The Elene of Cynewulf translated into English prose — Edition Insights

There had passed in the turn of years, as men mark the tale of time, two hundred and thirty and three winters over the world since the Lord God, the Glory of kings and Light of the faithful, was born on earth in human guise; and it was the sixth 5 year of the reign of Constantine since he was raised in the realm of the Romans to lead their army, a prince of battles. He was a bulwark to his people, 10 valiant with the shield, and gracious to his heroes; and the prince's realm waxed great beneath the heavens. He was a just king, a war-lord of men. God strengthened him with majesty and might till 15 he became a joy to many men throughout the world, an avenger for his people when he raised aloft his spear against their foes.

2. THE WAR WITH THE BARBARIANS.

And battle was brought on him, the tumult of strife. The people of the Huns and famous Goths 20 gathered a host together; and the Franks and Hugas marched forth, men fierce in fight and ripe for war. The spears and woven mail-coats glittered, as with shouts and clash of shields they lifted up on high the standard of battle. Openly 25 the fighters gathered all together, and the throng marched forth. The wolf in the wood howled his war-song, and hid not his secret hopes of carnage; and at the rear of the foe the dewy-feathered eagle 30 shrieked his note on high.

A mighty host hastened to war through the cities, gleaned from all the men the Hunnish king could summon from the near-lying towns. A vast army sallied forth--bands of picked horsemen strengthened 35 the force of the foot-soldiers--until within a foreign land upon the bank of the Danube these stout-souled brandishers of the spear pitched their camp near the water's flow, amid the tumult of the army. They longed to overrun the realm of the 40 Romans, and lay it waste with their hordes.

Then were the dwellers in the cities aware of the Huns' coming. And the emperor straightway bade summon with the greatest speed by dispatch of the arrow his heroes to war against the foes; bade lead out to battle the warriors beneath the heavens. 45 Their hearts inspired by victory, the Roman heroes were soon girt with weapons for the fight, though they had a lesser host for battle than circled about the proud king of the Huns. Then the shields 50 rang, the wood of war clashed; the king with the host, his army, marched forth to strife, and over their heads the raven wailed, dark, and thirsting for the slaughter. The army was moving--trumpeters leaped, heralds shouted commands, and horses stamped the earth. Hastily the multitude enranked 55 itself for strife.

But the king was fear-smitten, awed with terror, as he looked upon the hostile host, the army of the Huns and Goths, that upon the river's bank at the boundary of the Roman realm was massing its 60 strength, an uncounted multitude. The king of the Romans suffered bitter grief of soul, and hoped not for his kingdom because of his small host; he had too few warriors, trusty thanes, to encounter the overmight of brave men in battle. 65

The army encamped near at hand beside the river, nobles about their prince, for the space of a single night after they first beheld the course of their foes. Then unto the emperor himself in his sleep, as he 70 slumbered among his retinue, was disclosed the marvel of a dream, shown unto him with soul uplifted in the hope of victory. Him thought there appeared before him in the form of a man a certain warrior, radiant, resplendent, brilliant, more glorious than he ever beheld 'neath the heavens, before or since. Then, dight with his 75 boar-crested helmet, he started up from slumber, and straightway the messenger, a bright herald of glory, spake unto him and called him by his name, while the veil of night parted asunder: 'O Constantine, the King of angels, Wielder of fates and Lord of hosts, hath commanded to offer thee a 80 covenant. Fear thou not, though foreign peoples threaten thee with terror and bitter strife. Look to heaven, unto the Lord of glory. There shalt thou find aid and the token of victory.' 85

He was soon ready at the holy one's behest; he opened wide the secret places of his heart; he gazed on high, as the messenger, faithful weaver of peace, had bidden him. Over the roof of clouds he saw the beauteous tree of glory, gleaming with treasure and decked with gold--and the gems shone 90 brightly. The shining tree was inscribed with letters of brilliance and light: 'By this sign thou shalt overcome the foe in the dread peril; by this thou shalt stay the hated host.'

Then the light vanished, ascended up on high, 95 and together with it the messenger, unto the throng of the pure ones. And the king, the leader of men, was the blither and the freer from grief in his heart by reason of that fair vision.

Then Constantine, bulwark of heroes and giver of gifts, battle-prince of armies and glorious king, 100 bade fashion with greatest haste a token like unto that sign he had seen, which had been disclosed before him in the heavens, the cross of Christ. And at dawn, with the first gleam of day, he bade 105 rouse the warriors and make ready for the stress of fight, lift up the emblem of battle, take the holy tree before them, and bear the sign of God into the press of their foes.

The trumpets rang loud at the army's front. 110 The raven rejoiced at the move; the dewy-feathered eagle scanned the march, the strife of battle-heated men; and the wolf, fellow of the forest, raised his song. Rife was the dread terror of battle.

Then there was the clash of shields and the shock of men, the bitter hand-to-hand struggle and the 115 slaughter of hosts, when once they had passed within an arrow's flight. On the fated folk dire enemies hurled a shower of darts, and with might of arm sent their spears, biting battle-adders, over the yellow shields into the midst of their foes. But with 120 courage undaunted the other host advanced; from time to time they surged forward, broke the rampart of shields, thrust their swords between, and sternly kept their way.

Then was the standard, the token, raised before the armies, and they chanted the victors' song. Over the field of battle gleamed spears and helmets 125 of gold. The pagan host was conquered; in merciless strife they fell. As the king of the Romans, dauntless in battle, bade raise that holy tree, the peoples of the Huns straight fled away, and their warriors were scattered far and wide. Some 130 perished in the fight, some saved themselves hardly on the march, some, with life half-ebbed, fled to fastnesses and nursed their strength behind barren rocks, some seized the land near the Danube, and 135 some were finally drowned in the river's current. Then was the army of valiant heroes rejoiced, and from break of day until eve they followed hard upon the foreign foe, while the spears flew, biting 140 battle-adders. The horde of hated shield-bearers was lessened; but few of the army of Huns returned thence home again.

Then was manifest from that day's deed that the King Almighty gave unto Constantine victory, 145 glorious honor, and a realm beneath the heavens, through his holy rood. And he, renowned in battle, a bulwark of armies, returned thence home again when the war was decided, exulting in his spoil. Famed in the fight, a defense for heroes, the 150 king came with a throng of thanes to visit his cities and stud his shield with jewels.

Then the Lord of men straight summoned the wisest to council, those who had pondered the craft of wisdom in writings of old and held nobly to 155 the rede of scholars. And the prince of the people, victory-inspired king, asked through the vast assembly if there were any man there could tell and declare unto him truly who the god was, giver of good 160 gifts, 'whose sign this was which appeared unto me so bright, the most gleaming of tokens, saved my people, and gave unto me glory and war-speed against my foes through the holy tree.' 165

But no one of them could give him any answer in return, nor knew they full well what to say about the victor-tree. Then spake the wisest before the multitudes, and said that it was a sign from the King 170 of heaven, and of that there could be no doubt.

6. THE CONVERSION OF CONSTANTINE.

But they who had learned the truth, who were taught through baptism, were joyful in soul, and their hearts were light that they might declare before 175 the emperor the grace of the gospel: how the Saviour of souls, revered in threefold majesty, was born; how God's own Son was hung upon the cross in bitter agony before the multitudes; how He freed 180 the children of men and souls of the careworn from the snares of devils, and gave unto them grace through the very thing that had been disclosed to his own sight as a sign of victory against the onrush of foes; and how on the third day the Glory 185 of men and Lord of all mankind rose from the tomb and from death, and ascended into heaven. Men wise in the mystic things of the Spirit thus said unto the victory-inspired monarch as they had 190 learned from Silvester. And at their hands the prince of the people received baptism, and held to the faith according to the will of the Lord from that time forth throughout the length of his days.

Then was the giver of gifts content, the king stern in battle; a new joy was come into his heart. 195 The Lord of the kingdom of heaven was his greatest solace and his highest hope. Through the grace of the Spirit he began zealously to show forth the law of the Lord both day and night, and this ruler of men devoted himself, far-famed and weariless, 200 unto the service of God. Then the prince, bulwark of peoples, brave in battle and bold with the spear, found in the books of God with the aid of his teachers that country where, amid the shouts of multitudes, the Ruler of the heavens was crucified upon 205 the cross through sinful hate; even as the ancient enemy with lying craft led astray the people, deceived the race of the Jews, until they crucified God himself, the Lord of hosts; wherefore they shall 210 suffer a direful curse in misery through a long-enduring life.

7. THE JOURNEY OF ELENE.

Then was the laud of Christ in the heart of the emperor, and he was ever mindful of that glorious tree. And he bade his mother fare unto the Jews upon a journey with a throng of people, and zealously 215 with her band of heroes to seek where the holy tree of glory, the rood of the King, was hid beneath the earth.

Nor would Elene slight such a journey, nor be 220 heedless of the word of the prince her son; but the woman was soon ready for the welcome way, as the bulwark of heroes and mail-clad warriors had bidden her. And thereupon throngs of nobles 225 made ready for the voyage over the ocean. The ships stood ready by the shores of the sea, bound ocean-coursers resting on the deep.

And the journey of the queen was plainly manifest when she sought the swell of the ocean with 230 her company; many a noble stood there, near to the water's edge, and from time to time crowds of men pressed across the way.

Then they loaded the ships with battle-dress, shields and spears; mail-clad warriors and men and 235 women embarked thereon. And they let the steep ocean-speeders course over the foamy deep; often the hull bore the shock of the billows on the ocean-way, and the sea raised her song. Never heard 240 I before nor since of woman leading a fairer force upon the paths of the ocean, the streams of the deep. There one might see, if he beheld that voyage, ships cleave the watery way and haste beneath swelling 245 sails, sea-coursers leap, and wave-floaters speed ahead. The proud warriors were glad; the queen rejoiced in the journey.

When the ring-prowed ships had reached their harbor in the land of the Greeks over the fastness 250 of flood, they left their vessels, their olden water-homes, lashed by the sea, bound with anchors, to await upon the surging deep the fate of the men, when the warrior queen with her band of heroes 255 should again seek the eastern ways. Many a woven corselet, trusty sword, and glittering battle-sark, many a helmet and glorious boar-crest, were there to be seen among the warriors. The spearmen, 260 heroes about their queen, were eager for the march. The brave fighters, heralds of the emperor, warriors clad in armor, went forth rejoicing into the land of the Greeks. Many a gold-set jewel, the gift of their prince, was to be seen there among the company. 265

But the blessed Elene, zealous and earnest of purpose, was mindful of her lord's will that over fields of battle she should seek the land of the Jews with her trusty band of shield-bearers, her company of 270 spearmen; and so it befell within a little space thereafter that the multitude of men, heroes famed in war and chieftains of spear-renown, entered into the city of Jerusalem in a vast throng with the noble queen. 275

8. THE COUNCILS OF THE JEWS.

Then she bade summon the wisest of the dwellers in the cities among the Jews, far and wide, each man of them, to come unto a council for deliberation, those who knew how to expound justly and fully the hidden things of God. And there was 280 gathered together from far ways no small multitude of those who could expound the law of Moses. They were in number three thousand men, chosen 285 for teaching.

Then the well-beloved woman spake unto the men of the Hebrews in these words:--'This have I learned well by the mystic sayings of prophets in the books of God, that in days of yore ye were 290 dear unto the King of glory, loved of the Lord and strong in his service. And lo! ye of this knowledge unwisely and perversely cast Him forth when ye cursed Him who thought to loose you from your curse, your torture of fire, your servile bondage, 295 through the might of His glory. Foully ye spat upon the face of Him who by his noble spittle wrought anew the light of your eyes, the cure of 300 your blindness, and saved you oft from the unclean spirits of devils. Ye doomed Him to death who among a multitude of men roused from death itself unto their former life a number of your own race. 305 Ye blind of soul, thus have ye confounded false with sooth, light with darkness, hate with reverence, and have woven a crime from your evil thoughts. Therefore doth this curse weigh you down in your sin--ye judged that pure Power, and until this day 310 ye have lived with clouded thoughts in heresy. Go ye now quickly, and think upon the men most sage in wisdom and skilled in speech, who, versed in the knowledge of your law, hold it foremost in their 315 hearts, and who may declare unto me truly and devise an answer for each token whereof I may ask them.'

Then, sorely grieved and saddened, and burdened 320 with fear, the men wise in law went apart, and earnestly sought the deepest mystic words wherewith they might answer the queen whatsoever she asked of them, whether of good or of bad. And they 325 found among their number a thousand of exceeding wisdom, who most fully knew the traditions of old among the Jews. In a great crowd they hastened to where, upon a royal throne in majesty, the kinswoman 330 of the emperor waited, a stately queen of battle adorned with gold. And Elene spake before the folk:--'Hearken, ye wise of soul, unto a holy mystery, the word and the wisdom. Lo! ye had the teaching of prophets how the Prince of life and Lord 335 of might should be born in the likeness of a child. Of him sang Moses, leader of the Israelites, and spake this word:--"Unto you is born a child of wondrous might in mystery, for his mother conceived 340 him not through the love of man." Of him king David, father of Solomon, ruler of men, a prophet with the wisdom of age, chanted a psalm and spake this word:--"In times afore I beheld the 345 God of creation, the Lord of victories. He was before my sight upon my right hand, the King of might and Prince of majesty. Thence will I never turn my eyes more unto life." Likewise again 350 Isaiah the prophet, deeply moved by the Spirit of God, spake concerning you before the multitudes in these words: "I raised up sons and I begat children, and unto them I gave possessions, and holy balm for their souls; but they scorned me, loathed me 355 with their hate, and they had no forethought, no skill of wisdom. Even the wretched oxen, which man doth each day drive and beat, know their well-wisher, and in their revenge for wrong hate not their friend who giveth them fodder. But never 360 would the men of the Israelites take knowledge of me, though I wrought many wonders for them throughout my life in the world." Lo! this have we learned in holy books, that God the Creator gave unto you spotless glory and wealth of power, 365 and said unto Moses how ye should hearken unto the King of heaven, and follow His teaching. But ye soon became weary of this, and withstood that righteous one; ye scorned the pure Maker of all, the Lord of lords, and pursued error against the 370 law of God. Now go ye quickly and find once more those who know best by wisdom's craft the ancient scriptures, your righteous law, that with 375 depth of soul they may give me answer.'

Then a throng of the proud leaders, saddened in heart, went forth as the queen had bidden them, and found five hundred wise men of their own race who held learning in their memory, most wisdom 380 in their mind. And again within a little space the lords of the city were summoned unto the hall. And the queen, looking upon them all, spake unto them 385 in these words:--'Oft have ye wrought foolish deeds, ye wretched in misfortune, and scorned the Scriptures, the lore of your fathers, but never worse than now when ye have refused the cure of your blindness, and withstood the truth and the right--that 390 the Son of the Mighty One, the only-begotten Ruler and King of kings, was born in Bethlehem. Though ye knew the law, the words of the prophets, yet because of your sin ye have not been willing to confess the truth.' 395

And with one accord they answered:--'Lo! we have learned the Hebrew law that from the ark of God our fathers knew in days of yore; but we know not in sooth wherefore, O lady, thou hast become thus angry with us. We know not the sin 400 that we have wrought in this province, the wrong we have ever done to thee.'

Then Elene spake before the people openly, before the multitudes this woman spake aloud:--'Go ye 405 now quickly, and seek far and near those who have the power of wisdom and the most skill of thought among you, that they may show forth to me without reserve whatsoever I ask of them.' 410

And they went forth from the council as the mighty queen, strong in her cities, had bidden them, and earnestly pondered, sad of heart, and sought shrewdly what that sin might be that they had 415 wrought in the province against the emperor, wherewith the queen reproached them.

9. THE SPEECH OF JUDAS.