Elene; Judith; Athelstan, or the Fight at Brunanburh; Byrhtnoth, or the Fight at Maldon; and the Dr | Page 8

hosts.
The raven rejoiced,[2] 110 The dew-feathered eagle beheld the march,

Fight of the fierce cries, the wolf raised his howl,
The wood's
frequenter. War-terror arose.
There was shattering of shields and
mingling of men,
Heavy handstroke and felling of foes, 115 After in
arrow-flight first they had met.
On the fated folk showers of darts,

Spears over shields into hosts of foes,
Sword-fierce foemen
battle-adders
With force of fingers forwards impelled. 120 The
strong-hearted stepped, pressed onwards at once,
Broke the
shield-covers, thrust in their swords,
Battle-brave hastened. Then
standard was raised,
Sign 'fore the host, song of victory sung.
The
golden helmet, the spear-points glistened 125 On field of battle. The
heathen perished,
Peaceless they fell. Forthwith they fled,
The folk
of the Huns, when that holy tree
The king of the Romans bade raise
on high,
Fierce in the fight. The warriors became 130 Widely
dispersed. Some war took away;
Some with labor their lives
preserved
Upon that march; some half-alive
Fled to the fastness and
life protected
Behind the stone-cliffs, held their abode 135 Around
the Danube; some drowning took off
In the stream of the river at the
end of their life.
Then wás of the proud ones the force in joy;
They
followed the foreigners forth until even
From break of day. The
ash-darts flew, 140 Battle-adders. The heap was destroyed,[3]

Shield-band of foes. Very few came
Of the host of the Huns home
again thence.
Thén it was plain that victory gave
To Constantine the
King Almighty 145 In the work of that day, glorious honor,
Might
'neath the heavens, through the tree of his rood.
Went helmet of hosts
home again thence,
In booty rejoicing (the battle was ended),

Honored in war. Came warriors' defence 150 With band of his thanes to
deck the strong shield,[4]
War-renowned king, to visit his cities.


Bade warriors' ward the wisest men
Swiftly to synod, who wisdom's
craft
Through writings of old had learnt to know, 155 Held in their
hearts counsels of heroes.
Then thát gan inquire chief of the folk,

Victory-famed king, throughout the wide crowd,
If any there were,
elder or younger,
Who him in truth was able to tell, 160 Make known
by speech, what the god were,
The giver of glory,[5] "whose beacon
this was,
That seemed me so sheen, and saved my people,
Brightest
of beacons, and gave to me glory,
War-speed against foes, through
that beautiful tree." 165 They him any answer at all were unable
To
give in reply, nor could they full well
Clearly declare of that
victory-sign.
Thén did the wisest speak out in words
Before the
armed host, that Heaven-king's 170 Token it was, and of that was no
doubt.
When they that heard who in baptism's lore
Instructed had
been, light was their mind,
Rejoicing their soul, though of them there
were few,
That they 'fore the Cæsar might dare to proclaim 175 The
gift of the gospel, how the spirits' Defence,
In form of the Trinity
worshipped in glory,
Incarnate became, Brightness of kings,--
And
how on the cross was God's own Son
Hanged 'fore the hosts with
hardest pains; 180 The Son men saved from the bonds of devils,

Sorrowful spirits, and a gift to them gave
Through thát same sign that
appeared to him
Before his own eyes the token of victory
'Gainst
onset of nations; and how the third day 185 From out of the tomb the
Glory of heroes,
From death, arose, the Lord of all
The race of
mankind, and to Heaven ascended.
So with cunning of mind in
secrets of soul
They said to the victor as they by Sylvester[6] 190
Instructed had been. From him the folk-chíef
Baptism received, and
continued to hold it
For the time of his days at the will of the Lord.
[1] Lit. 'in like manner,' adv.
[2] Add 'at the work.'
[3] 'Diminished,' Gn.

[4] i.e., with precious stones. Kr. reads '(rattled strong
shields).'
[5] 'Gold,' Kr. 'Lord of the house,' Gn. Cf. W.
[6] The Bishop of Rome.
III.
Thén was in bliss the giver of treasure,
The battle-brave king. To him
was new joy 195 Inspired in his soul; greatest of comforts
And
highest of hopes was heaven's Defence.
Then gan he God's law by
day and by night
Through gift of the Spirit with zeal proclaim,
And
truly himself devoted he eagerly, 200 Gold-friend of men, to the service
of God,
Spear-famed, unfaltering. Then found the ætheling,

Defence of his folk, through learned men,[1]
War-brave, spear-bold,
in books of God,
Whére had been hanged with shouts of the host 205
On tree of the rood the Ruler of heaven
Through envy and hate, just
ás the old fiend
Misled with his lies, the people deceived,
The race
of the Jews, so that God himself
They hanged, Lord of hosts: hence in
misery shall they 210 For ever and ever punishment suffer.
Then
praise of Christ by the Cæsar was
In the thoughts of his mind[2]
always remembered
For that great tree, and his mother he bade
Gó
on a journey with a band of men 215 To [land of] the Jews, earnestly
seek
With host of warriors where that tree of glory
Holy 'neath
earth hidden might be,
The noble King's rood. Helena would