Elene; Judith; Athelstan, or the Fight at Brunanburh; Byrhtnoth, or the Fight at Maldon; and the Dr | Page 7

Grein;
K. =
Kemble;
Kl. = Kluge;
Kr. = Körner;
S. = Sievers;
Sw. = Sweet;

Th. = Thorpe;
W. = Wülker;
Z. = Zupitza;
Zl. = Zernial.
CYNEWULF'S ELENE.
I.
Whén had elapsed in course of years
Two hundred and three,
reckoned by number,
And thirty alsó, in measure of time,
Of
winters for th' world, since mighty God
Became incarnate, of kings
the Glory, 5 Upón mid-earth in human form,
Light of the righteous;
then sixth was the year
Of Constantine's imperial sway,
Since hé
o'er the realm of the Roman people,
The battle-prince, as ruler was
raised. 10 The ward of his folk, skilful with shield,
Was gracious to
earls. Strong grew the ætheling's[1]
Might 'neath the heavens. Hé was
true king,
War-keeper of men. God him strengthened
With honor
and might, that to many became he 15 Throughoút this earth to men a
joy,
To nations a vengeance, when weapon he raised
Against his
foes. Him battle was offered,
Tumult of war. A host was assembled,

Folk of the Huns and fame-loving Goths; 20 War-brave they went,
the Franks and the Hugs.[2]
Bold were the men [in battle-byrnies,
Gn.],
Ready for war. Bright shone the spears,
The ringéd corselets.
With shouts and shields
They hoisted the standards. The heroes were
there 25 Plainly assembled, and [host, Gn.] all together.
The
multitude marched. A war-song howled
The wolf in the wood,

war-secret concealed not;
The dew-feathered eagle uplifted his song

On the trail of his foes. Hastened quickly 30 O'er cities of giants[3]
the greatest of war-hosts
In bands to battle, such as king of the Huns

Of dwellers-around anywhere might,
Of city-warriors, assemble to
war.
Went greatest of armies,--the footmen were strengthened 35
With chosen bands,--till in foreign land
The fighters-with-darts upón
the Danube's
Bank were encamping, the brave in heart,
'Round the
welling of waters, with tumult of host.
The realm of the Romans they
wished to oppress, 40 With armies destroy. Thére was Huns' coming

Known to the people. Then bade the Cæsar
Against the foes his
comrades in war
'Neath arrow-flight in greatest haste
Gather for
fight, form battle-array 45 The heroes 'neath heavens. The Romans
were,
Men famed for victory, quickly prepared
With weapons for
war, though lesser army
Had théy for the battle than king of the
Huns.[4]
They rode 'round the valiant: then rattled the shield, 50 The
war-wood clanged: the king with host marched,
With army to battle.
Aloft sang the raven,
Dark and corpse-gréedy. The band was in
motion.
The horn-bearers blew,[5] the heralds called,
Steed
stamped the earth. The host assembled 55 Quickly for contest. The king
was affrighted,
With terror disturbed, after the strangers,
The Huns'
and Hreths' hóst they[6] observed,
That it[7] on the Romans'
kingdom's border
'Round the bank of the river a band assembled, 60
A countless crowd. Heart-sorrow bore
The Romans' ruler, of realm he
hoped not
For want of force; had warriors too few,
Trusty comrades,
'gainst th' overmight
Of the brave for battle. The army encamped, 65
The earls 'round the ætheling nigh to the river
In neighboring plain a
night-long time,
After force of their foes they first beheld.
Thén in
his sleep was shown to him,
To the Cæsar himself where he slept
'mid his men, 70 By the victory-famed seen, a vision of dream.

Effulgent it seemed him, in form of a man,
White and hue-bright,
some one of heroes
More splendid appeared than ere or since
He
saw 'neath the heavens. From sleep he awaked 75 With boar-sign
bedecked. The messenger quickly,
Bright herald of glory, to him

made address
And called him by name (the night-veil vanished):

"To thee, Constantine, bade King of the angels,
Wielder of fates, his
favor grant, 80 The Lord of Hosts. Fear not for thyself,
Though thee
the strangers threaten with terror,
With battle severe. Look thou to
heaven,
To the Lord of glory: there help wilt thou find,
A token of
victory." Soon was he ready 85 At hest of the holy, his heart-lock
unloosed,
Upwards he looked as the messenger bade him,
Trusty
peace-wéaver. He saw bright with gems
Fair rood of glory o'er roof
of the clouds
Adorned with gold: the jewels shone, 90 The glittering
tree with letters was written
Of brightness and light: "With this
beacon thou
On the dangerous journey[8] wilt the foe overcome,

The loathly host let." The light then departed,
Ascended on high, and
the messenger too, 95 To the realm of the pure. The king was the
blither
And freer from sorrow, chieftain of men,
In thoughts of his
soul, for thát fair sight.
[1] Prince's.
[2] MS. 'Huns_,' but Z. reads '_Hugs.' Cf. W.
[3] 'O'er land of Burgundians,' Gn.
[4] Z. has no point, W. puts (;), Gn. (.)
[5] 'Hurried,' Z.^3
[6] 'He,' W.
[7] 'Which,' Z.
[8] 'In the terrible danger,' Gn.
II.
Bade then a likeness[1] defender of æthelings,
Ring-giver of heroes,
to that beacon he saw, 100 Leader of armies, that in heaven before
To

him had appeared, with greatest haste
[Bade] Constantine [like] the
rood of Christ,
The glorious king, a token make.
He bade then at
dawn with break of day 105 His warriors rouse and onset of battle,

The standard raise, and that holy tree
Before him carry, 'mid host of
foes
God's beacon bear. The trumpets sang
Aloud 'fore the