{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_14781/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_14781","id":"gutenberg_14781","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14781","summary":null,"tags":["Category: British Literature","Category: History - Medieval/Middle Ages","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Category: Poetry","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Christian women saints -- Rome -- Legends","Helena, Saint, approximately 255-approximately 330 -- Legends"],"text":"YALE STUDIES IN ENGLISH\n\nALBERT S. COOK, EDITOR\n\n\nXXI\n\n\nTHE\n\nELENE OF CYNEWULF\n\n\nTRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH PROSE\n\nBY\n\nLUCIUS HUDSON HOLT\n\nPORTER FELLOW IN ENGLISH IN YALE UNIVERSITY\n\n\nNEW YORK\n\nHENRY HOLT AND COMPANY\n\n1904\n\n\n[FACSIMILE]\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE\n\n\nThis translation was made from the edition of the _Elene_ issued by\nCharles W. Kent in 1889 (Ginn & Co., Boston). His text is 'that of\nZupitza's second edition, carefully compared with W\u00fclker's edition and\nZupitza's third edition, in which the results of Napier's collation are\ncontained.'\n\nThe aim of this translation is to give an accurate and readable modern\nEnglish prose rendering of the Old English poetry. The translation of\nRichard Francis Weymouth, entitled _A Literal Translation of Cynewulf's\nElene_, has been at hand, but I owe it practically nothing in this work.\nWhile I trust that my rendering has not departed so far from the text\nthat it will be valueless to the student, yet at places it will be found\nthat I have to some extent expanded or contracted the literal\ntranslation in the hope of benefiting the modern English version.\n\nMy thanks are due to Dr. Robert K. Root and Dr. Chauncey B. Tinker of\nYale University, and to Dr. Charles H. Whitman of Lehigh University, for\nexamining part of the work in manuscript, and to Dr. Albert S. Cook of\nYale University for a careful reading of the proof.\n\nLUCIUS HUDSON HOLT.\n\nNEW HAVEN,\nJanuary 1, 1904.\n\n\n\n\nELENE\n\n\n1. THE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE.\n\nThere had passed in the turn of years, as men\nmark the tale of time, two hundred and thirty and\nthree winters over the world since the Lord God,\nthe Glory of kings and Light of the faithful, was\nborn on earth in human guise; and it was the sixth                5\nyear of the reign of Constantine since he was raised\nin the realm of the Romans to lead their army, a\nprince of battles. He was a bulwark to his people,               10\nvaliant with the shield, and gracious to his heroes;\nand the prince's realm waxed great beneath the\nheavens. He was a just king, a war-lord of men.\nGod strengthened him with majesty and might till                 15\nhe became a joy to many men throughout the world,\nan avenger for his people when he raised aloft his\nspear against their foes.\n\n\n2. THE WAR WITH THE BARBARIANS.\n\nAnd battle was brought on him, the tumult of\nstrife. The people of the Huns and famous Goths                  20\ngathered a host together; and the Franks and\nHugas marched forth, men fierce in fight and ripe\nfor war. The spears and woven mail-coats glittered,\nas with shouts and clash of shields they\nlifted up on high the standard of battle. Openly                 25\nthe fighters gathered all together, and the throng\nmarched forth. The wolf in the wood howled his\nwar-song, and hid not his secret hopes of carnage;\nand at the rear of the foe the dewy-feathered eagle              30\nshrieked his note on high.\n\nA mighty host hastened to war through the cities,\ngleaned from all the men the Hunnish king could\nsummon from the near-lying towns. A vast army\nsallied forth--bands of picked horsemen strengthened             35\nthe force of the foot-soldiers--until within a\nforeign land upon the bank of the Danube these\nstout-souled brandishers of the spear pitched their\ncamp near the water's flow, amid the tumult of the\narmy. They longed to overrun the realm of the                    40\nRomans, and lay it waste with their hordes.\n\nThen were the dwellers in the cities aware of the\nHuns' coming. And the emperor straightway bade\nsummon with the greatest speed by dispatch of the\narrow his heroes to war against the foes; bade lead\nout to battle the warriors beneath the heavens.                  45\nTheir hearts inspired by victory, the Roman heroes\nwere soon girt with weapons for the fight, though\nthey had a lesser host for battle than circled about\nthe proud king of the Huns. Then the shields                     50\nrang, the wood of war clashed; the king with the\nhost, his army, marched forth to strife, and over\ntheir heads the raven wailed, dark, and thirsting for\nthe slaughter. The army was moving--trumpeters\nleaped, heralds shouted commands, and horses\nstamped the earth. Hastily the multitude enranked                55\nitself for strife.\n\nBut the king was fear-smitten, awed with terror,\nas he looked upon the hostile host, the army of the\nHuns and Goths, that upon the river's bank at the\nboundary of the Roman realm was massing its                      60\nstrength, an uncounted multitude. The king of the\nRomans suffered bitter grief of soul, and hoped not\nfor his kingdom because of his small host; he had\ntoo few warriors, trusty thanes, to encounter the\novermight of brave men in battle.                                65\n\n\n3. THE DREAM.\n\nThe army encamped near at hand beside the river,\nnobles about their prince, for the space of a single\nnight after they first beheld the course of their foes.\nThen unto the emperor himself in his sleep, as he                70\nslumbered among his retinue, was disclosed the\nmarvel of a dream, shown unto him with soul\nuplifted in the hope of victory. Him thought\nthere appeared before him in the form of a man\na certain warrior, radiant, resplendent, brilliant,\nmore glorious than he ever beheld 'neath the\nheavens, before or since. Then, dight with his                   75\nboar-crested helmet, he started up from slumber,\nand straightway the messenger, a bright herald of\nglory, spake unto him and called him by his name,\nwhile the veil of night parted asunder: 'O Constantine,\nthe King of angels, Wielder of fates and\nLord of hosts, hath commanded to offer thee a                    80\ncovenant. Fear thou not, though foreign peoples\nthreaten thee with terror and bitter strife. Look\nto heaven, unto the Lord of glory. There shalt\nthou find aid and the token of victory.'                         85\n\nHe was soon ready at the holy one's behest; he\nopened wide the secret places of his heart; he gazed\non high, as the messenger, faithful weaver of peace,\nhad bidden him. Over the roof of clouds he saw\nthe beauteous tree of glory, gleaming with treasure\nand decked with gold--and the gems shone                         90\nbrightly. The shining tree was inscribed with letters\nof brilliance and light: 'By this sign thou\nshalt overcome the foe in the dread peril; by this\nthou shalt stay the hated host.'\n\nThen the light vanished, ascended up on high,                    95\nand together with it the messenger, unto the throng\nof the pure ones. And the king, the leader of men,\nwas the blither and the freer from grief in his heart\nby reason of that fair vision.\n\n\n4. THE BATTLE.\n\nThen Constantine, bulwark of heroes and giver\nof gifts, battle-prince of armies and glorious king,            100\nbade fashion with greatest haste a token like unto\nthat sign he had seen, which had been disclosed\nbefore him in the heavens, the cross of Christ.\nAnd at dawn, with the first gleam of day, he bade               105\nrouse the warriors and make ready for the stress of\nfight, lift up the emblem of battle, take the holy\ntree before them, and bear the sign of God into\nthe press of their foes.\n\nThe trumpets rang loud at the army's front.                     110\nThe raven rejoiced at the move; the dewy-feathered\neagle scanned the march, the strife of battle-heated\nmen; and the wolf, fellow of the forest, raised his\nsong. Rife was the dread terror of battle.\n\nThen there was the clash of shields and the shock\nof men, the bitter hand-to-hand struggle and the                115\nslaughter of hosts, when once they had passed within\nan arrow's flight. On the fated folk dire enemies\nhurled a shower of darts, and with might of arm\nsent their spears, biting battle-adders, over the yellow\nshields into the midst of their foes. But with                  120\ncourage undaunted the other host advanced; from\ntime to time they surged forward, broke the rampart\nof shields, thrust their swords between, and\nsternly kept their way.\n\nThen was the standard, the token, raised before\nthe armies, and they chanted the victors' song.\nOver the field of battle gleamed spears and helmets             125\nof gold. The pagan host was conquered; in\nmerciless strife they fell. As the king of the Romans,\ndauntless in battle, bade raise that holy tree,\nthe peoples of the Huns straight fled away, and\ntheir warriors were scattered far and wide. Some                130\nperished in the fight, some saved themselves hardly\non the march, some, with life half-ebbed, fled to\nfastnesses and nursed their strength behind barren\nrocks, some seized the land near the Danube, and                135\nsome were finally drowned in the river's current.\nThen was the army of valiant heroes rejoiced, and\nfrom break of day until eve they followed hard\nupon the foreign foe, while the spears flew, biting             140\nbattle-adders. The horde of hated shield-bearers\nwas lessened; but few of the army of Huns returned\nthence home again.\n\nThen was manifest from that day's deed that\nthe King Almighty gave unto Constantine victory,                145\nglorious honor, and a realm beneath the heavens,\nthrough his holy rood. And he, renowned in battle,\na bulwark of armies, returned thence home\nagain when the war was decided, exulting in his\nspoil. Famed in the fight, a defense for heroes, the            150\nking came with a throng of thanes to visit his\ncities and stud his shield with jewels.\n\n\n5. THE ASSEMBLY.\n\nThen the Lord of men straight summoned the\nwisest to council, those who had pondered the craft\nof wisdom in writings of old and held nobly to                  155\nthe rede of scholars. And the prince of the people,\nvictory-inspired king, asked through the vast assembly\nif there were any man there could tell and declare\nunto him truly who the god was, giver of good                   160\ngifts, 'whose sign this was which appeared unto\nme so bright, the most gleaming of tokens, saved\nmy people, and gave unto me glory and war-speed\nagainst my foes through the holy tree.'                         165\n\nBut no one of them could give him any answer\nin return, nor knew they full well what to say about\nthe victor-tree. Then spake the wisest before the\nmultitudes, and said that it was a sign from the King           170\nof heaven, and of that there could be no doubt.\n\n\n6. THE CONVERSION OF CONSTANTINE.\n\nBut they who had learned the truth, who were\ntaught through baptism, were joyful in soul, and\ntheir hearts were light that they might declare before          175\nthe emperor the grace of the gospel: how the\nSaviour of souls, revered in threefold majesty, was\nborn; how God's own Son was hung upon the cross\nin bitter agony before the multitudes; how He freed             180\nthe children of men and souls of the careworn from\nthe snares of devils, and gave unto them grace\nthrough the very thing that had been disclosed to\nhis own sight as a sign of victory against the onrush\nof foes; and how on the third day the Glory                     185\nof men and Lord of all mankind rose from the\ntomb and from death, and ascended into heaven.\nMen wise in the mystic things of the Spirit thus said\nunto the victory-inspired monarch as they had                   190\nlearned from Silvester. And at their hands the\nprince of the people received baptism, and held to\nthe faith according to the will of the Lord from that\ntime forth throughout the length of his days.\n\nThen was the giver of gifts content, the king\nstern in battle; a new joy was come into his heart.             195\nThe Lord of the kingdom of heaven was his greatest\nsolace and his highest hope. Through the grace\nof the Spirit he began zealously to show forth the\nlaw of the Lord both day and night, and this ruler\nof men devoted himself, far-famed and weariless,                200\nunto the service of God. Then the prince, bulwark\nof peoples, brave in battle and bold with the spear,\nfound in the books of God with the aid of his\nteachers that country where, amid the shouts of multitudes,\nthe Ruler of the heavens was crucified upon                     205\nthe cross through sinful hate; even as the ancient\nenemy with lying craft led astray the people, deceived\nthe race of the Jews, until they crucified God\nhimself, the Lord of hosts; wherefore they shall                210\nsuffer a direful curse in misery through a long-enduring\nlife.\n\n\n7. THE JOURNEY OF ELENE.\n\nThen was the laud of Christ in the heart of the\nemperor, and he was ever mindful of that glorious\ntree. And he bade his mother fare unto the Jews\nupon a journey with a throng of people, and zealously           215\nwith her band of heroes to seek where the\nholy tree of glory, the rood of the King, was hid\nbeneath the earth.\n\nNor would Elene slight such a journey, nor be                   220\nheedless of the word of the prince her son; but\nthe woman was soon ready for the welcome way,\nas the bulwark of heroes and mail-clad warriors\nhad bidden her. And thereupon throngs of nobles                 225\nmade ready for the voyage over the ocean. The\nships stood ready by the shores of the sea, bound\nocean-coursers resting on the deep.\n\nAnd the journey of the queen was plainly manifest\nwhen she sought the swell of the ocean with                     230\nher company; many a noble stood there, near to\nthe water's edge, and from time to time crowds of\nmen pressed across the way.\n\nThen they loaded the ships with battle-dress,\nshields and spears; mail-clad warriors and men and              235\nwomen embarked thereon. And they let the steep\nocean-speeders course over the foamy deep; often\nthe hull bore the shock of the billows on the ocean-way,\nand the sea raised her song. Never heard                        240\nI before nor since of woman leading a fairer force\nupon the paths of the ocean, the streams of the deep.\nThere one might see, if he beheld that voyage, ships\ncleave the watery way and haste beneath swelling                245\nsails, sea-coursers leap, and wave-floaters speed ahead.\nThe proud warriors were glad; the queen rejoiced\nin the journey.\n\nWhen the ring-prowed ships had reached their\nharbor in the land of the Greeks over the fastness              250\nof flood, they left their vessels, their olden water-homes,\nlashed by the sea, bound with anchors, to\nawait upon the surging deep the fate of the men,\nwhen the warrior queen with her band of heroes                  255\nshould again seek the eastern ways. Many a\nwoven corselet, trusty sword, and glittering battle-sark,\nmany a helmet and glorious boar-crest, were\nthere to be seen among the warriors. The spearmen,              260\nheroes about their queen, were eager for the\nmarch. The brave fighters, heralds of the emperor,\nwarriors clad in armor, went forth rejoicing\ninto the land of the Greeks. Many a gold-set\njewel, the gift of their prince, was to be seen there\namong the company.                                              265\n\nBut the blessed Elene, zealous and earnest of purpose,\nwas mindful of her lord's will that over fields\nof battle she should seek the land of the Jews with\nher trusty band of shield-bearers, her company of               270\nspearmen; and so it befell within a little space\nthereafter that the multitude of men, heroes famed\nin war and chieftains of spear-renown, entered into\nthe city of Jerusalem in a vast throng with the\nnoble queen.                                                    275\n\n\n8. THE COUNCILS OF THE JEWS.\n\nThen she bade summon the wisest of the dwellers\nin the cities among the Jews, far and wide, each\nman of them, to come unto a council for deliberation,\nthose who knew how to expound justly and\nfully the hidden things of God. And there was                   280\ngathered together from far ways no small multitude\nof those who could expound the law of Moses.\nThey were in number three thousand men, chosen                  285\nfor teaching.\n\nThen the well-beloved woman spake unto the\nmen of the Hebrews in these words:--'This have I\nlearned well by the mystic sayings of prophets in\nthe books of God, that in days of yore ye were                  290\ndear unto the King of glory, loved of the Lord\nand strong in his service. And lo! ye of this\nknowledge unwisely and perversely cast Him forth\nwhen ye cursed Him who thought to loose you from\nyour curse, your torture of fire, your servile bondage,         295\nthrough the might of His glory. Foully ye\nspat upon the face of Him who by his noble spittle\nwrought anew the light of your eyes, the cure of                300\nyour blindness, and saved you oft from the unclean\nspirits of devils. Ye doomed Him to death who\namong a multitude of men roused from death itself\nunto their former life a number of your own race.               305\nYe blind of soul, thus have ye confounded false\nwith sooth, light with darkness, hate with reverence,\nand have woven a crime from your evil thoughts.\nTherefore doth this curse weigh you down in your\nsin--ye judged that pure Power, and until this day              310\nye have lived with clouded thoughts in heresy. Go\nye now quickly, and think upon the men most sage\nin wisdom and skilled in speech, who, versed in the\nknowledge of your law, hold it foremost in their                315\nhearts, and who may declare unto me truly and\ndevise an answer for each token whereof I may\nask them.'\n\nThen, sorely grieved and saddened, and burdened                 320\nwith fear, the men wise in law went apart, and earnestly\nsought the deepest mystic words wherewith\nthey might answer the queen whatsoever she asked\nof them, whether of good or of bad. And they                    325\nfound among their number a thousand of exceeding\nwisdom, who most fully knew the traditions of old\namong the Jews. In a great crowd they hastened\nto where, upon a royal throne in majesty, the kinswoman         330\nof the emperor waited, a stately queen of\nbattle adorned with gold. And Elene spake before\nthe folk:--'Hearken, ye wise of soul, unto a holy\nmystery, the word and the wisdom. Lo! ye had the\nteaching of prophets how the Prince of life and Lord            335\nof might should be born in the likeness of a child.\nOf him sang Moses, leader of the Israelites, and\nspake this word:--\"Unto you is born a child of\nwondrous might in mystery, for his mother conceived             340\nhim not through the love of man.\" Of him\nking David, father of Solomon, ruler of men, a\nprophet with the wisdom of age, chanted a psalm\nand spake this word:--\"In times afore I beheld the              345\nGod of creation, the Lord of victories. He was\nbefore my sight upon my right hand, the King of\nmight and Prince of majesty. Thence will I never\nturn my eyes more unto life.\" Likewise again                    350\nIsaiah the prophet, deeply moved by the Spirit of\nGod, spake concerning you before the multitudes in\nthese words: \"I raised up sons and I begat children,\nand unto them I gave possessions, and holy balm\nfor their souls; but they scorned me, loathed me                355\nwith their hate, and they had no forethought, no\nskill of wisdom. Even the wretched oxen, which\nman doth each day drive and beat, know their well-wisher,\nand in their revenge for wrong hate not\ntheir friend who giveth them fodder. But never                  360\nwould the men of the Israelites take knowledge of\nme, though I wrought many wonders for them\nthroughout my life in the world.\" Lo! this have\nwe learned in holy books, that God the Creator\ngave unto you spotless glory and wealth of power,               365\nand said unto Moses how ye should hearken unto\nthe King of heaven, and follow His teaching. But\nye soon became weary of this, and withstood that\nrighteous one; ye scorned the pure Maker of all,\nthe Lord of lords, and pursued error against the                370\nlaw of God. Now go ye quickly and find once\nmore those who know best by wisdom's craft the\nancient scriptures, your righteous law, that with               375\ndepth of soul they may give me answer.'\n\nThen a throng of the proud leaders, saddened in\nheart, went forth as the queen had bidden them,\nand found five hundred wise men of their own race\nwho held learning in their memory, most wisdom                  380\nin their mind. And again within a little space the\nlords of the city were summoned unto the hall. And\nthe queen, looking upon them all, spake unto them               385\nin these words:--'Oft have ye wrought foolish\ndeeds, ye wretched in misfortune, and scorned the\nScriptures, the lore of your fathers, but never worse\nthan now when ye have refused the cure of your\nblindness, and withstood the truth and the right--that          390\nthe Son of the Mighty One, the only-begotten\nRuler and King of kings, was born in Bethlehem.\nThough ye knew the law, the words of the prophets,\nyet because of your sin ye have not been willing to\nconfess the truth.'                                             395\n\nAnd with one accord they answered:--'Lo! we\nhave learned the Hebrew law that from the ark\nof God our fathers knew in days of yore; but we\nknow not in sooth wherefore, O lady, thou hast\nbecome thus angry with us. We know not the sin                  400\nthat we have wrought in this province, the wrong\nwe have ever done to thee.'\n\nThen Elene spake before the people openly, before\nthe multitudes this woman spake aloud:--'Go ye                  405\nnow quickly, and seek far and near those who have\nthe power of wisdom and the most skill of thought\namong you, that they may show forth to me without\nreserve whatsoever I ask of them.'                              410\n\nAnd they went forth from the council as the\nmighty queen, strong in her cities, had bidden them,\nand earnestly pondered, sad of heart, and sought\nshrewdly what that sin might be that they had                   415\nwrought in the province against the emperor, wherewith\nthe queen reproached them.\n\n\n9. THE SPEECH OF JUDAS.\n\nAnd there spake before the people one learned in\nancient writings and wise of speech (his name was\nJudas):--'I know well that she wishes to ask concerning         420\nthat victor-tree whereon suffered the Lord\nof hosts, God's own Son, guiltless of all evil, Him\nwhom, unspotted with any sin, our fathers in days               425\nof yore hung upon the high cross through hate--fearful\nwas that thought! Now is there great need\nthat we steadfastly fortify our minds not to betray\nthat murder, nor declare where the holy tree was\nhid after the stress of strife, lest thereby the wise           430\nwritings of old be cast aside, and the lore of our\nfathers forsaken. For if this shall be known, it will\nnot be long that the race of the Israelites and the\nfaith of the Jews shall hold sway over the world.               435\nThus once my father's father, prophet with the wisdom\nof age and far-famed in victory--his name was\nZaccheus--gave like counsel unto my father and\nspake this word, which in after times he himself told\nto his son, as he turned him from the world:--\"If in            440\nthe days of thy life it happen that thou hear sage\nmen ask of the holy tree and stir up strife concerning\nthe rood of victory whereon the true King\nwas crucified, Lord of heaven and Child of all                  445\npeace, then do thou, my dear son, ere death snatch\nthee off, quickly declare that never shall the people\nof the Hebrews, taking wise counsel together, hold\nsway and rule over men, but the glory and kingdom               450\nshall endure of those who, filled with gladness from\nage to age, revere and love the crucified King.\"'\n\n'Then I boldly gave answer unto my father, the                  455\naged counselor:--\"How came it to pass in the\nkingdom of the world that with wrathful intent\nour fathers laid hands on the Holy One to put him\nto death, if they had knowledge that he was Christ,             460\nthe King upon the cross, true Son of the Creator,\nand Saviour of souls?\"'\n\n'And my parent gave answer unto me, wisely my\nfather spake:--\"Recognize, O youth, the surpassing\npower of God, the name of the Saviour which\nmay not be expressed by any man. No man on                      465\nearth can search it out. Never would I visit the\ncouncil which this people held, but I ever kept\nmyself aloof from their sin, nor wrought shame                  470\nunto my soul in any way. Many times I earnestly\nwithstood the unrighteous act when the wise men\nsat in council, and sought in their heart how they\nmight crucify the Son of the Creator, the Bulwark               475\nof men and Lord of all, of angels and of mortals,\nthe most noble of heroes.\"\n\n'\"But these foolish and wretched men could not\nbring death upon Him as they weened, nor beset Him\nabout with agony, though He, the victorious Son of\nGod, for a little while yielded up His ghost upon               480\nthe cross. Then the King of the heavens, the Glory\nof all glory, was raised from off the rood, and abode\nthree nights in the tomb, within the place of darkness;\nand upon the third day He arose living, Light                   485\nof all light and Lord of angels, and revealed himself\nunto His followers, the true Prince of victory,\nresplendent in glory. Then after a little space,\nStephen, thy brother, received the bath of baptism,             490\nthe faith of joy, and for the love of the Lord he\nwas stoned. Yet he gave not evil for evil, but in\npatient suffering made intercession for his ancient\nfoes, and prayed the King of glory that He would\nnot lay to their charge this evil deed, that they               495\ndeprived of life a man innocent and free from guile\nthrough hate and the teachings of Saul.\n\n'\"And this Saul in enmity was dooming many a\nfollower of Christ to torture and death, yet the                500\nLord showed mercy unto him so that he became a\nsolace for many men. And in after times the God\nof creation, Redeemer of men, changed his name,\nand he was called Saint Paul, and of the teachers of            505\nthe law no one of all those, or man or woman born\ninto the world, was ever better than he beneath the\nspan of the heavens, even though upon the hill he\nbade crush Stephen, thy brother, with stones.                   510\n\n'\"Now thou canst understand, my dear son, how\nmerciful is the Lord of all, if we straightway purge\nourselves of our evil deeds and cease again from\nthe unrighteous act, though many times we transgress            515\nagainst Him, and wound Him with our sins.\nWherefore I, in sooth, and in after times my dear\nfather, believed that the God of all glory, Giver of\nlife, suffered' bitter agony for the surpassing need            520\nof mankind. And now I counsel thee in secret, my\ndear son, that thou never offer scorn, nor blasphemy,\nnor wrathful opposition to the Son of God. Then                 525\nshalt thou deserve that unto thee be granted eternal\nlife in heaven, the best reward of victory.\"'\n\n'Thus in days of yore, while I was still a youth,\nmy father instructed me, and taught me with these\ntrue words, a man wise in sorrow--Simon was his                 530\nname. And now that ye know my heart and mind,\nye perceive clearly what ye had best declare if the\nqueen ask us concerning that tree.'                             535\n\nAnd the wisest spake together before the assembly\nin these words:--'Never heard we any other man\nsave now thee declare thus among this people concerning         540\nsuch a hidden thing. Act as thou thinkest,\nO thou wise in the lore of old, if thou art questioned\namong the multitude, for there is need of wisdom,\nof artful words, and the learning of a seer, that\nshall give answer to this noble woman before such a             545\nthrong met together.'\n\nThen words increased: men thought, reflected,\nand pondered on either side, some this way and\nsome that. And there came a band of thanes to\nthe assembly; and heralds, messengers of C\u00e6sar,                 550\ntrumpeted:--'O ye counselors, the queen doth summon\nyou unto the royal hall, that ye may show\nforth rightly the judgments of your synod. Ye\nhave need of prudence in the council, of wisdom in\nmind.' And they, the leaders of the people, grieved             555\nin soul, were ready as they were summoned by the\nbitter edict, and went unto the palace to show forth\nthe power of craft.\n\nThen the queen spake unto the Hebrews and asked\nthem, their hearts sorely burdened, how once the                560\nprophets, holy men, sang in the world concerning\nthe Son of God; and where the Lord suffered, true\nSon of the Creator, for the love of souls. But they\nwere obdurate and mute as stones, nor would they                565\nshow forth the true secret, nor in the hardness of\ntheir hearts would they give any answer to what\nshe sought of them, but, set in purpose, they withstood\neach word that she asked, and said that never                   570\nin their lives had they heard, before nor since, one\nwhit of any such thing.\n\nThen Elene spake and answered them in anger:--'I\nshall say unto you truly, and never in your life\nwill this be false, that if ye who stand before me              575\npersist long in this falsehood with lying craft, ye\nshall be burned upon the hill in the hottest fury of\nfire, and leaping flames shall consume your flesh, so\nthat for you this lie shall be changed into utter destruction.  580\nNor can ye prove those words which now\nin your guile ye cover up under the cloak of evil.\nYe cannot hide the deed, nor conceal its mystic\npower.'\n\n\n10. ELENE AND JUDAS.\n\nThen were they in the fear of death, of the\nfuneral-pyre, and the end of life; and there they               585\nthrust forth one of exceeding wisdom in the lore\nof old, whose name was Judas, sprung from noble\nlineage; and they gave him up unto the queen,\nand called him a man of wondrous learning: 'He\ncan show forth to thee the truth, unlock the secret\nof the fates, expound the just law from the beginning           590\neven to the end, according as thou dost ask\nhim. He is of noble race in the world, wise in\nspeech, the son of a prophet, outspoken in council.\nAnd it is his nature to have sage answers and wisdom\nof soul. He shall show forth to thee before                     595\nthe multitude with his great power the gift of wisdom,\neven as thy heart desireth.'\n\nThen she let each man seek his own home in peace,\nand took Judas alone as hostage. And she earnestly              600\nbade him tell the truth concerning the cross,\nwhich had been long buried in a secret place. Then\nElene, the glorious queen, drew him aside by himself,\nand thus spake to the lonely man:--'Two ways                    650\nare ready for thee, either life or death, whichsoever\nthou shalt please to choose. Declare quickly\nnow which one thou wilt accept.'\n\nAnd Judas made answer unto her--nor could he\nrid himself of sorrow and turn away the wrath of\nhis ruler, but he was in the power of the queen--:              610\n'How shall it be with him who treadeth the moor\nin a desert, weary, without food, and tortured\nwith hunger, if before his eyes a loaf and a stone\ntogether seem hard and soft, and he knoweth them\nnot apart, but taketh the stone to ward off his                 615\nhunger, and marketh not the loaf, turneth to want\nand forsaketh the food, refuseth the better when\nhe hath the choice of both?'\n\nThen openly before the people the blessed Elene\ngave him answer:--'If thou wouldst have thy life                620\nin the world and a home with the angels in the\nkingdom of heaven, the reward of victory in the\nsky, tell me straightway where the holy rood of\nthe King of glory lieth under the earth, which ye               625\nhave hid now for a while from men because of the\nunrighteous murder.'\n\nJudas answered, and his heart was heavy within\nhim; there was grief in his soul, and woe either\nway, whether thus he forsook the joy of the                     630\nheavenly realm and this present kingdom beneath\nthe skies, or disclosed the rood:--'How can I\nreveal that which came to pass so long ago in the\ncourse of years? Two hundred or more in number\nare now vanished away--I know not the sum of                    635\nthem, and I cannot declare the event. Many of\nwisdom, of virtue, and of learning, who were before\nour time, are told among the dead. In days long\nafter was I born, and in my childhood, and in my\nyouth. I may not discover in my heart that which                640\nI know not, and which came to pass so long ago.'\n\nThen Elene bespake him in answer:--'Whence\ncometh it that ye bear in mind so many things,\nevery wondrous deed, such as those which the Trojans            645\nwrought in battle? That far-famed war of\nold was further in the course of years than this\nholy event, and yet ye know that fully, how to\ndeclare at once the number of all that were slain               650\nthere, and of the spearmen who fell in death beneath\ntheir shields. Ye set forth in writing the\ntombs beneath the rocky cliffs, and likewise the\nplaces and the tale of years.'\n\nThen Judas answered--he suffered bitter grief:--'We             655\nare mindful of that war from very need, my\ndear lady, and we set forth in writing the fierce\nstrife and the deeds of the nations, but never have\nwe heard this declared unto men from the mouth                  660\nof any save here and now.'\n\nAnd the noble queen gave him answer:--'Too\nmightily dost thou withstand the truth and the right\nconcerning the tree of life, insomuch as thou spakest           665\nverily of the rood of victory before thine own\npeople but a little time ago, and now dost turn\nto falsehood.'\n\nJudas again spake unto her, and said that he\nuttered those words in sorrow and exceeding doubt,\nthat he had weened bitter hardship for himself.\n\nQuickly the kinswoman of C\u00e6sar answered him:--'Lo!\nwe have heard it declared unto men from                         670\nthe holy book that the noble Child of the King, the\nSon of God, was crucified on Calvary. Thou shalt\nreveal thy knowledge perfectly concerning the field\nwhere this place Calvary is, according to the teaching          675\nof the Scriptures, ere death and utter destruction\nsnatch thee away for thy sins, that I may thereafter\ncleanse the cross to be a solace for men, according\nto the will of Christ. Thus shall the Holy God,\nthe Lord Almighty, Glory-giver of hosts and Helper              680\nof souls, fulfill for me my desire and my inmost\nlonging.'\n\nBut with stubborn heart Judas answered her:--'I\nknow not the place, nor aught of the field, nor\nknow I the event.'\n\nThen Elene spake with wrath in her heart:--'I                   685\nswear by the Son of the Creator, by the crucified\nGod, that thou shalt be starved to death before the\npeople of thine own race, save thou forsake this\nfalsehood and fully declare unto me the truth.'                 690\n\nThen she bade men take him alive, and throw\nhim, guilty as he was, into a dried-up well--nor did\nher subjects hesitate. And there, joyless and famished,\nweighed down with chains, was he to abide\nin his grief for the space of seven nights. And\nupon the seventh day, weakened by sorrow, weary,                695\nand without food--his strength was broken--he\nbegan to call aloud:--'I beseech you by the God\nof the heavens that ye release me from this misery,             700\nfor I am brought low by the pangs of starvation.\nJoyfully will I show forth the holy tree--no longer\ncan I hide it now by reason of my hunger. This\ndurance is too fearful, this need too great, and this\ntorture too bitter day by day. No longer can I                  705\nendure to suffer, and conceal my knowledge concerning\nthe tree of life, though before I was filled\nwith folly, and confess the truth too late.'\n\n\n11. THE FINDING OF THE CROSSES.\n\nWhen she who there held sway over the heroes\nunderstood the changed bearing of the man, she                  710\nstraightway bade release him from his prison,\nhis dungeon, his narrow cell. Then quickly they\ndid so, and took him out of the pit with care, as\nthe queen had bidden them. And they resolutely                  715\ntook their way to that place upon the hill where\nthe Lord was crucified on the cross, the Son of\nGod and Prince of the heavenly realm. Weakened\nby hunger, he knew not yet clearly where through                720\nthe wiles of the devil the holy rood lay hid beneath\nthe earth, nor where it rested in its tomb, safe in a\nsecret place, long hidden from men.\n\nAfter a little while he lifted up his voice with\nunwonted power and spake in Hebrew:--'O Lord                    725\nJesus, thou who dost possess the power of judgment,\nthou who didst form the heaven and the earth and\nthe sea, the broad expanse of waters, and all created\nthings, by the might of thy glory; thou who didst\nmeasure out with thine own hands all the sphere of              730\nthis earth and of the firmament above; thou who\ndost sit in person, the King of victories, over the\nmost glorious angel-kind; thou who in a mantle\nof light dost fare through space in surpassing\nmajesty, the nature of man cannot rise in the flesh             735\nfrom the earth-tainted ways unto the bright throng\nof the pure, the heralds of glory. Thou didst form\nthat host, holy and heavenly, and didst ordain it\nunto thy service. Six of their number are called                740\nby name in joy without end, and they are clothed\nabout with six wings; they are adorned, and gleam\nbrightly. And there are four of their number\never in flight that perform the service of glory                745\nbefore the sight of the eternal Judge, and they continually\nsing in holiness with clear voices the laud\nof the King of heaven, fairest of songs, and they\nchant these words in pure tones--their name is                  750\ncherubim:--\"Holy is the holy God of the archangels,\nthe Lord of hosts. Heaven and earth are\nfull of His majesty, and all His exceeding might is\nmarked with His glory.\" And there are two among\ntheir number in the heavens, the victorious race,               755\nwhereon man bestoweth the name of seraphim.\nWith flaming sword they are to keep sacred the field\nof Paradise and the tree of life. And fast in\ntheir grasp the drawn sword, sharp of edge, quivers,\ntrembles, and changes its hue. For thou dost rule,              760\nO Lord God, eternally, and thou didst hurl thy sin-stained\nfoes, the workers of iniquity, from the\nheavens, and the unhappy host fell to the dark\nabodes, into the pains of hell. There now they suffer           765\nthe agony of death in a sea of fire, encompassed\nabout with darkness, in the embrace of the dragon.\nHe withstood thy kingly rule, and therefore in\nmisery, abhorred, the vilest of the vile, shall he\nsuffer and endure the servile yoke. He cannot there             770\nneglect thy commandment; he is fettered in torture,\nbound in agony, the author of all sin. If it be thy\nwill, O King of angels, that He who was on the\ncross, and was born of Mary into the world in the               775\nform of a child, the Lord of the heavenly host, shall\nrule--and were He not thy Son, free from guile,\nnever could He have wrought such a multitude\nof true miracles day after day in the world;                    780\nnor wouldst thou, O Lord of the peoples, so gloriously\nhave raised Him from the dead before the\nnations, were He not thy Son in glory by that holy\nmaid--then do thou, O Father of angels, now show\nforth thy sign. Even as thou didst hearken unto                 785\nthe words of that holy seer, Moses, in prayer, when\nthou, O God of power, didst reveal unto the noble\nman in due time the bones of Joseph beneath the\nmountain-side, so would I, O God of hosts, if it be\nthy will, beseech thee in the name of that fair being           790\nthat thou, Creator of souls, wilt disclose unto me\nthis treasure-house that long has been hidden from\nmen. Do thou now, O Prince of life, let rise up\nbeneath the span of the heavens from this smiling               795\nfield a misty smoke. Then shall I trust in thee\nbetter, and the more firmly establish my soul in\nundoubting joy upon the crucified Christ, that He\nis truly the Saviour of souls, eternal, omnipotent,\nand King of the Israelites, and that He shall rule              800\nfor ever in glory without end the everlasting dwellings\nin the heavens.'\n\nThen from that place a mist rose up beneath the\nskies, like unto smoke. Thereupon was the soul\nof the man exalted, and he clapped his hands unto               805\nthe heavens, wise and blessed. And Judas spake,\nsage in thought:--'Now have I truly perceived in\nthe hardness of my heart that thou art the Saviour\nof the world. Thanksgiving without end be thine,                810\nO God of might, who sittest in majesty, that unto\nme in my misery and my sin thou dost uncover the\nsecrets of the fates by thy glory. Now I would\npray thee, O Son of God, Giver of gifts to men,\ninasmuch as I know thou art revealed and born the               815\nGlory of all kings, that thou never more be mindful\nof my guilt, O my Creator, which I have wrought\nnot a few times against thee. Let me, O God of\npower, dwell with holy joy among the number of                  820\nthe kingdom in that fair city where my brother is\nexalted in glory, for he, Stephen, held covenant with\nthee, even though he was stoned. He hath the\nreward of the fight, joy unceasing, and the wonders             825\nthat he wrought are set forth in books.'\n\nThen, glad and zealous, he digged in the earth\nunder the sod for the tree of glory until he uncovered\nand came upon three crosses together in a\nmournful home, hid twenty feet below, concealed                 830\nin their dark grave beneath the steep cliff, and covered\nover with sand, even as in days of yore the                     835\nhost of the sinful, the race of the Jews, had clothed\nthem over with earth. They stirred up hatred\nagainst the Son of God, as they would not have\ndone had they not hearkened to the teachings of\nthe prince of evil.\n\nAnd his soul was gladdened with great joy, and                  840\nhis heart strengthened by that holy tree, and his\nspirit exalted within him as he beheld the holy sign\nin the earth. With his hands he seized upon the\nwondrous tree of glory, and in the midst of the\npeople raised it aloft from its earthy grave. Then              845\nstrangers and heroes entered into the town.\n\n\n12. THE MIRACLE OF THE TRUE CROSS.\n\nThereupon the glad and zealous man set forth\nthe three trees of victory before Elene in open view.           850\nThe queen rejoiced in her heart at the deed, and\nasked on which of those trees the Son of the King,\nGiver of joy to men, was crucified: 'Lo! we heard\nit declared from the holy book that two suffered\nwith Him, and He Himself was the third on the                   855\ncross. All the heavens grew dark in that woful\nhour. Say, if thou knowest, on which of these\ntrees the Lord of angels and Prince of glory suffered.'\n\nBut Judas could not declare unto her fully concerning           860\nthat tree of victory, on which the Saviour,\nthe conquering Son of God, was hung, for he wist\nit not assuredly. Then he bade set the crosses with\ntumult in the midst of the fair city, there to abide            865\nuntil the King Almighty should show forth a miracle\nbefore the people through that tree of glory.\nWith souls uplifted in their victory, they sat themselves\ndown about the rood, and with earnest\nthought raised their voices in song until the ninth\nhour, when they had new joy, gloriously gained.                 870\nFor many came there, no small multitude, and\namong the press of men close by on a bier they\nbrought one who was dead, a young man, lifeless;\nand it was the ninth hour.\n\nAnd there was the heart of Judas gladdened with                 875\ngreat joy. He bade them set down upon the earth\nhim whose soul had fled, the body forsaken of life,\nthe dead man, and he himself, wise and earnest\nrevealer of truth, raised up in his arms two of those           880\ncrosses over the lifeless frame. But the body, fast\non its couch, was dead as before. The limbs were\ncold, enwrapped with their dire fate. Then the\nthird, the holy one, was raised aloft. The body                 855\nwaited until the rood, the cross of the King of\nheaven, the true sign of victory, was laid upon the\nman; then he straightway rose up, restored in spirit,\nboth body and soul together. And there was great                890\nlaud raised among the people; they revered the\nFather, and honored the true Son of the King in\ntheir speech. To Him be glory and thanksgiving\nwithout end from all creatures.\n\n\n13. JUDAS AND THE DEVIL.\n\nThen, as ever should be, was the miracle which                  895\nthe Lord of hosts, Giver of life, had wrought for\nthe salvation of mankind, impressed upon the minds\nof the people. But there the fiend, the devil from\nhell, dire monster mindful of evil, sinning with his            900\nlies, rose up into the air, flying, and spake thus:--'Lo!\nwhat man is this who doth again in the\nancient enmity destroy my following, swell the\nolden hatred, and waste my possessions? Continual               905\nstrife is this. No longer may the souls of them\nthat work evil dwell among my possessions, since\nnow a stranger hath come, whom I counted fast\nin his sins, and hath robbed me of my every right               910\nand of all my wealth. This is not a just deed.\nThe Saviour, who was raised up in Nazareth, hath\ndone me many an evil, acts of deep hatred. As he\ngrew up from childhood, he ever turned to himself               915\nmy possessions, nor now can any justice succeed\n[against him]. His kingdom is broad over the\nworld, while my teaching is weakened beneath the\nheavens. I dare not despise this cross with scoffing\nlaugh. Lo! the Saviour hath again shut me into                  920\nmy narrow home, smitten with woe. Once I was\nfilled with joy by a Judas: but now, again by a\nJudas, am I humbled, bereft of possessions, abhorred,\nand friendless. But I know how to discover                      925\nagain by my sin a way of return hereafter from\nthe home of the damned. I shall incite against thee\nanother king who shall persecute thee, and shall\nforsake thy teaching and follow my ways of                      930\nevil; then will he cast thee into the darkest and\nworst of terrors, that thou, racked with pain, mayst\nvehemently renounce the crucified King, whom thou\ndidst formerly obey.'\n\nThen the wise Judas, daring hero in strife,                     935\nanswered him (the Holy Spirit was granted unto\nhim with strength, a love hot as fire, a knowledge\nwelling up through the learning of a warrior); and\nhe spake this word, filled with wisdom:--'Thou\nneedst not so mightily, ever mindful of evil, renew             940\nsorrow and enkindle strife, O sinful prince of murder,\ninasmuch as the mighty King, who hath awakened\nwith His word many of the dead, doth thrust\nthee into the nether depths, thou worker of iniquity,           945\ninto the abyss of torture, bereft of joy. Know thou\nfull clearly that thou in folly didst forsake the\nbrightest of lights and the love of the Lord and that\nglorious faith, and that thou hast since dwelt in a             950\nbath of fire, burdened with tortures and seared with\nflame, and that there, with hatred in thy soul, thou\nshalt ever suffer woe and misery without end.'\n\nElene heard how the foe and the friend struggled\ntogether, the glorious and the foul on opposite sides,          955\nthe sinful and the blessed. And she was the gladder\nin heart as she heard that the hellish enemy, the\nPrince of evil, was vanquished; she marveled at\nthe wisdom of the man, how in so little time\nhe was so filled with faith, and how he who had                 960\never been so ignorant was imbued with knowledge.\nAnd she thanked God, the King of glory, that\nthrough the Son of God the joy of both these things\nwas come unto her--on the one hand at the sight                 965\nof the tree of victory, and on the other at this\nfaith which she so clearly understood as a glorious\ngift in the breast of this man.\n\n\n14. THE EMBASSY TO CONSTANTINE.\n\nThen was the fair news of the morning manifest\namong the nation, spread far throughout the people,\nto the vexation of many who would keep secret the               970\nlaw of the Lord. It was heralded through the cities,\nas far as the sea embosoms the land, through every\ntown, that the rood of Christ, buried of yore in the\nearth, had been found, best emblem of victory of\nthem that were raised aloft before or since, holy               975\nbeneath the heavens. Unto the Jews, men of misfortune,\nit was a most bitter grief and most hated\nof fates that they could change neither it nor the\njoy of the Christians in the world. Then the queen              980\nbade messengers from her noble company make\nthem ready with haste, for they were to seek the\nlord of the Romans over the deep sea, and declare\nunto that warrior in person the best of glad tidings--how\nthe tree of victory, that had been hidden a long                985\ntime before to grieve the holy ones, the Christian\npeople, had been discovered and found in the earth\nthrough the grace of the Creator.\n\nThen was the soul of the king rejoiced at that                  990\nfair news, and his heart filled with gladness. And\nin the city there was no want of richly-clad questioners\nconcerning what was come from afar. The\ngreatest comfort in the world, a joyful soul, was               995\ncome unto him at those glad tidings which the messengers,\nleaders of the army, brought to him over\nthe eastern ways, how the warriors with the glorious\nqueen had made a prosperous voyage over the sea\ninto the land of the Greeks. The emperor bade\nthem prepare themselves again for the journey with             1000\nthe greatest haste. The warriors made no delay\nwhen once they heard the answer, the message of\nthe prince. He bade them, heroes hardy of soul,\ngive greeting to Elene, renowned in war, if they\nshould survive the sea and make a prosperous                   1005\nvoyage unto the holy city. And Constantine furthermore\nbade the messengers charge her to build\na church there on the mountain-slope for the weal\nof them both, a temple of the Lord on Calvary for              1010\nthe joy of Christ and the solace of men, there\nwhere the holy rood was found, fairest of all trees\nthe dwellers on earth have ever known.                         1015\n\n\n15. THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE.\n\nAnd thus she did when her friends brought many\na kind greeting over the fastness of waters from the\nwest. Then the queen bade seek far and near those              1020\nskilled in the arts, the best of those who could work\nmost wondrously in the laying of stone upon stone,\nthat they might raise a temple of God upon that\nplace. As the Lord of spirits counseled her from\nthe heavens, she bade deck out the rood with gold\nand with gems, adorn it most artfully with precious            1025\nstones; then to seal it with locks in a casket of silver.\nThere hath the rood of life, best tree of\nvictory, dwelt since then, indestructible in its nobleness.\nThere shall it be ever ready, a solace for                     1030\nthe ill of any disease, affliction, or sorrow. Then\nstraightway shall men find aid and divine grace\nthrough that holy form.\n\n\n16. THE CONVERSION OF JUDAS.\n\nThen after a little space Judas received the bath\nof baptism, and, cleansed [of his sins], was true to           1035\nChrist, dear to the Lord of life. His faith was\nsteadfast in his heart when the Spirit of comfort\nhad taken up his dwelling in the breast of the man,\nand had urged him unto repentance. He chose the\nbetter course, the gladness of glory, and forsook the          1040\nworse, the way of the idolater, and cast aside his\nheresy, the law of unrighteousness. God, the eternal\nKing, Creator, and Wielder of power, was\ngracious unto him.\n\nThen he was baptized who many times had\nscorned the light; ...[1] his heart was inspired               1045\nunto the better life; he was turned unto glory.\nVerily fate decreed that he should become thus filled\nwith faith, thus dear unto God and beloved of Christ\nin the kingdom of the world. This was made manifest            1050\nwhen Elene bade bring unto the holy city\nEusebius, the bishop of Rome, exceeding wise amid\nthe councils of men, to aid in her deliberation, and\nto ordain Judas into the priesthood at Jerusalem               1055\nas bishop for the people in the cities, prudently\nchosen through the grace of the Spirit for the temple\nof God. And in later times upon a new occasion\nshe wisely named him Cyriacus. Henceforth                      1060\nthe name of the man was changed for the better\nthroughout the cities--'The law of the Lord'.\n\n[Footnote 1: A manuscript lacuna.]\n\n\n17. THE FINDING OF THE NAILS.\n\nThen again was the mind of Elene concerned\nabout that fair mystery with regard to the nails               1065\nwhich pierced the feet and hands of the Saviour,\nwherewith the King of the heavens, the mighty\nPrince, was bound upon the cross. The queen of\nthe Christians began to ask concerning them. She\nbade Cyriacus that he, through the might of the                1070\nHoly Spirit, fulfil her desire still further regarding\nthe wondrous mystery, and that he unlock the secret\nby his holy grace. And she spake this word unto\nthe bishop--boldly she addressed him:--'O bulwark\nof heroes, thou didst rightly show forth unto me               1075\nthat noble tree, the cross of the heavenly King,\nwhereon by heathen hands was crucified God's own\nSon, the Helper of souls, the Saviour of men. Now\nfurther the longing for knowledge doth make me\nmindful of the nails. I would thou shouldst find               1080\nthose that are hidden, buried deep in the earth and\nshrouded in darkness. Ever doth my heart mourn,\nsorrow in sadness, and rest not, until the Father\nAlmighty, the Lord of hosts and Saviour of men,\nthe Holy One from on high, shall fulfill unto me my            1085\ndesire through the finding of these nails. Now\nwith all reverence do thou forthwith, O best of\nmediators, send up thy petition unto that glorious\nBeing, unto the King of majesty. Do thou pray                  1090\nthe Glory of men that He, Almighty King, show\nforth unto thee the treasure beneath the earth that\nstill lieth hidden, secret and concealed from men.'\nThen the holy man, inspired in heart, the bishop\nof the people, made steadfast his soul, and joyfully           1095\nwent forth with a throng of men singing praises\nunto God. Zealously Cyriacus bowed his head upon\nCalvary, nor made he any secret of his thoughts, but\nthrough the might of the Holy Spirit he called upon            1100\nGod with all reverence, and prayed the Lord of\nangels to reveal the unknown mystery in his new\ntrouble, where in that field he might earnestly seek\nout the nails.\n\nThen the Father, the Spirit of comfort, there as               1105\nthey were watching, caused a sign in the form of\nfire to rise up where the precious nails were cunningly\nhid in the earth by the devices of men.\n\nForthwith there came a leaping flame brighter than             1110\nthe sun. The people beheld a miracle shown forth\nunto their queen, where, like unto the stars of heaven\nor gems set in gold, out of the darkness glittered\nthe nails brightly, gleaming from their burial-place           1115\nbeneath the surface of the earth. The people rejoiced,\nthe throng were glad of heart; and they said\nwith one accord that the miracle was of God,\nalthough hitherto they had been long in heresy and\nturned from Christ, through the death-wielding\npower of the devil. Thus they spake:--'Now do                  1120\nwe ourselves behold the sign of victory, the true\nmiracle of God, whom we formerly withstood with\nfalsehood. Now is the course of the mystery come\ninto light and revealed. Wherefore may the God of\nthe heavenly kingdom have glory in the highest.'               1125\n\nThen was the bishop of the people rejoiced anew,\nhe who had turned with repentance through the\nSon of God. Awe-struck he took the nails, and\nbore them unto the revered queen. Cyriacus had                 1130\nfulfilled all the woman's wish, even as his noble\nmistress bade him. Then was there the sound of\nlamentation, and hot tears welling over their faces--yet\nnot at all for sorrow; her tears fell over the\nnails. Wondrously was the desire of the queen fulfilled.       1135\nWith joyous faith she laid them upon her\nknees, and, rejoicing in her happiness, revered the\ngift that was brought unto her as a solace for her\nsadness. She gave thanks unto God, the Lord of\nvictories, that now she knew the truth which had oft           1140\nbeen foretold long before from the beginning of the\nworld as a comfort for the nations. She was filled\nwith the grace of wisdom, and the Holy Spirit of               1145\nheaven held the dwelling of her body, and guarded\nher both heart and soul. Thus the almighty, victorious\nSon of God had care for her thereafter.\n\n\n18. ELENE'S DISPOSAL OF THE NAILS.\n\nThen she began zealously through the mysteries\nof the Holy Spirit to search out the truth and the\nway to glory. Verily the Lord of hosts, King                   1150\nAlmighty, gave aid that the queen might win her\nwish in the world. From the beginning all the\nprophecy was chanted in times before by the seers\nof old, and thus it happened in every respect.                 1155\nThrough the grace of the Holy Spirit the queen\nzealously began to search out with great care wherefor\nshe might best and most fitly for the solace of\nmen use the nails, and what was the will of the                1160\nLord. Then bade she bring at once unto a secret\ncouncil an exceeding wise man, who, learned in\nmind, by his wise power knew fully the rede of\nsages; and she began to inquire of him what he                 1165\ndeemed best to be done about this. And obediently\nshe chose his advice.\n\nEarnestly he answered her:--'It is fitting that\nthou hold in thy heart the word of the Lord,\nHis holy mystery, O best of queens, and zealously              1170\nfulfil the bidding of the king, now that God, Redeemer\nof men, hath given unto thee good speed\nfor thy soul, and the skill of wisdom. Do thou\nbid that these nails be set upon the bridle, as a bit          1175\nfor the horse of the most noble among castle-ruling\nkings. It shall become famed to many throughout\nthe world when he shall overcome each of his\nenemies thereby in the contest, as with brave hearts\nand brandished swords they seek the battle on either           1180\nside, and strive for the mastery there, foe against\nfoe. He shall have good speed in war, victory in\nbattle, and peace everywhere, the calm following the\nstrife, who holds the bridle before him upon a white           1185\nsteed when his trusty heroes, far-famed in the fight,\nbear shield and spear into the press of weapons.\nFor any man shall this be a guard invincible\nagainst stress in war. Concerning it sang the\nprophet, wise in thought, his mind saw deeply                  1190\nthe understanding of wisdom. These words he\nspake:--\"It shall be known that the horse of a king\nis to be in the midst of brave heroes, decked with\nbit and bridle-rings. It shall be called a holy sign           1195\nof God, and he shall be hardy and honored in war\nwho guides the horse.\"'\n\n\n19. CONCLUSION.\n\nThen straightway in the presence of the nobles\nElene accomplished all. She bade deck the bridle\nof the prince, gift-giver of men, and unto her own\nson she sent the glorious present over the stream              1200\nof the ocean as an offering. Then she bade assemble\ntogether in the town, in that holy city, those\nwhom she knew as the best among the Jews, that\nrace of heroes. And the queen began to teach the               1205\nthrong of her dear subjects that they should steadfastly\nhold to the love of the Lord, and maintain\npeace one with another, and that they should hearken           1210\nunto the lore of the teacher, and the customs of the\nChristians, which Cyriacus, wise in the knowledge\nof books, should declare unto them. The bishopric\nwas well established. Often there came to\nhim from afar the lame, the halt, the weak, the                1215\nmaimed, the bleeding, the leprous, the blind, the\npoor, the sad in heart, and ever found they health\nand relief there at the hands of their bishop during\nall of their life. And again Elene gave unto him\ngifts of great worth when she was ready for the\njourney back to her own land, and when she bade                1220\nall those who glorified God in that kingdom, both\nmen and women, to honor in their thought with\nheart and strength that great day on which the holy\nrood was found, most wondrous tree of them that                1225\nhave grown up from the earth, laden with leaves.\nAnd, save for six nights ere the coming of summer\non the kalends of May, the spring was gone. May\nhell's portal be closed and heaven's opened, may the           1230\neternal kingdom of the angels be revealed with joy\nunceasing, and may their part be assigned with\nMary, to each man who keepeth in memory the\nmost sacred festival of the cross beneath the heavens,         1235\nwhich the almighty King over all protected with\nhis arm! Finit.\n\n\n20. EPILOGUE.\n\nOld and ready for death by reason of this failing\nhouse, I thus have woven a web of words and\nwondrously have gathered it up; time and again\nhave I pondered and sifted my thought in the prison\nof the night. I knew not fully the truth concerning            1240\nthe cross[1] until wisdom revealed a broader\nknowledge through its marvelous power o'er the\nthought of my heart. I was stained with deeds of\nevil, fettered in sins, torn by doubts, girt round with        1245\nbitter needs, until the King of might wondrously\ngranted learning unto me as a comfort for my old\nage; until he gave unto me his spotless grace, and\nimbued my heart with it, revealed it as glorious, in\ntime broadened it, set free my body, unlocked my               1250\nheart, and loosed the power of song, which joyfully\nand gladly I have used in the world. Not one time\nalone, but often had I thought upon the tree of\nglory, before I had the miracle revealed regarding\nthe glorious tree, as in the course of events I found          1255\nrelated in books and in writings concerning the sign\nof victory. Ever until that time was the man buffeted\nin the surge of sorrow, was he a weakly flaring\ntorch (C)[2], although he had received treasures\nand appled gold in the mead-hall; wroth in heart               1260\n(Y), he mourned; a companion to need (N), he\nsuffered crushing grief and anxious care, although\nbefore him his horse (E) measured the miles and\nproudly ran, decked with gold. Hope (W) is\nwaned, and joy through the course of years; youth              1265\nis fled, and the pride of old. Once (U) was the\nsplendor of youth(?); now after that alloted time\nare the days departed, are the pleasures of life\ndwindled away, as water (L) glideth, or the rushing\nfloods. Wealth (F) is but a loan to each beneath               1270\nthe heavens; the beauties of the field vanish\naway beneath the clouds, most like unto the wind\nwhen it riseth loud before men, roameth amid the\nclouds, courseth along in wrath, and then on a sudden          1275\nbecometh still, close shut in its narrow prison,\ncrushed by force.\n\n[Footnote 1: Supplying _r[=o]de_.]\n\n[Footnote 2: These letters are the runes which spell out Cynewulf's\nname.]\n\nThus shall all this world pass away, and in like\nmanner devouring flame shall seize upon whoever\nwas born into it, at that time when the\nLord himself 'with a host of angels shall come                 1280\nunto judgment. There shall each man hear the\ndoom on all his deeds from the mouth of the judge,\nand likewise shall pay the penalty for all the\nfoolish words ever spoken by him, and all his overbold         1285\nthoughts. Then shall the people divide into\nthree parts for the embrace of the flame, every man\nwho hath ever lived throughout the broad earth.\nThose who have clung fast to the truth shall be\nhighest in the flame, the throng of the blessed, the           1290\nhost of them that yearn for glory, the multitude of\nthe righteous, and thus may they endure and suffer\nmore lightly without distress. He tempers for\nthem all the glare of the flame as shall be most easy\nfor them and most mild. The sinful men, those                  1295\nstained with evil, heroes sad of heart, shall be in the\nmiddle place, shrouded with smoke amid the hot\nsurge of fire. The third part, accursed sinful foes,\nfalse haters of men, the host of the wicked, shall be\nin the depth of the surge, bound fast in flame by              1300\nreason of their former deeds, in the gripe of the\nglowing coals. Nor shall they come thereafter\nfrom the place of punishment to the memory of God,\nKing of glory, but they shall be cast forth, His\nwrath-stirring foes, from that fierce flame into the           1305\ndepths of hell. Unlike this shall it be with the\nother two parts: they may look upon the Prince of\nangels, the God of victories. They shall be refined\nand freed from their sins, like pure gold that is all          1310\ncleansed from every alloy, refined and melted in the\nsurge of the furnace's fire. Thus shall each of those\nmen be separated and purified from all their guilt,\ntheir deep transgressions, by the fire of the judgment.\nAnd thereafter they may enjoy peace and                        1315\neternal well-being. The Lord of angels shall be\nmerciful and gracious unto them, inasmuch as they\nabhorred each sin, each work of guile, and called\nupon the Son of the Creator in their prayers.\nWherefore now their forms shall shine like unto the\nangels, and they shall enjoy the heritage of the King          1320\nof glory for ever and ever. Amen.","title":"The Elene of Cynewulf translated into English prose","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":11338}