "Lord Jesus,* 
 Thou who possessest the power of judgment,' and madest in 
 the might of Thy glory heaven and earth and ocean's 
 fury, the wide expanse of sea, together with aU creation ; 
 
 ^ Lit., sullied, s j^^^^ ^f heavens. 
 
 * So Greiu fills up the supposed lacuna in the text. 
 ' Lit., a stranger [to himself in respect] of power. 
 
 ^ Lit., Healer — the name always given to Jesus in the A. S. Gospels, even 
 in such places as Matt. i. 21, Luke i. 31, and John ix. 11. 
 
 * Lit., of judgments. 
 
ELENE. ZS 
 
 (730) and Thou didst measure out with Thy hands all 
 the circle [of the earth] and the heaven above ; and Thou 
 Thyself, Bestower of Victories, sittest above the highest race 
 of angels, who clad in light traverse the air in surpassing 
 greatness of power : the nature^ of men^" cannot ascend up 
 thither from the paths of earth (737) in the body with that 
 bright host, the messengers of glory. Thou didst create 
 that [host], holy and heavenly, and appoint it for Thy 
 service. In the rank of these are six [living] in perpetual 
 bHss, named [by special names]. They are compassed 
 also with six wings. [Thus] adorned, fair they shine. 
 (744) Four of them there are who, ever on the wing, 
 perform the majestic worship^ before the face of the 
 eternal Judge. Perpetually they sing in glory with clear 
 voices the praise of the King of Heaven, (749) the most 
 melodious of songs ; and these words with pure voices they 
 speak (Cherubim is their name). ' Holy is the holy God of 
 the archangels, the Lord^f^Hosts : heaven and earth are full 
 of that glory, and all His sublime might is marked with 
 majesty.' There are two among them (755) in heaven, a 
 glorious brotherhood, whom man calls by the name [of] 
 Seraphim. Their duty it is with a flaming sword to keep 
 inviolate the Field of Eest ( = Paradise) and the Tree of Life. 
 With resistless edge the drawn sword quivers [and] vibrates 
 and changes colour,^ terribly fast in their grip(s). iPoriThou, 
 God the Lord, (761) rulest for ever ; and Thou didst hurl 
 from the skies the crime-stained sin-working foes, fools [as 
 they were]. Then the host of wretches^ was driven down 
 into* abodes of darkness, into destruction and* torments. 
 There are they now amid the surge [of fire] suffering death- 
 agony in the embrace of the dragon, (767) encompassed with 
 darkness. He defied Thine authority; therefore must he, 
 an outlaw, foul[est] of all that is foul, endure in misery, 
 [and] bear the yoke of thraldom. There can he not cast off 
 Thy governance : fast bound is he in tortures, (772) he, the 
 
 '» See 1 Cor. xv. 60. ' -£»'•, the worship with majesty. 
 
 " Zit., in colours. ^ ii<-, the weary shoal. 
 
 * Lit., was compelled to fall under. " Lit., of. 
 
24 ELENE. 
 
 first author of all sin, engirt with torment. If it be Thy 
 will, Ruler of Angels, that He shall reign who was on the 
 Cross, and [who] was brought forth by Mary into the world, 
 into the condition of a child, (777) — Lord of Angels, (or, 
 [though] Lord of Angels — ) if He had not been Thy sinless 
 Son, never would He have performed so many (of) true 
 miracles in this world's kingdom day after day : never {or, 
 nor) wouldst Thou, Euler of Nations, have awoke Him 
 from death so gloriously before the people(s), if He had not 
 been Thy Child in glory through that bright maid — (784) 
 show forth now Thy sign, Father of Angels. As Thou 
 heardest the words of ° that holy man Moses, when Thou, 
 God of all power, under the mountain brow didst show that 
 chieftain the bones of Joseph at that high time ; (789) so I 
 desire to pray Thee, Lord of Hosts, in the name of that 
 glorious Being, that Thou, Creator of Spirits, display to me, 
 if it be Thy will, that treasure that has long been hidden from 
 men. Let now, Author of Life, (794) a gladsome smoke 
 ascend from the plain up to the expanse of heaven and 
 hover in the air. I shall [all] the better believe, and [all] 
 the more firmly stablish my soul, a hope undoubting, on the 
 crucified Christ, (799) that He is truly the Saviour of souls, 
 eternal, almighty, the King of Israel,^ [and that He] shall 
 for ever in glory,* world without end, rule the eternal abodes 
 in the heavens." 
 
 X. 
 
 Then from that place a vapour arose, just like smoke up 
 to the sky.^ Then the man's spirit within him revived.^" 
 Happy and pious he clapped^ his hands above his head.^ 
 Restored to his right mind^ Judas spake : (808) " Now have 
 I myself truly known in my hard heart that Thou art the 
 Saviour of the world. Thanks unbounded be to Thee who 
 
 ' Lit., in speech. ' Lit., of the Israelites. 
 
 ' Lit., a long life of glory. ' Lit., under heavens. 
 
 " Ldt., was lifted up. ' Or, waved. 
 
 ' Lit., he played upward with both his hands. 
 * Lit., wise in thought. 
 
ELENE. 25 
 
 sittest in glory, God of all might/ that to me so wretched 
 and so sinful Thou in Thy glory hast revealed the mysteries 
 of Thy providence.^ (814) Now will I pray Thee, Son of 
 God, beloved Euler® of Hosts — now [that] I know that 
 Thou art announced and born the Glory of all kings, — 
 that Thou, Creator, be no more mindful of my sins, 
 of those that I have committed not a few times. Let me, 
 God of aU^ power, (820) [being reckoned] in the number 
 of Thy kingdom, dwell in the lot of the holy ones in that 
 bright city, where my brother Stephen is exalted in glory, 
 because he held to his covenant with Thee, although he was 
 pelted with heavy stones. He possesses the reward of 
 conflict, (826) bliss without end. In books his miracles 
 that he wrought are set forth in writing." 
 
 With gladsome heart he began then, single-minded in 
 his zeal, to dig the earth for the Tree -of Glory (830) under 
 the turfed field, till he found buried twenty feet below,^ 
 hidden in' the depth down in the earth in covert dark — he 
 there found ^* three (834) (of) crosses together buried in the 
 gravel in that dark^ dwelling, just as in days of yore the 
 multitude of impious men, the race of the Jews, had 
 covered them up with earth. They lifted up their hatred 
 against the Son of God, which ^ they never would have 
 come to (839) if^ they had not listened to the teachings 
 of the author of all transgression.* Then was his heart 
 greatly gladdened, his mind comforted^ by that holy Tree, 
 the soul within his breast stimulated, after he saw the holy 
 Sign under the ground. He with his hands took hold of 
 (844) the Joy-Tree of glory, and with the people lifted it 
 out of its grave. Passers-by [and] nobles entered into the 
 town. Then the men, zealous ** and strong in spirit, placed 
 the three crosses in open view before the knees of Helena. 
 The queen rejoiced in her heart at the deed, and then 
 
 * Lit, of powers. ° Lit, of fates. ° Lit, joy-giver. 
 
 ' Cf. V. 810. ' Lit, distant. ' Lit, under. 
 
 '° lAt, met with. * Or, sad. ^ Lit, as. 
 
 ' lit, where. * Cf. 1. 810. ' Lit, hardened. 
 
 ' Lit., single-minded. 
 
26 ELENE. 
 
 enquired' (851) on which of those trees the Son of the 
 Almighty, the Giver of hope to men, had been crucified. 
 "Behold, we have heard [our teachers] show this with 
 proofs from the Holy Books that two [others] suffered with 
 Him, and He Himself was the third (856) on the Eood-Tree. 
 The sky all grew dark on that awful day. Say, if thou 
 knowest, on which of these three the Prince of Angels < 
 suffered, the Euler of Glory." Judas was not able (nor did 
 he at all know) to make known to her with certainty 
 concerning the Tree of Victory, (862) [and tell] on which 
 one the Saviour, the victorious Son of God, had been lifted 
 up, till he. bade [them] set the crosses with a shout in 
 the middle of the glorious city, and wait there until the 
 King Almighty should show them^ some miracle before the 
 people concerning the Tree of Glory. (868) The veterans 
 famed for victory seated themselves : a psalm they raised, 
 all deep in thought, around those crosses three until the 
 ninth hour, [when] they had a new joy marvellously' met 
 with. 
 
 Then a multitude came there, (872) folk not a few, and 
 with a crowd of people they brought a dead man, young 
 [but] lifeless, close by on a bier : it was then the ninth hour. 
 Then was Judas there greatly delighted in his soul. (877) 
 He bade [them] then lay on the ground the deceased man, 
 the body of the departed,^" of the lifeless one ; and lifted 
 up — wise counsellor of right, deep in thought — ^in his arms 
 two of those crosses over that lifeless form. It remained 
 dead as it was before, the body motionless on the bier : the 
 limbs were cold,i (884) oppressed by their sad doom. Then 
 the third was lifted up, the holy one. The corpse remained 
 as it was^ till the Prince's Cross was lifted [and laid] upon 
 it, the Tree of Heaven's King, the true Sign of Victory. 
 Quickly he arose (889) endued with spirit, body and soul* 
 
 ' Gf. 1. 303. 8 Or, him. » Cf. 1. 15. 
 
 " Lit., of the man forsaken ^jjife. ^ Lit., had cooled. 
 
 ^ Lit., the corpse was in expectation. 
 
 3 The poet here seems to follow St. Paul's teaching as to the tripartite 
 nature of man, as consisting of "spiritus et anima et corpus." (1 Thess, v. 23.) 
 Both here and elsewhere the student must bear in mind that the Holy 
 
ELEXE. 27 
 
 both together at once. Then was a rapturous song of 
 praise lifted up among the people. The Father they adored, 
 and the true Son of the [Almighty] Euler they extolled in 
 [their] words. To Him be glory and the thanks of all 
 creatures for ever without end ! 
 
 XL 
 
 Then on the heart of* the people was wonder deeply im- 
 pressed, as it ever ought [to be] with them, [because of] 
 those things which the Lord of Hosts, the Guide of Life, 
 wrought for salvation to the race of men. Then the enemy 
 there, [ever] sinning with lies, ascended flying into the air. 
 Then began the Hell-devil to utter a voice, (902) that terrible 
 demon, mindful of evil things. "Ah ! what man^ is this that 
 again by [reviving] ancient contention is perverting my 
 followers, is prolonging the old feud, [and] plundering [my] 
 possessions ? This is ceaseless quarrel. Sinful souls may 
 no longer remain among my possessions. Now is a stranger 
 come, (909) whom formerly I reckoned as fast bound in sins, 
 [who] has robbed me of every right,^ of my wealth acquired. 
 That is not a fair proceeding. Many wrongs'' hath Jesus ^ 
 done me, oppressive acts of malice. He who was brought up 
 in Nazareth. As soon as ever He grew (915) beyond child- 
 hood. He was continually gaining over to Himself what 
 belonged to me. No right can avail now.^ Wide is His 
 kingdom throughout the world ; my counsel under heaven 
 is baffled. 1" I have no cause to praise the Cross with 
 rejoicing. Why, Jesus was again shutting me up in the 
 narrow [and] woeful dwelling to [my] sorrow. Formerly 
 by Judas I (923) was made joyful ; and now by Judas again 
 I am brought to shame, deprived of every good, an outlaw 
 and friendless. Again I shall be able by magic^ to find a 
 way of return hereafter from the abodes of the wicked. I 
 
 Scriptures were known to Cynewulf only in Latin, either in the Vulgate of 
 in one or more of the ante-Hieronymian versions. (See note on 1. 1063.) 
 
 ' Lit., to. ' Lit, of men. ' Lit., every one of rights. 
 
 ' Lit., of wrongs. * Lit., the Healer (cf. 1. 726). 
 
 ' Lit., it cannot now be successful to any right. 
 "> Lit., overpowered. ' Lit., by wicked writings. 
 
28 ELENE. 
 
 will stir up against thee (928) another king^ who shall per- 
 secute thee; and he shall forsake thy teaching and follow 
 my evil ways, and shall send thee then into the darkest and 
 the worst horrors of punishment, (933) so that thou, visited 
 with pains, shalt firmly deny the crucified King whom thou 
 obeyedst before." 
 
 Then Judas prudent answered him, the champion bold in 
 war — the Holy Ghost was granted to him abidingly, love 
 hot as fire, (938) thought welling up (through the warrior's^y 
 prudence — and this word he spake, full of wisdom: "Thou 
 needest not so eagerly, longing for sin, renew mischief and 
 stir up quarrel, thou wicked king of murder, because the 
 mighty King thrusteth thee down into the abyss, (944) thou 
 worker of sin, into the pit of tortures, inglorious, He who 
 with a word woke many of the dead. Know thou [all] the 
 better, because thou in thy folly ^ didst lose the brightest 
 of lights and the love of the Lord, that glorious joy, and 
 in a bath of fire (950) hast dwelt since then, tormented 
 with sufferings, scorched with flame; and there shalt thou 
 the foe for ever endure the curse [and] misery without end." 
 
 Helena heard how the foe and the friend carried on the 
 conflict,* (955) he of blessed renown and the wicked one 
 on opposite sides, the sinner and the blessed one. Her heart 
 was [all] the more rejoiced because she heard the devil 
 vanquished, the prince of sins; and then she wondered at 
 the wisdom of the man, (960) how he had become so full 
 of faith in so short a time, and he, always so ignorant, 
 [now] filled with intelligence. She thanked God, the King 
 of glory, that through the Son of God the joy of each of the 
 two things had happened to her, (965) [joy] at the sight 
 both of the Tree of Victory and of the faith which ^ she so 
 clearly perceived, a gloriously abiding gift in the man's breast. 
 
 " The allusion is no doubt to the Emperor Julianus Apostata (Julian the 
 Apostate), the nephew of Constantine. That Constantine died in a.d. 337, 
 and Julian did not attain the imperial purple till after an interval of 24 years 
 (in A.D. 361) was no difficulty to our poet, who could easily swallow much 
 larger chronological camels. (See 1. 510 and note.) 
 
 ' Or, that it was for thy folly thou. ^ Lit. , lifted up conflicts. 
 
 ' Zupitza prefers to take ]pe here as a conjunction. 
 
ELENE. - 29 
 
 XII. 
 
 Then was it known among the people, far spread among 
 the nation, a glorious morning-tale, to the vexation of many 
 of those who desired to suppress the religion of the Lord; 
 [and it was] proclaimed throughout the towns [far] as the 
 seas embrace [the land], (973) in every one of the cities, that 
 Christ's Eood, buried of old in the earth, was found, most 
 blessed of victory-signals, of those that later or earlier had 
 been lifted holy under heaven ; and to the Jews it was the 
 greatest of bitter sorrows, to those unhappy men, the most 
 loathly of destinies, (979) that for the world they could not 
 change it, [but] the joy of Christians. Then the queen 
 commanded throughout the host of nobles messengers 
 instantly to make ready to set out." They were to go 
 over the high sea to the lord of the Eomans, and to make 
 known to that warrior himself that greatest of glad messages, 
 that that victory-signal (986) through the grace of the Creator 
 had been met with, found in the earth, which previously for 
 a long time^ had been hidden away for a grief to the saints, 
 to the Christian people. 
 
 Then was the king's mood made blithe by these glorious 
 tidings, (991) his heart full of joy.^ No lack was there then 
 in the towns of people in gold raiment enquiring about [the 
 tidings] brought from afar. The greatest satisfaction in the 
 world had come to him — a joyous' mind^at this glad news 
 which the army-leaders, the messengers, had brought from 
 the east, (997) how the warriors with the victorious queen 
 had made a safe voyage over the sea^" into the land of the 
 Greeks. The emperor bade them get themselves ready with 
 great haste for the journey back. The of&cers lingered not, 
 (1002) as soon as ever they heard the answer, the prince's 
 words. He charged [them] to convey his greetings^ to 
 Helena renowned in war, if they might make a safe sea- 
 
 8 lAt., for a ride. ' Lit, many of times. 
 
 8 Lit., his heart rejoicing. ' Lit., laughing. 
 
 " Lit., swanroad. ' Lit., to bid hail. 
 
30 ELENE. 
 
 passage and a good voyage — these men of active mind — to 
 the holy city. (1007) Constantine charged the messengers 
 also to bid her build a church there on the mountain-brow 
 in their joint name,^ a temple of the Lord, on Calvary, in 
 honour^ of Christ, for the succour of men, where the Holy 
 Eood (1013) was found, that most glorious of trees of [all] 
 that mankind * have heard of on earth. 
 
 This behest she carried out, after her friendly kinsmen 
 had brought [her] many a glad message from the west over 
 the water-fastness.^ (1018) Then the queen gave orders to 
 seek out in aU directions cunning workmen," the best, those 
 who could work with most skiLL^ in the mason's art,^ to erect 
 a temple to God on that spot. As the Guardian of Spirits 
 inspired her from heaven, she gave orders to encase the 
 Eood with gold and gems, (1025) with the most precious 
 jewels to adorn it with skilful workmanship, and then to 
 enclose it with locks in a chest of silver.' There that Tree 
 of Life, best of victory-trees, has remained from that time, 
 imperishable by nature. There shall it be ever ready, (1030) 
 a succour to those who are sick with any kind of suffering, 
 in affliction and sorrow. Speedily do^" they there iind help 
 [and] diviae grace through that holy thing; just as Judas 
 after the appointed interval received the bath of baptism, 
 (1035) and being cleansed became faithful to Christ, dear to 
 the Guardian of Life. His belief became firm ia his soul 
 after the Spirit of Consolation had taken up His dwelling in 
 the breast of the man, [and] impelled him to amendment. 
 He chose the better [part], (1040) the bliss of glory, and 
 forsook the worse — the images of devils — and put down 
 error, the false religion. The King eternal, the Creator, was 
 merciful to him, God the Wielder of all power. 
 
 ' Lit., ty the counsels of them both. ' Lit., to the pleasure. 
 
 * Lit., the dwellers on earth. ' i.e. ocean. 
 
 ^ Lit., men trained in handicrafts. ' Or, most artistically. 
 
 8 Lit, in stone-joinings, s J^^^ ^ j^jg ^ silvern vat. 
 " Or, shall. 
 
ELENE. 31 
 
 XIII. 
 
 Then was he baptized who many a time before . . . bright 
 [and] ready,! his inmost soul, [which was now] roused to 
 seek the better life [and] turned towards glory. Fate how- 
 ever had ordained that he was to become thus full of faith and 
 thus dear to God in this world, (1050) [and] pleasing to 
 Christ. That was shown after Helena had given orders to 
 fetch to her aid Eusebius the bishop of Eome to her council, 
 to the holy city, [that] exceedingly wise man in the 
 deliberations of chieftains, (1055) that he might ordain 
 Judas to the priesthood in Jerusalem, as bishop to the people 
 within the cities, being wisely chosen for the temple of 
 God through the Spirit's grace, and afterwards in her 
 wisdom^ she named him anew^ Cyriacus. The man's name 
 was henceforth changed for the better in the cities — (1063) 
 "The Saviour's Law."* 
 
 Then again the soul of Helena was deeply concerned 
 in connexion with this glorious event for the naUs which had 
 pierced the Saviour's feet, and His hands in like manner, 
 (1067) with which the Euler of the Heavens, the mighty 
 Lord, was fastened on the cross. About these the queen 
 of the Christians began to enquire, [and] bade Cyriacus then 
 again by the power of the Spirit to fulfil her desire* concern- 
 ing that wondrous event, to reveal [the secret] by his 
 glorious gifts; and this word she uttered (1073) to the 
 bishop: bold(ly) she spake: "Thou, protector of men, didst 
 rightly make known to me the noble Tree, the Eood of the 
 King of Heaven(s), on which by heathen hands was hung 
 
 1 Or, the light readily .... " Lit., by thought of wisdom. 
 
 ' Lit. , a second time. 
 
 * It is pretty clear that Cynewulf, like almost all of even his most learned 
 contemporaries in Western Europe, was ignorant of Greek ; otherwise he 
 would have been aware that Cyriacus {KvpiaKds) means simply "belonging 
 to the Lord." It is the neuter of the same word — KvpMK&v (soil. SS)fj,a) — 
 which is commonly supposed to be the origin of our word church, only ' 
 Professor Earle has stamped with a very heavy heel upon that notion in his 
 numerous and unanswerable arguments in the Guardian for Nov. 28th, 1866. 
 
 ' Lit. , the desire to her. 
 
O' 
 
 32 ELENE. |,^,vv;4;i ,*j, 
 
 the Helper of Spirits, God's own Son, (1078) the Saviour of 
 men. Again curiosity inoves) me in my mind (about the 
 nails. I should wish thee tolfind those that stiU are hidden, 
 deep buried in the ground, concealed in darkness. Ever 
 doth my heart grieve : mournful[ly} it crieth out and never 
 ceaseth, (1084) until the Almighty Father, the Euler of 
 Hosts, the Saviour of men, the Holy One from on high, 
 fulfil to me my desire by the finding ^ of those naUs. Now 
 do thou, best messenger, speedily with all humility (1089) 
 offer thy prayers to that bright Being, to the Euler of Glory : ' 
 beseech [Him who is the] strength of heroes, that the 
 Almighty King may make known to thee the treasure under 
 ground that still remaineth hidden, lost to men, secret. 
 (1094) Then began the saint to encourage his soul, the 
 bishop of the people with his spirit stirred^: with glad 
 heart he went, with a throng of men praising God, and then 
 Cyriacus on Calvary solemnly bowed his face. His secret 
 thoughts he concealed not: (1100) in the Spirit's power he 
 called to God in all humility, [and] prayed the Guardian of 
 Angels to reveal to him in [his] perplexity this new unknown 
 thing, where exactly in that place he was to expect [to find] 
 the nails. 
 
 (1105) Then did the Father, the Spirit of Consolation, 
 cause a sign, by the appearance of fire, to stream* forth 
 upwards to [the place] where they were looking on, where Iby 
 the device of men) those most precious nails were craftily 
 buried in the ground. (1110) Then came suddenly a 
 flashing flame brighter than the sun. The crowds saw 
 the miracle displayed^ito their beloved queen ^"j when there 
 out of the darkness, just like the stars of heaven or jewels 
 of gold, the nails in^ the ground blazed with light, shining 
 from below out of their hiding-place. The crowds rejoiced — 
 (1117) the exultant people: they gave glory to God, all 
 with one mind, though ere this they had been long in error 
 
 through the devH's (power to destroy'.x [and] turned away from 
 
 J 
 ^ Lit. , coming. ' LU. , aroused in breast. * Lit. , breathe. 
 
 ' Lit., saw [one] display tlie miracle. '» Lit, joy -giver. 
 
 ' Or, lying upon : lit. (iipparently) close by ; cf. 1. 228, and see Toll. Bosw. 
 
ELENE. 33 
 
 Christ. Thus they said: "Now we^Qurselves behold the Sign 
 of Victory, God's true miracle, (that) formerly we ^fought 
 against, (1124) cleaving to lies.^ ]Sfow< is the way of God's 
 providence^ come [forth] into the light [and] revealed. The 
 ^od of heaven's kingdom have the glory of this in the 
 highest." 3 Then was the bishop of those crowds iilled anew* 
 with joy, he who had been brought' to amendment through 
 the Son of God. He took the nails (1129) awe-struck, and 
 brought them to the venerable queen. 
 
 Cyriacus had ^ fulfilled fverfih.ing\ just as the noble 
 [mistress] ordered, [aI]T)the lady's wm. Then was weeping 
 on aU sides,^ a hot wemng from the head poured over the 
 face, not at all for sorrow: [her] tears fell (1135) over 
 the ornaments'' of [gold] threads. Gloriously^ was the 
 queen's desire fulfilled. In joyous faith she laid them on her 
 knees, [and] exultant in her happiness she adored the 
 [divine] gift which was brought to her as a solace in all 
 her sorrows. She thanked God, (1140) the Lord of Victories, 
 that she knew the truth now present before her, that oft had 
 been foretold long before, in earlier days, from the beginning 
 of the world for a consolation to the peoples. She was fiUed 
 with the gift^ of wisdom, and the holy heavenly Spirit held 
 possession of that dwelling, [and] guarded her heart, her 
 noble breast. So the almighty victorious Son of God hence- 
 forth protected her. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 Then began she by [study of] spiritual mysteries to seek in 
 her soul by piety the way to glory. The God of Hosts 
 however gave aid, the Father in the heavens, the Almighty 
 King, that the queen obtained (1153) her desire in the 
 world. The prophecy had been sung before by ancient 
 
 ° Lit. , the course of events. 
 
 •' See Luke ii. 14, "Gloria in altissimis Deo," which in the A.S. Gospel 
 is rendered, Gode sy wuldor on heahnysse. 
 * Of. 1. 1061. ' Lit., turned. 
 
 ' Lit,, a ring of weeping ; or, with Grein and Zup., a sound of weeping. 
 ' Xii., joining. * Lit., with glory. * Or, grace. Of. 1. 1157. 
 
 C 
 
34 ELENE. 
 
 sages right from the beginning, just as afterwards it happened 
 in everything. The people's queen began by the Spirit's 
 grace earnestly to enquire narrowly [and] carefully, to what 
 purpose she might best and most worthily devote the nails 
 (1160) for the good of men ; what in this matter was the 
 Lord's will. She gave orders then to fetch immediately for 
 private counsel a very wise man, one who knew [how to 
 give] advice seriously with intelligent force, a man prudent 
 in mind, and began to enquire of him (1165) what in this 
 matter seemed to him in his mind best to do ; and she 
 obediently^" accepted his instruction. He answered her 
 [freely] : " It is fitting that thou keep in mind the words 
 of the Lord, the holy mysteries, (1170) thou exceEent 
 queen, and perform gladly the King's behest, now [that] 
 God hath given ^ thee success and victory of soul and power 
 of intelligence — He, the Saviour of men. Do thou order 
 the nails to be put^ on his bridle for the noblest of all 
 kings who own palaces on earth (1176) as a bit^ for his 
 horse. That shall become known to many throughout the 
 earth, when in the fight he is able with these to conquer 
 every enemy,* when men bold in. war rush to battle on two 
 sides (1181) sword in hand, where they are fighting for 
 victory, foe against foes. He shall have success in war, 
 victory in battle, and qtiietness on every side, peace after 
 conflict, he who shall display in front his bridle on a white 
 steed, when tried warriors famed in war advance shield and 
 spear amid the clash of arms.^ This shall be to every man 
 (1188) in war an invincible weapon agaiast disaster. About 
 this the prophet 8 sang, wise in his hidden thoughts. His 
 mind went deep, his perception of wisdom. This word he 
 spoke : ' This shall be known, that under a valiant man 
 the King's horse shall [go] adorned with bits, (1194) with 
 bridle-rings. That good) sign shall be called holy, and he, 
 
 '° Lit., through discipline. 
 
 ' Or, behest. Now hath God given. 
 
 " Lit,, order [some one] to put the naUs. ' Lit., bits. 
 
 * Lit., each one of enemies. J Lit,, of javelins. 
 
 ^ Probably an allusion to Esther vi. 7-11. 
 
ELENE. 35 
 
 successful in bravery, renowned in war, he [whom] that 
 horse bears.'" 
 
 Then Helena with speed performed all that in the presence 
 of the chiefs. She ordered the bridle of the Prince, the 
 bracelet-giver to warriors, to be adorned; (1200) and to her 
 own son she sent the splendid gift as a present over ocean's 
 stream. Then she summoned together those whom she 
 knew [to be] the best men among the Jews, of that race 
 of mankind, to the holy city, to come into the town. Then 
 the queen began (1206) to teach the multitude of [her] 
 dear [subjects] that they should steadfastly hold to the 
 love of the Lord, and peace in like manner among them- 
 selves, [and] friendship'^ sinless to the end of life, and should 
 obey the teacher's instructions. Christian customs, which 
 Cyriacus learned in books should enjoin upon them. 
 
 The bishopric was (1213) formally established. Often 
 from far came to him the lame, the maimed, the infirm, 
 the crippled, the wounded, the lepers and the blind, the 
 poor, the sad: immediately there they obtained from the 
 bishop healing and relief, always, for the rest of their lives. 
 Then moreover Helena gave him (1219) costly gifts, when 
 she was ready for her journey back to her native land, and 
 when she was charging all in the kingdom who worshipped 
 God, [both] men and women, in mind and with [all] their 
 power, in their hearts' thoughts, to honour that glorious day 
 on which the holy Eood (1225) was found, most glorious of 
 trees, of aU that have sprung up from the earth, grown up 
 under their foliage. At that time spring was past, save 
 six days before the coming of summer on the first of May. 
 To every one of those men be hell's door closed, heaven's open, 
 (1231) [and] the everlasting kingdom of the angels opened, 
 [with] joy unending, and their portion appointed with Mary, 
 whosoever beareth in mind the observance of the day of that 
 most precious Cross under the whole heaven, which the most 
 mighty High Euler of all covered with His arm. — The end. 
 
 7 Or, and peace also amid their friendly band. 
 
36 ELENE. 
 
 XV. 
 
 Thus I, prudent- and diligent in that wily house, wove my 
 poem and wonderfully brought [the incidents] together, 
 pondered them continually and sifted my idea[s], with 
 scanty opportunity^ by night. I knew not at all the truth 
 about the Cross, until wisdom revealed to me wider know- 
 ledge through [her] glorious power over the thought[s] of the 
 mind. I was an enemy by [wicked] works, (1244) fast 
 bound in sins, vexed with sorrows, in cruel bondage,^ com- 
 passed thick with cares, until the King of Armies by my 
 heavenly ordination^" bestowed knowledge upon me, for 
 comfort to [me when] aged, measured out his bounteous grace 
 and poured it into my mind, (1249) displayed clear light 
 [to me and] made it broad at times, set my body free, 
 opened my heart, [and] caused poetic power to break forth 
 [in me], which I have used in the world with pleasure and 
 good wUl. Of the Tree of Glory often — by no means once 
 only — had I entertained thoughts within myself,^ (1254) 
 ; before I had (the marvel revealed [to me] about the bright 
 Tree, as in the course of events ^ I found explained^ in books, 
 in writings, about that Sign of Victory. 
 
 Ever was [this] man tiU then buffeted with the waves of 
 sorrow, the torch-flame (C)'' sinking, though in the banquet- 
 hall he handled treasures, (1260) embossed gold. Impatient^ 
 (Y) he mourned, comrade of distress (N), and endured 
 anxious care, a close-hidden secret, while ' his HORSE (E) 
 [pacing] onwards measured the mile-paths [and] proudly 
 
 ^ Lit., narrowly. Cynewulf seems not to have lived a happy life with his 
 monastic brethren, if he really was " the Abbot of Peterborough of that 
 name, who flourished in the beginning of the eleventh century, who was 
 accounted in his own day a celebrated poet both in Latin and Anglo-Saxon,'' 
 as Bosworth believed. See Toll. Bosw., s.v. Cynewulf; but notice also 
 (ibid.) Professor Earle's view as urged in the introduction to his edition of 
 the A.S. Chronicle. 
 
 ' Lit., bound with bitter things. 
 '° Or, in his radiant perfections — lit., condition. 
 
 ^ Lit, an inner thought. ^ Cf. 1. 1124. ' Lit., to explain. 
 
 * See Toll. Bosw., s.v. Cynewulf. ^ Lit., anget. 
 
ELENE. 37 
 
 pranced, decked with threads [of gold]. My hopes (W) are 
 blasted, (1265) my joy after many a year: youth has 
 deserted me,^ my ancient pride. Once (U) was there of yore 
 the brightness of youth.' Now after their appointed time 
 the days of my years are departed, the joy of life is gone, as 
 WATER (L) flows away, the rushing floods. Wealth (P) is 
 transitory to every man under heaven: the beauty ^ of the 
 earth (1272) beneath the sky passes away just like the 
 wind, when it riseth loud before men, roameth among the 
 clouds, courseth along raging, and again in a moment 
 becometh still, tight pressed into its close cell, [as] overcome 
 with woes. So this world shaU all pass away, (1278) and 
 just so too those who have been born upon it the devouring 
 flame shall seize, when the Lord Himself shall come to 
 judgment with the host of angels. 
 
 Then shall every one of mankind^ hear the doom on each 
 of his deeds from the mouth of the Judge; and of his 
 words in like manner [he shall] pay the penalty (1285) for 
 the folly of all [words] ever spoken, [and] of his daring 
 thoughts. Then shall the people part into three [divisions 
 to go] into the embrace of the fire, everyone of them all,^* 
 of those who have ever lived^ throughout the broad earth. 
 The men of truth will be the highest in the fire, the 
 company of the blessed, (1291) the noble ones that yearned 
 for righteousness, as they can bear it, and endure it easily 
 without distress — the host of the righteous. To them the 
 blaze of the fire shall all be less fierce, as shall be easiest for 
 them, mildest for themselves. Sinful men, partly stained 
 with evil, shall be punished in the middle place, (1297) men 
 sad at heart, [plunged] into the hot surge of fire, enwrapped 
 in the smoke. The third part, accursed sinners [thrust 
 down] to the bottom of the rolling flame, Hars, despots, shall 
 be made fast in the fire because of their deeds of old, a 
 horde of impious wretches, (1302) in the clutch of the 
 
 • Lit., is turned back. 
 
 ' Or, a WILD ox of yore was the splendour of youth. 
 ' Lit., adornment. ' Lit., of the speech-bearing. 
 
 *" Lit., each of the ones. ' Lit., have been for ever. 
 
38 ELENE. 
 
 glowing coals. Never thenceforth shall they come into the 
 mind of God, the King of Glory, [to be delivered] out of 
 that abode of torment, but they shall be cast out of that 
 fierce sea of fire into the abyss of hell, [God's] wrathful foes. 
 It wiU not be the same to the [other] two companies. They 
 will be able to see the Lord of Angels, the God of Victories. 
 They shall be cleansed, (1309) set free from all sin, like 
 beaten {or, purej gold, that in the fierce heat is quite 
 purified from dross ^ by the fire of the furnace, refined and 
 melted. So shall each of those men be delivered and rid of 
 all faults, of deep-hidden corruptions, by the fire of doom. 
 Then afterwards will they be able to enjoy peace [and] 
 everlasting weal. To them the Guardian of Angels will be 
 (1317) gentle and gracious, because they have contemned all 
 wickedness, [all] deed of sin,^ and in their prayers have 
 called upon the Son of the Creator. Therefore they now in 
 their appearance will shine like angels, [and] enjoy the 
 inheritance of the King of glory for evermore. Amen. 
 
 ' Lit, from each one of faults. 
 ' Lit., of sins. 
 
The Tratislator's Address is — 
 
 Dr. Weymouth, 
 
 33, Alfred Eoad, 
 
 Acton. 
 
 W.